The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-05-08
THE PRESS.

The Indiana True Democrat, the only Free Soil
newspaper in Indiana, is about to be discontinued
for want Of support. The Peninsnlar freeman,
the Free Soil organ in Michigan, has ceased to
come to our Office, and, we presume, is also dis
continued Mr. McClellsnd, for several years
the worthy associate of Mr.. Eastman, in the con-
duct Of the Western Citizen, published at Chica-
90, is obliged we see with regret, to retire from
that paper, on account Of its limited resources
He says
"Nothing can be more important to our cause
in the Western States than that the Citizen be
well sustained. Located in the very focus Of the
great and free Northwest, it has been and may
and should continue to be- an instrument OF vast
influence in moving onward the Liberty cause.
Many of its old friends have allowed themselves
to entertain the idea that it was too well estsb-
lished to need their special aid, and have subitu-
ted the National Era in its stead. This policy
has well nigh ruined the Citizen. II is not within
the range of possibility to make the CVizen, with
its limited means equal in value to the Era. Yet
we hesitate not to say that in its own sphere and
,1t5- ;ts influence = 1~~;dnJ1u the most ;,n nnr'
ant Once suffer the light which 1t reflects to go
out, and Hunkerism will run rampant through
the State and the West"
We are very sorry to see so many of our wor-
thy contemporaries embarrassed The Free Soil
men of Indiana and Michigan will repent it
deeply, if they suffer their organs to be perma-
nently discontinued unless indeed they intend
to disband, and desist from further effort. The
Western Citizen, We are sure, has too much vitality
to die out Mr.. McClelland takes very proper
view Of its great Importance
But we must beg our friends Of the press not
to attribute their embarrassments to the patron
age bestowed on the National Era. They grow
out of combination of circumstances, which is
affecting our circulation as well theirs though,
we are confident, only for time. They must rec
ollect that however inefficient the Compromise
measures of the last Congress may prove, they
vet constituted kind of settlement Of the Ter
ritorial Question and, as might have been ex-
pected, there has been an abatement Of excite
ment Coincident with this, is the long interval
of respite from Congressional debate, and from
the turmoil of Presidential canvass. During
the spring, summer, and fall, Of this year, there
is comparatively little to keep up popular excite
ment, or give piquancy to newspaper discussions,
so that the political press of all parties may cal
culate upon rather "a dull time Of it." People,
busted about their farms and merchandise will
take less interest in controversial matters and be
apt, too often, to let their subscriptions expire
withaut ranAsai---.h-- e. 3D. A.
Era, that so many Free Soil newspapers are suf-
fering We need hardly repeat, that our paper is
not exempt from their unfavorable influence.
Now, we submit to our Free Soil friends every
where, whether it is worth while to let their
newspapers languish and die for want of little
timely effort. AS matter of mere economy,
they ought to keep them going, whether they
take much interest now in reading them or not,
for they will be obliged to have their organs next
winter and spring, or 80 soon as the Presidential
canvass shall open, and it will be rather expen-
sive to begin de moro. But our friends Of the
Press would do well not to rely upon the sense of
duty in their patrons Let them, while bestow.
ing all necessary attention on AntiSlavery move
ments and discussions, make their columns at
traotive in other respects to the wives and daugh-
| tiers Of their patrons, so that in each male sub
scribers household, they may secure a gentle
but all-prevailing voice in their favor.
| True, such course may subject them to the
rebuke of some ungenial persons, who can relish
nothing out of the sphere of the One Idea but
we have generally found that these are not the
people to trouble themselves in promoting the
circulation Of newspaper. They seem to think
the only way to show their interest in it, is by
finding fault with it, Anti-Slavery editors, if
they would maintain their papers, must make
them not only vehicles of facts and arguments on
the question of Slavery, but enrich their columns
with discussions on other questions Of interest,
besides keeping up literary miscellany, afflu-
ent as their means can command.