Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1868-03-11

Vth NhGbl tANNs
In assuming the control Of newspaper,
long-establishod custom renders it necessary
to make a more or less formal declaration Of
the principles measures, and general policy
which are to find support in its columns.
And yet, moments reflection will convince
every intelligent mind that all such labor j.
well nigh supcrfuous For, Of all things in
the world, newspaper is cmphatically judgcd
by its fruits and when it comes to the har-
vest every week, and especially euery day in
the year, no cunningy-wrought theories, or
hgh.sounding pledges in advance, can long
avail to deceive the public mind in respect to
its true principles and real merits.
At the very outset of our new undertaking
we meet with no little embarrassment, arising
mainly from two sources The first is, the
unprecedented character Of the present times
When we sean the long record of public
events for simply the past year, scores of
which are Of such trau.cendmt Importance
that any one Of them would signalize whole
periods of ordinary history when the ablest
statesmen and philonthropists in the world
stand powcrless and dumb before the rapidly
shifting scenes in the great drama of human
affair, who can confidently put his hand to
a work, the peculiar province of which has
been regarded as designed to cnlighten the
public mind and direct the popular will ?
But a still greater embarrassment is found in
the fact that the editorial chair to which we
succeed Is the oldest, with but one or two cX-
ceptions, in the State Of Vermont and that
it has been most creditably filled by the
Mcssrs. Walton father and SOM for sirty
gears, Sdre ttco. Under the administration
Of these worthy men the WATcmiAN AND
Journal has attained position and influence,
not by any means confined to Vermont, or
New England which furnishes most fitting
monument to their great industry, intelligence
and moral worth. The retirement of the late
editor brings loss to the profession in this
State which we can never hope to make good.
And we most gladly improve this opportunity
to say-what we have often desired to testify
before, when noticing the sharp, and some
times unkmd criticisms of his cotempo-
rares,-that, from an intimate personal ac-
4 quaintance Of thirty gears, we consider Mr..
Walton possessed in a remarkable degree OF
all those qualities of head and heart which
render man conscientious, noble, generous
and just
Politically, the paper will remain sub
stantally unchanged. The leading principles
and measures Of the republican party we
regard as essential to the best interests Of the
nation. Its record during the last ten years
shows it to have been inspired by the hui
name and eunobling spirit of liberty 1t had
the moral courage to accept the bloody issues
Of civil war, rather than betray the interests
of human freedom or sacrifice the enduring
interests of the nation In crushing out the
rebellion, it destroyed American slavery for.
ever. And now it has set itself earnestly to
the great work of maintaining the national
credit--healing the breaches made by the
war-and of securing the emancipated bond.
men In the enjoyment Of all their newly ac
quired rights and lifting them to higher
plane of manhood. For such noble ends W,
shall be proud to bear even a humble part
But, meanwhile, we hope to be saved from tn,
folly of believing our party TO be Away
right, and others necessarily wrong or tina
every political friend is honest while all els
are dishonest. And while we claim no ex
emption from the iraities that pertain to hu
man nature, we are still determined to set on
face inhexibly against that spirit of blinO
and unreasoning partizanship which re
fuses to AN opponent that same measure o
, charity and federation which it demands 70
Y ones self
The subject of Agriculture, being deeme,
Of paramount Importance, will receive care
iul attention and liberal space in our columns
Beside selections from the best journals il
the country, we are cndeavoring to secure tn
: services of the ablest writers on that sublec
in The State believing that the experienc
and practical good sense of our own farmer.
will be more valuable than the speculation
and theories of "gentlemen farmers VIII
know very little of our rugged soil and eli
mate, and still less of the necessity of making
a support from the income of the farm.
In word-recognizing the importan
agency of the newspaper in moulding publ,
sentiment, and especially az an educator il
the family,-it will be our constant aim t,
render it as effective as possible in producing
the best results, by the most desirable means
What measure of success may attend us tim,
alone can tell.