Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1857-05-20
OUR VALEDICTORY.

Times, as publisher and proprietor, ceases.
For nearly six long years have we stood
straight and firmly at the case, stick in hand,
to serve up weekly to our readers whatever of
interesting news and important passing events
of the day our limited columns would admit,
and that, too, we fatter ourselves with good
degree of acceptance to our patrons.
When we first proposed, six years ego, to
issue weekly paper, at the county seat of
old Ottawa, many an ominous shake of the
head and word of doubt plainly manifested
the misgivings of our friends and well-wishers
as to the success of the enterprise; but our
firm belief in the truthfulness of the Yankee
adage1now an important article in the creed
of Young America-tth :" some things can
be done as well as Others" led us to hazard
the experiment. though we confess the pros
pect of success was not as clear as desirable.
Our county, now the happy and prosperous
abode of its fifteen thousand inhabitants
with its smiling fields yielding abundantly
the necessaries of life to hardy and indus
trious yeomanry, and its score of extensive
steam mills dotting here and there the banks
of its noble river, the source of wealth and
support to owners and hundreds of employ
ees, was then, for the most part, comparative
ly new, few of the towns but sparsely settled,
others in almost their primeval, wilderness
state, and the population, to very great ex-
tent, of that floating character, owing to the
principal occupation of the majority of the
permanent settlers, viz: numbering, that
would warrant from them no reliable patron
age to our paper. But forbidding as were
these considerations the first number Of the
Times made its appearance on the third day
of July, 1851, and though no special effort
has ever been made to solicit patronage, up
to this hour it has been sustained in man.
ner that has happily disappointed even the
most sanguine hopes of the proprietor, and
has very far exceeded the expectations of
those interested in the publication of at least
one substantial and reliable weekly at the
county seat
Though the Times was first established
under the auspices of the Democratic party,
and has ever advocated these principles, yet
it is not to those of that political faith alone
that we, by any means, attribute the success
and prosperity that has hitherto attended its
publication. From the very commencement
of its existence many of the most prominent
and influential citizens of the county, opposed
to us in.their political views, have patronized
us extensively7-for which we acknowledge
ourselves under many obligations-but no
less grateful to our Democratic friends, who
have ever stood up nobly to our support and
have contributed literally to our success To
all, then, without distinction of party, we
tender our homage of gratitude for favors
conferred; and if the Tgmes-which has ev-
er been our aim and desire-shall have been
in any degree instrumental in promoting the
well being and prosperity of the county at
large, as well as deserving, individual citizens,
we shall feel ourselves abundantly rewarded
for the Jealous and arduous labors attending
our duties, as publisher and proprietor And
as we stand before these time honored cases
for the last time, and make the final impress
sion upon the unsullied sheet, with that old,
familiar press that has struck off its thou
sands and tens of thousands of items select
ed and original, intended to please and in
struct our readers, we do it with conscience
void of offence toward all mankind, and with
the consoling thought, however much we may
have failed in the result, of having tried, by
every means in our power, as public jour
nalist, to benefit all classes of society in all
their varied interests. Never before were
our prospects brighter, or the patronage of
the Times more remunerative than at pres
emit; but owing to circumstances, justifable
liz our own mind, the Times, with all our
right, title and interest therein, is now trans
ferred to the firm of EASTMAN q Co., to be
published at Eastmanville, though for the
present, printed in this village. We do not
announce the name of the editor though
from our linited knou1adna of hie ability as