The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-12-28
A NEW VOLUME.

wccommence to-day the publication OF the
Seventeenth Volume of the Union and Journal.
The paper was established in isi5, and printed
for the first ten years, on the Saco SIDE OF the
river. In 1854, after fire had occurred, which
destroyed the Office in which it was located and
the greater part of the printing material be-
longing to the establishment, n purchase was
made of the Eastern Journal, and the Office Of
publication was changed to the Biddeford side,
and the paper was issued under the name Of the
"Union and Journal"
Its present proprietor has been its Editorial
manager from its establishment, and expects to
continue its publication hereafter. When the
paper first started, though business, rather
than political ideas, led to its establishment, it
sympathised in the political views of the Wing
party, and the paper advocated the policy and
measures of the Wing party, and at the time,
in common with the prevailing sentiment Of all
parties in the free States it gave its assent and
support TO all measures calculated to prevent
the extension of slavery into the territories OF
the United States. With the existence ofsayery
in the States it maintained the doctrine Of non-
interference, its conductor. while regretting its
existence in such States, seeing no constitutional
method to abolish it by federal legislation.
In the progress Of time. the merely financial
questions which interested tbs people when the
paper was established, have either by..adj ustment
or common consent ceased to become subjects
of difference among the people, and the ques-
tons connected with the existence and extension
OF slavery In our country have become the all
absorbing, and the paramount ones before the
people for adjustment. Out Of these has
arisen public excitement, differences Of opinion
and as n resulting necessity Of these differences
of opinion, the breaking up and destroying Of
parties, and reconstruction. in which men Of
similar views have acted politically together.
The policy OF the men who established the
government was 20 restrict the extension of
slavery where II could be done constitutionally,
and so for as IL was practicable within consti-
tutional limits to put the government on the
side Of freedom. For the sixty first years, rs
history proves, this was the settled policy OF
the nation. The wisdom Of this policy being
apparent to the conductor Of the paper he has
invariably adhered to il, and in the mutations
Of parties he has found himself obliged by con-
yictions OF duty to give his support to that po-
litical organization which has adopted II as
leading principle in its political creed. II lis
hardly necessary for him to say. known rs he
is by so many years Of labor and devotion to
the idea. that 50 long as the paper continues
under his control that its integrity on this point
will be maintained, that while yielding every |
thing that can honorably be yielded to promote
peace and harmony, and endeavoring to speak
with fraiernal kindness always, II win never be
found consenting to ignoble and dishonorable
surrendes Of principle, surrcnders which could
bring no permanent peace, and which would
only aggravate the evils which exist. This
much the manager ofthe paper has thought
proper to say concerning his seventeenth year
ofeditorial labor. and he speaks with freedom
on the point because he is sensible that those
Who have aud do entertain political sentiments