The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-12-08
THE ERA AND ITS COTEMPORARIEs

We fully appreciate the Importance of the
State papers devoted to tho cause of Freedom,
and would do nothing to njure their interests
They are essential to State organization and
to intelligent concert Of action among our
friends Again and again have we insisted
upon the duty of giving them vigorous sup
port and at no time have we magnifed the
Era at their expense. That the establishment
and extended circulation of our paper have not
interiered with them, but rather subserved their
interests is proved by the fact that since its
commencement in the District, there has been
On unprecedented multiplication of kindred pa
pers. In view Of these facts, We had hoped
that the Era might be suffered to pursue its
course without opposition from the local press"
The obstacles in its way have always been
quite serious enough. In slaveholding District
it can, of course expect no adequate patronage.
If excluded from State support, what has it to
rely upon. Then, there are the Weekly Tri-
buns Wig and A.ti- Slavery, and the Evening
Post, Democratic and Anti Slavery each fur
nished at 81 a year, while the Era is so year
or 81 so to clubs. Competition of this kind it
is hard to contend against, especially in com
munities Democratic or Wing in their party
sympathies Had we put down the Era to the
same price, We might have contrived to keep
its head above water, but where would have
been the "local Anti.Slavery press ~ How
could it have withstood this undertaking pro-
cess
Notwithstanding all this, we are panied to
observe every year, when We are trying to re-
new our list, efforts in several quarters to i'm
pede this operation That scarcely any of our
editorial brethren should notice our prospectus
or give us kindly greeting although always
prompt to commend to their readers such pa
pers rs the Tribune and Post on the eve of a
new volume, We do not make subject Of
complaint, but when open appeals are made to
our subscribers, as We have lately seen, not to
renew their subscriptions but to reserve them
tor the State papers, We think that is unkind
Why place the interests of the "local press
and the Era in conflict Why not let us alone
when, without trespassing upon the rights Of
our contemporaries, we are engaged in the work
OF renewing our subscriptions
Surely, that is not the time to tell people
that the Era though an excellent paper, is
quite unimportant compared with the local pa
pers; and that its editor himself has recon-
mended them, if they cannot take two papers
by all means to prefer their own State paper.
Certainly, We have said so in all sincerity; but
we did not think that at the very moment when
about to renew our entire list which is next
IN difficulty to beginning a paper, our disinter-
ested advice would be quoted against US, 20 a.
to ALLEVIATE our subscribers. Such appeals
may be successful in reducing our list but sub
scribers thus alienated will probably be lost to
the Antl-Slavery press altogether
VIII our friends pardon us for this first aud
last allus'on to painful matter We cannot
We will not, have any other than fraternal in
tercourse with those engaged in the Cause of
Freedom.
We have made the foregoing remarks, not to
assail any one but simplyin justice to ourselves.
Wewould sooner retire from the field OF action
than he regarded Ms the competitor, rather
than the coadjutor, Of the Anti-Slavery Press.