The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1862-01-08


months ago were beating high with true
patriotism and the love of friends are
now cold and still. Thousands of wives
who were then happy in the embrace of
their manly husbands are now changed
into mourning widows; helpless children,
who were fondly cared for and lovingly
caressed by doating fathers, are left to
drag out an orphans life with little else
than the comforting reflection that they
arc the children of patriotic soldiers. OF
Many maidens are signing with broken
hearts which were palpitating in high
hopes, year ago, of enjoying the objects
Of their abiding affections in lives of use
fulness and bliss, while secret tears are
their sweetest relief, and the reflection
that their dearest friends are covered
over with glory" the only antidote 10
their grief. coils. .ar Da
Such are some of the changes Time in
his fight has caused since 1861 COM
menced. But few changes, however, have
marked the progress of the News, through
the old year, and they have been for the
better. From early morn till late at
night the clicking of the types has been
heard, the compositor and pressman have
labored assiduously to accomplish their
important tasks in due season, and the
editor has tasked his faculties nightly to
prepare and arrange the best thoughts and
ideas TO be found within the cabinet of in
telIect with which to spread before his
patrons from week to week sumptuous
repast, and thus feast them continually
on the richest gems of intellectual food
While retrospecting the past year the
following inquiries are naturally suggest.
ed Have the people generally been true
TO themselves, and sufficiently loyal tc
the constituted authority of the country
Have they done all that was in thcil
power to preserve the unity of the differ
ent portions of the Federal Union, and
thus secure TO all the greatest blessings o
a Republican form of government I?
Have all performed faithfully all the du
ties they owe to each other, which nigh
tend TO secure peace and lasting harmony
TO the countryl And last, but not least
have the patrons of the News performed
all the duties devolving on them as pat
rons of a paper which has been constant
ly doing oil that was in its power fo
them? -. EH.
With these reflections on the past
while entering on the actual realities of /
new and untried year the contemplativ'
mind must naturally strive 10 peep thro
the impervious veil of the future, and ex
press desire to know something of th
scenes and circumstances which await u
as we pass onward down the vista of tn
coming year. But all is dark as erobu
before us, and all that is available to u
for the future, is 10 reform in the future
from our recollections of the past, and re
solve to improve as We are conscious c
past misimprovement, to use our past in
perfections as means of progress towar
higher degree of progressive perfection
, aud all work together by every availabl
I means for the peace and union of on
, whole country, and tho elevation of ou
, race.
Then, as we bid farewell TO tho OIL
0 Year, with its alternate joys and sorrows
we may turn our eyes more hopefully
the future, and altogether enjoy as we
, as wish each other "a HAPPY Me-
YEAR" j. Ii. S.
Wright, January |, 1862. H