Star of the Kanawha Valley. [volume] (Buffalo, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1856, 1855-03-07
/ rhansc...lnd Why.

!
EEMe Ranamha Valley, is declare ID Demo
cratic. In making this ration. it il
! due to the public generally and our pa
irons especially, that we should set fortl
the cause ortauses which have led to thi'
change in the character Of the paper; fo
the change isin the paper only and no
with the pubIisliers--poliiically, We have
never been other than Democrats. \
4 When We fret proposed to publisha pa
per in Buffalo, we expressed a Willingness
to publish either neutral or Democratic
paper, according to the will Of the people
most Immediately concerned; but preferred
!. the latter. Atthat time, there was nc
T particular political excitement in The coun,
try. and it was the general opinid "a of the
citizens that neutral paper would be mos
likely ;ofsucceed, hence it was Adopted
And when our first number was issued,
4 We did not entertain even remote idea Of
a change during tAe first volume; bu! this
has been forced upon Us througha vel! de-
yiscd system Of inanenceS--iu auences
that begun 10 work even before tho first
issue came before the public, on d have
been steadily operating and augmcnting
! III strength, until the impression has gone
out in the distance and in various dircc-
ti6us that the Star is a Democratic paper
in disguise. This was uncharitable, to
say the least. For every intelligent man
knows that the. editorial department Of any
PAPER must define its character; and i'll
this, there has not one sentence occurred.
that could be fairly interpretedto imply an
expression Of political sentiments; and
we have as studiously avoided all political
matter in our selections; therefore, the i'm.
plication has been unjust and groundless.
But ii it should be argued that the
character accommodations are entitled
10 share of consideration in fixing the
premises, we affirm that none have been
misIed on this branch ofthe subject, for
our position was clearly defined, touching
these rights, in the second issue Of the pa
per. And those who would restrict a pa
per in the right to give information on
subjects Of which all seek to know some
thing, simply because such paper is not
an organ Of any political party, wholly
misconceiye or misapply the limits Of a
neutral paper, Thus far, the Wings have
enjoyed free: access to. the use of our col
umps, to any extent that they have seen
proper to avail themselves Of the benefit;
and the Democrats have done no 1nore.--
There have been but two communications
ola political cast rejected at this Office,
and it 50 happened that one was by a Wing
and the other Democrat, judging by
their eontentsS they were both VOL writ
ten manuscripts, but neither Of them were
accompanied with responsible name,
consequently their rcjection--they were
both called for through the paper, but not
received. THE same course will contipue
to be observed with'regard to correspon!
dents, whether Wings or Democrats. -.
Having thus briefly vjndicated our.
selves against any unjust grounds Of CEN
sure for a departurefrom our neutral po-
sition, which alpdtlr correspondents who
are disposedto do us justice will confirm,
I'VE remark that, if the Democrats saw
proper to make more use of our columns
fhan did the Wings, that was not our bus
mess, nor are we accountable for it. But
if it is true that the Democrats contribu-
ted more to our columns than the Wings,
are there not other strong and natural
reasons whyit should be so? The Wings
have two papers circulating in the 50 me
district OF country that they claim as their
own organs, and it is most natural for them
to contribute more to the columns Of their
own papers than to any other; and as the
Democrats had no paper in this conn u--
nifty, twas just as natural for them to con-
tribute to the columns Of a paper that was
neither for or against them officially, in
preferences to those that were ayowedly
against them If the facts in this case
were reversed, theieffeets would have been
dissimaar: il There had been two Democrat
icpapers 1.-THE points where the two Wing
papers are, and no Wing papers in the
same communities, there would have been,
most certainly, a heavier list Of Whiy con-
tributors to the Star than Democratic
u this position is not true, then there is no
truth in the force of reason. !. T.
But it still remains for US to set forth
the main reasons for changing the charsc-
ter ofthe,paper at this time. The prin.
cipal causes leading to effect have been
set forth; but the opinions entertained and
expressions employed could not, in them.
selves. move US to this action, for we new.
ar avr..cfad ~ ,,la,.ak 4 - N, -.