The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-13
soMETrIlNG ABOUT OURSELVES

friends, VINO nave TAKEN up the IDEA that,
because the public printing, which was in
the gift of the clerk of the House Of Rep
resentatives, has been taken from the
STATE Journal, that, therefore, the paper
cannot survive, we have obtained our own
slow consent to break the silence of in-
difference with which we have treated the
matter, that we may re-assure them. They
win be pleased to learn that the loss of the
government patronage is by no means Of
80 great Importance as they imagine. And
while we have no disposition to treat the
matter lightly, or to conceal the fact that
1t is serious loss, still it is not at
all fatal. The JOURNAL would, indeed,
have but slender chance for success
if its sole dependence were on the very
small amount of patronage now extended
to it by the government. During the first
year of our establishment in this city the
patronage we received from that source,
and by virtue of our appointment, was
quite large but for the past year and
more it has materially diminished, and
has been by no means adequate to the sup
port of the paper. 10 the flushest times it
barely did more than pay the heavy ex-
penses which are necessarily incurred in
the publication of daily journal. The
United States Court printing, under the
earlier operation Of the Bankrupt Law,
was very extensive; but, as all are
aware, that has long since become
reduced to comparatively small business,
while the laws of Congress, which we
were authorized to publish, paid but little
over the price of composition. So
that there is not now, nor has there been
for some time past, an amount of patro--
mage received from the government that
would begin to support newspaper pub
lished on the basis on which the JOURNAL
has been published and the idea which
prevails so extensively that the Republic
can papers of the South are wholly sus-
tanned by the government, is, at least SO
far as this one is concerned, false one
We are proud to know that the JOURNAL
has obtained for itself an enviabe and
widespread reputation for its enterprise
and ability, and that it has been, and is
still receiving from the good citizens of
this Commonwealth, cordial and hearty
support. Our subscription list has steadily
increased its proportions from the hour
when we commenced the publication of the
paper to this time, and we are now issuing
more copies of our daily than are issued BY
any other paper in the State save one. It
is to this source that we have looked for our
firm foundation, and all our aims have
been to give wider circulation to the
paper, as we know that it is by that means
alone that we can hope to overcome the
strength of the enemy, and at the same
time give to the patrons of our columns a
full and ample equivalent for the money
they pay to us for their advertisements.
We have no desire to build ourselves ND
on the ruins of our enemies; more es.
pecially of those of our own household
aud, we acknowledge, with sorrow, that
there are those in our own party, who
would, had they the power to do so, infiict
upon us mortal injury.
They are those who have in times past
fallen under the just censure of all good
men 10 our party, and for that cause they
would now turn their anger against us.
We tell them now, once for all, that tbey
can make no change in our course of con-
duct by such ptifuI onslaughts. They
can inAct upon us no hurt. We have too
much confidence in the sound Judgment
of the rank and file of our party to fear
FIR one moment that they will counteuauce
any attempt made by Mr.. Porter, or any
one else, Republican or Democrat, to de-
stroy us for the purpose merely of graft
flying personal spite The three gentle
men who were, more than any others,
instrumental in having the printing
diverted from the JOURNAL have all stated |
that they had personal grudges against the |
proprietor of the paper, for either some
real or fancied offence he had committed, |
through his columns, against them, and he
was to be reached in no other way except |
by blow struck right through the party, |
for who is such fool as to deny that the
effect of their scheme, If saccesgfal-i e.,
the destruction of this paper, would have
Inflicted fatal blow upon the Republic
can party in this State. They are as well
aware of it as we are, and yet to crafty |
their hate, the blow was struck, puny and
harmless to us though it was.
We are on too firm foundation to be
startled or weakened. by such pigmy efforts.
We shall rejoice to see the National Pr
3inian or any other, or a hundred other
Republican newspapers thrive and flourish
n our State, and will do all in our power
% encourage the party to their support,
when they are not attempted to be built up
IN the ruins Of the party, and we say
% all who would engage in such bastard
Y work, that our neck is not at their SER
rice, and if they have any idea that we