Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-01-08

g trusting that as day is so shall our strength
be-
Differences of Opinion among Sub
ScriberS to Newspapers.
Any who has had experience as a
has learned that even in the
circumference of school district, however
different parentage-it is utterly impossible
to please everybody. No mortal man Of the
least independence of thought or action, or of
the smallest honesty and integrity of purpose
and candor of speech, has ever succeeded in
winning the favorable opinion of all who
know him; and it not unfrequently happens
that popularity is in inverse ratio to honest
independence. Newspapers are no exception
to this experience and while it is, perhaps,
true that independent, fearless Journal
will win as much respect and support as a
trucking and servile newspaper, yet editors
find occasionally some subscriber who has n
notion that any paper said subscriber reads,
must in all respects be made to suit said sub
scriber. 1t is, of course, the privilege and
right of every man to read no newspaper
which is in the least degree different from
what he would have it and when such a
man sets up his standard he can refuse TO
take any publication that does not reach that
standard 1t might occur to such person,
perhaps, after some reflection, that, as no
two persons were entirely alike, so no news
i 4
to the tastes opinions of any single indi-
--.a-~I. - 4L-4 49, LA ------r-r-- = -
which is controlled by honest, candid, and
fearless management, and exhibits proper
news enterprise without descending to street
gossip, or personalities, or SANDER, or petty
quarrels. Such a newspaper, if conducted
with ability, becomes teacher and leader of
public opinion, and not mere pander to
vitiated or depraved tastes, nor mere echo
of popular clamor, weather-cock to in
dictate the direction Of every wind that
blows.
As an instance of the difficulty which a
publisher experiences in pleasing all his
readers, we append letter received few
DAYS since from former subscriber to the
CHRISTIAN MESSENGER, and we commend
the letter to the attention of Mr. Beecher,
who is now one of the Z" big guns " among
the contributors to Mr.. Bonners Ledger:
January 1868
NV Dear Brother
G.. w. Willard
NV Dear Sir
Believing in Christ as | do with all my
Heart Cannot Make myself believe that it
is right for you advocate a paper that will
be of so Much Eavel as the one you Advocate
in your paper that is the New York Ledger
a paper that will be the means of doing so
much harm as that it will in my belief that
will be the means of leading away the young
mindes from the true Senter witch is Jesus
| Christ our Lord and thus beleivelng as | do
| I Request you for this and other Reasons
Combined to stop the paper you send to me.
The paper has been stopped, although we
should be glad to hear the I" other Reasons
Combined
OF quite a different tenor is the follow
ing:
| CIV WILLARD, Esq. Dear Sir Il send
YOU herewith $500 in advance in payment
for the FREEMAN for 1868. | send you also
nv thanks for making the FREEMAN live
l
I October l, and am glad to say L like it.
wanted sterling State newspaper outside Of
nv own county that was sincere and fearless
| In advocacy Of tho equal riShto of all mon
the reconstruction of the South on that basis
while it was not SO partizan that 1t coulo
not sometimes criticize the men and measures
of the marty which, despite some delinquen
cos and shortcomings, is essentially pledged
to that policy.
Resides the independent and high-toneo
discussion giyen to subjects Of local and gen
eral interest in the editorial department. OF
the paper, l am pleased to find judicious
selection of miscellaneous and news matter
bv excluding much that is worthless and ad'
hitting that which is of substantial Interest
and value.
sorted to with interest by me as young iar-
mer. shows signs of careful supervision, sell
dom falling to furnish food for thought OF
vajnablc suggestions The very full market
,enorts are also high priced feature of the
naner So much / have said though | die
not intend to use the language of hattery.
| believe the FREEMAN deserves encoura cement
and support among its Vermont contempora-
ries. as furnishing at a low price weekly
repository of editorial and selected matter
interesting, sprightly and seasonable' and OF
solid value.
! We think the great majority of readers Of
modern newspapers recognize the fact that
a newspaper to be really valuable must have
sharply defined character of it's own yet
it is undoubtedly true that many select the
paper that is most likely to go with the ma
iority, and will print anything which sub
scriber desires printed, whether it be COM
munications, reports, pufs, or other matter
which patrons kindly volunteer to write for
its columns. Another class, while botherIng
an editor less with matters which should not