Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-05-11
THE DAILY AMERICAN TELEGRAPH.
OUR SECOND YEAR


One year ago this day was issued the FIRST
number of the AMERICAN TELEaRAPH. We we're
then assured by many intelligent citizens of Wash
ington that it had already been fully demon
strated that such paper could not live here
and that ours could not exist three months
while cautious men of business assured us tina,
If we should succeed in sustaining it, then they
would give us their support. The predictions
of the former have proved baseless-the wish
that was father to the thought has not been re-
allied and the promises of the latter have not
! been redeemed.
Cut off from all hopes of the kind of patronage
on which other papers Of this city fatten-en-
countering the overwhelming competition of Wash
ington papers supported by the government pa
tronage, and the newspapers of Baltimore, that
derive their support from a commercial and man
ufacturing population of one hundred and eighty
thousand persons-proscribed in official places
avoided by timid men in office-opposed by the
concerted influence of portion of respect
able religious communion, upon pretext en-
tirely baseless-without the influence in the
community of connexions and friends to defend
us from the adroit opposition of interested com
petitors,--we have yet maintained our position,
and to-day stand before our fellow-citizens pre-
pared to serve them faithfully, fearlessly, and
Independently.
We have no favors to ask. We have respect
and goodwill toward the people of this commu-
nifty, and intend to merit theirs in return. But
we shall not do this by attering their folies, or
appealing to their sympathies When such a
course as this becomes necessary to insure sue
cess, we shall not be ashamed to fail. But until
it does, our path shall lie onward and upward
We will neither fail nor falter.
Now for q few familiar words. Why do we not
sell our paper as cheap as the Baltimore papers
are sold? is the frequent question. We reply,
Because we are not in Baltimore-because COM
mercial city of one hundred and eighty thousand
people can yield an amount Of advertising Gus
tom not to be obtained in community of forty
thousand people aoho do their shopping in Balti-
more! save.
Do their shopping in Baltimore! Yes, by q
wilful and unreasonable opposition to the only
cheap paper of their own that ever could survive
their sights the business men of Washington give
all the aid in their power to promote the interests
! Of Baltimore merchants here. The Baltimore
papers contain Baltimore advertisements and the
people of Washington compile their memoranda
from such advertisements send their orders to
Baltimore, obtain their goods there, and thus
make our own storekeepers pay a well-merited
penalty.
Would we prescribe the papers of Baltimore
By no means. We regard the morning as fiat and
dull that does not bring them to US. We are
willing to encourage their circulation here. They
should bring light and knowledge to every home
and place of business throughout our whole city.
Every one should rejoice in the facilities
they afford. But the extensive circulation
of Washington afternoon paper, with the
advertisements Of Washington business peo
pie, should preserve us from the temptation of
sending to Baltimore for those commodities which
can as well be obtained in Washington. 1t was
with special reference to this that we commenced
an afternoon paper We knew the advantages
offered by the penny press of Baltimore-ws ap
preciated them fully we did not wish to come
in conflict with them. We intended not to cross
the path of those Journals and we believed our
purposes would be approved by our own people
By many they have; but not by all. So far
from this, we seriously doubt (call it egotism if
you will y that there is another man in Washing
ton who would have chung to an enterprise as
the writer of this has adhered to that upon which
he had Notwithstanding without present re-
compense, and with but feeble hope for the flu
ture; and even, from bitter necessity submitting
to q transitory public Misrepresentation of his
true position in particulars of the most serious
moment
But away with the past. The present around
US, and the prospect before, are what now con
Germ us. We have no revenges-no regrets. w,
have no enemies that we know of, and care not
dime for any that are unknown. We intend t.
labor on, to improve with increasing means, tc
stand by our friends, to make them many to
stife no. sentiment, to sacrifice no opinion, to
conciliate no bigot to fatter no money worship
per- to bow before no official upstart, to sanction
no public or private wrong and in general to live
honestly, soberly, democratically, and peaceably,
and die only when our time shall have come.
If therefore, any of our fellow-citizens shall
feel inclined to give us kind words of encourage
ment, and to render us kindly aid, at the COM
mencement of this our second year, we cordially
invite them to our Office. We will greet them at
the threshold with friendly welcome, endeavor
to make good return for all the benefits we
shall receive at their hands, and preserve them
from all future regrets that such has been Their
| course.
MARCH "a, 1862.