The daily gazette., 1882-05-01

conductors Of Democratic newspapers in
that time the difficulties were exceptionally
great, and experienced my full share Of
them. Our readers who remember the
political diversities that transpired within
the last thirty years may have an idea OF
the difficulties the GAZETTE has been com
PEELED to overcome. But the mass Of young
voters wiz, we hope, never experience and
hence never know or be able to appreciate
fully the difficulties of the past two decades,
during which so many ably-conducted
Democratic journals were swept out of exis-
tence in the Northern States, and 1t was the
good fortune Of the GAZETTE TO surmount
and continue to flourish.
In 1853 the entire charge of the GAZETTE,
by the purchase of other interests, deyolved
upon me, and gave to the movement for e
convention to form new constitution
hearty support but unfortunately the con
stitution formed in 1854 was rejected by the
votes Of the people. The GAZETTE stood by
the popular rights of the people and favored
the adoption of the constitution which gave
New Castle county greater representation
and would have sent all the county officers
to the people for election.
The next great struggle of the Democratic
party was with the Native American party and
Know-Nothing organization which swept over
the country in 1s54-5, carrying everything
before it in the Northern States, including
also, Delaware and Maryland, and was
not checked until it met defeat in Vir-
ginia. The vote of the Democratic tick
ct in Wilmington was reduced to l25 I;
but the GAZETTE stood faithfully by
the party and its great principles, and
soon witnessed the return of the voters
who had strayed into one of the most pro
scriptive and prosecuting organizations that
the country had witnessed. The election OF
Mr.. Buchanan and the triumph of the Demo
cratic party put an extinguisher to its longer
continuance. The events that followed this
administration, the election of Mr.. Lincoln
and the civil war, produced an epoch Of the
most terrible character and brought ruin
upon many excellent journals for no other
cause than that of favoring a continuance
of the union of the States by peaceful
compromise of the difficulties
| During the period Of the war and prior
and subsequent to 1853, the GAzBTTH, while
under the management Of the undersigned,
was the faithful organ of the Democratic
party, and stood boldly I'm front, supporting
the platforms of that party, State and
National, as adopted by the respective con-
ventions and at no period has 1t ever been
allowed to be the organ of any person or
clique. Desirious of retiring from Journal
ism, because of need of rest as | think, 1t
has afforded me great satisfaction to be able
to transfer the GAZETTE into such good
hands. Had it been my privilege to choose,
/ doubt If l could have selected gen
tlemen to whom / could with more
confidence have confded the GAZETTE, and
the interests Of the great party which have
always served with great pleasure, with
stronger hopes and expectations for it,
future prosperity and success, or on whom
the Democracy could more firmly rely t.
guard the interests of the party, and uphold
the great principles on which it is founded
Hoping for their success and the triumph o
the Democracy in November, which nov
seems assured, because of its unity, and fo
the prosperity of the former patrons of tn
GAZETTE, bid them an affectionate adieu
1t has always been my desire to avoid as
/ perity or the use Of language calculated
+ give oiTense or wound the feelings of an!
e one; am not conscious of having done 81
t or should express my regret therefor.
y the transfer hope the editorial and repo
e torial fraternity of the city have bee
l. strengthened, and wishing all our co
n temporarics increased prosperity, which tn
IS richly merit begging them pardon for al
1t inadvertence or ofIense | may have been ID
It unintentionally to commit, | withdra
lie from the duties in which | have found bO
he pleasure and profit. Respectfully,
5 G. p. JOHNSON.
s. MAY l, 1852.