The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1861-12-04


the benefit Of the Democrats throughout the
county and State.
MICHIGAN STATE JOURNAL Extra
MICHIGAN STATE JOURNAL OFFICE,
Lansing, Mich, Nov. II, 1861.
Patrons of the Michigan State Journal:
GENTLEMEN The State Journal, after hav-
ing been published in this city for nearly thirteen
years has been forced TO suspend.
Panied as | am at the necessity, it has been
beyond my power to guard against it any long.
er; aud now that results, put off only by de-
| termination never to yield to adverse fortune,
| have come upon il, it is my duty to inform you
the friends and patrons of the yoarnal-of the
causes which have forced such suspension.
| When l assumed control of its columns on the
9Th of last September, with many misgivings
| and full consciousness that l was not consult
ing my own interests, and distrustful of nv abil-
ity to make paper acceptable to the Democra-
cy OF lngham county, there was but little in the
political world. aud still less in the financial
standing of the paper 10 lend encouragement to
the future.
| But the Democracy needed a voice at the
Capital Democratic orgaEs were quivering in
the wind, and the party seemed about to be dis
rupted. One after another had presses been de
nOlished, the editors mObhed, and the Offices
RACED to the ground, simply because they were
| Democratic.
| HazardIng consequences for what / kne,r to
be right and firmly believing that the D,mocra-
cy, though stunned and its organization threat
ened with destruction by what, to the surface
observer, seemed to be an irrepressbe tide OF
public opinion, would yet rally as of old upon
Constitutional principles, and come to the sup
port Of its organs, resolved to do all in my power
to make the Journal a truly Democratic paper,
hoping with the assistance Of its friends to soon
overcome all the obstacles by which it was sur
rounded. What was my delight to find that the
people. as had believed, we're far in advance Of
the presses and politicians in their devotion to
Democratic principles, and more firmly than ev.
er determined TO maintain them, as the only
means OF re uniting our unhappy country.
While this was heart-cheering Ind a strong
defence to the journalist, it supplied but hall
the N, ans for his support Money was lacking
and after feeling the Democratic pulse, and find
ing it healthy, and stronger if possible, than ev.
er in favor of obedience to law and Constitution.
al justice, l set myself to looking for the means
to sustain your paper, and wofuy indeed, as the
figures will show you, have | succeeded ana
have not been wanting in effort
During the time have been in control, the
Office has fallen short of paying it's expenses
not far from$ 20, which have had to pay from
my own pocket.
The expense per week, since the 18th day oil
September, has been in exact numbers $2l75
say S22 90; at this rate the entire expense for
one year of So weeks, will be $l,l44. To thi:
add taxes and other little expenses which cannO'
be foreseen, $50, and we have total cost for
one years publication Of $1,000, from which
Ii l. Ia m II.
expense there is a subscription list Of 400, excu
sive of exchanges, amounting to $500; but from
this amount must be deducted rs per cent, a.
fexpense for collecting and losses by non-paying
Isubscribers-the ault Of the ruinous policy o.
departing from the advance payment system
leaving. az the amount from subscriptions, $500
which, taken from the 81 200, leaves a deficit O
5000 to be made up from other sources. tt
meet this deficit there are the receipts from ad
vertising and job work. OF the twenty eigh
columns of the paper, fourteen are devoted tt
reading matter, leaving fourteen for advertise
ments, worth $50 per year each, when filled
amounting to 800. The job work should aver
age profit of "a per week, making for the yea
S2Os; giving from both these sources an incom,
of 9OS, which would meet the deficiency, ant
leave a surplus Of 50 per year for the supper
of the editor. But have proceeded upon tn,
hypothesis that the job work and advertising
reached these figures.
But this has not been the case. When tool
the paper, found its columns filed with dea,
} matter, which at this date is unchanged, with
few exceptions. From job work nothing ha
been received, and judging from what has beeI
received from these sources for the past tire
months which you can see is entirely fair critic
rion, as it embraces the opening of the bushes
season, the entire receipts for the year woul
not exceed $500, which, added to the $500 from
subscription gives 5000 of receipts to offse
against 81 200 Of expenses, leaving the publish
er not only without a salary, but $500 in deb
at the close of the year.
This is as favorable a showing as the fac.
will, by any possibility, warrant; and this, gen
tlemen, is the condition of the Democratic orga
at the Capital OF our State! and it s needless t.
say to You that such has been the condition 70
the past four years, and but for aid from tn
Post Office here, it would have been forced t
suspend long ere this and its recent editor, a
! ter FIVE years publication as his only reward
has had the satisfaction OF reaping harvest G
debts. Self.preservation demands of me tbs:
guard against the rock he was wrecked on.
Since it has been under my control, it, hnan
: ces have been conducted with the closest posi-
e BILE economy, and l believe the expenses pc
{ week have been less than ever before, at ieas
, they hsve never been lower.
have appealed to subscribers to pay bac
subscriptions and remnd.i them that psymen
| in advance was the rule 10 order that the cor
{ veuience Of farmers night be consulted, en-
q ployed men with Emes, and told subscriber
to bring me anything family could use. Thi
failing, notified subscribers that the paper wo'
7 be stopped anless paid for at given time-nc
Y riiyinc esch one in advance. This failing TO il
n duce raymen,. cut from the list lao subscr
bers lonees; 10 arrears; and / an sorry to say
;, among them we're many active Democrats, whC
U of all others, shonld know that subscriptio
should be promptly paid in advance. At III
t they can take no ofense when they see the CO,
t d.ton of the paper. That there have been il
stances when have not given subscribers a
the credit due them, may be true. II so, tt
fault was in the subscription book, By which
was guided; and for its errors / am not respo
u sible.
z All expedien.s failing, from sheer necessi;
your paper has been obliged to suspend. Til
o is where the organ Of the Democracy Of Ingha
!. is to-day.
;. Now as to the future-it lies with you to
q eide whether you shall have paper in ii
le county or not.
ri One word az to the means Of sustaining q p
i per You will be surprised perhaps, at q
Journals having hut 400 subscrbers: how n