The true northerner., 1895-10-25


tory of the TRUE NoRTHERNER, pub
lished in Vol. No. of the paper
April 25th, 1855, over the signature
of John b. Butler, editor and pub
Usher, who was the founder of the
paper. The promises in the article
contained are broad and admirable,
and the record of this paper during
the 40 years of its existence stands
as a proof of promises well kept.
The salutatory is pretty good plat
form of principles for to-day:
"Citizens of Van Buren county, we
have spread before you a newspaper.
We have come among you TO advocate
the cause of popular sovereignty and of
human rights. You may call our politics
fusionism, republicanism, or any other
ism, so you connect the idea of the
name you apply with that of equal
rights and the welfare of our whole
country We will adhere to no party
which has not for its aim the good of
the country, nor advocate any cause
which seeks triumph for the sake of the
spoils of office, regardless of the rights
and liberties, the happiness and pros
perity, of the people at large. If such
are your sentiments, citizens, you will
support this print; if not, we have mis-
taken the feelings and views which
have long actuated the true northerner
north of Mason and Dixon's line and
which has been so successfully exem-
plified in your late elections, both i'm
state and county.
Between the old democrat and whig
parties there is no longer an issue wor-
thy of sustaining an organization. The
time was when there were many great
and momentous questions between
them, but that day has passed. The
subject of United States bank-of a
sound and judicious currency-which
for a long time agitated those parties,
has become obsolete. Nothing is left
but the lingering attachment TO the
name which they once gloried in and
the hope of success in the future. The
golden harvest of Office, which once
gladdened their hearts upon political
triumph, still binds few of them to
party trammels; but the vision is dis
solving-the day of their success and
revelings on public funds has passed.
Their political organization must soon
follow. The handwriting has been
placed upon the wall-they have been
weighed in the balance and found
wanting; they have ceased TO be for
midable. All sincere and devoted patri-
OTIS either have or will very soon leave
their ranks and join those who are bat
Ting under the banner upon the folds
of which are inscribed principles of
vital importance to the American peo
pie, such as the restoration of the Mis-
souri, compromise, internal river and
harbor improvements by the general
government, free lands for actual set |
tiers, fair and liberal protection to
American industry, and an honest rep
resentation of the free people of the
north-not by those who are willing to |
yield the rights of their constituents to
the encroachments of the south for n
consideration" or for the hope of office,
but by true northerners.
$50 tar as our own state is concern
ed, we shall advocate the strictest econ
omy in its administration, and will en-
deavor, so far as warranted by a due
regard for the rights of other portions
of the state, to advance the interests of
western Michigan.
"The county of Van Buren, will claim
precedence in our columns. Whatever
will tend to advance her prosperity in
science, agriculture, mechanism, art
and labor will always demand our at
tention and anxious solicitude; and to
aid us in this we invite correspondence
on all subjects of interest from every
portion of the county. 1t is compar
tive duty on the part of subscriber to
inform an editor at the earliest possible
moment of such incidents, accidents,
ETC., as may occur in his vicinity,
whether by fire, storm or flood, or
whether they arise from anger, malice
or avarice. If all will endeavor to do
this, each will be benefited in his turn
by having the earliest news of what
may happen in neighboring townships.
"A summary of the most interesting
news and miscellany of the day, the
markets, ETC., will be duly given. 1t
will be our constant aim to disseminate
sound and healthy reading matter and
make the TRUE NoRTHERNER well
come visitor in every family circle.
LAS to politics, we cannot better ex-
press our sentiments than in copying a
portion of our prospectus: 1T is our
desire to place our paper on as high
and truly independent grounds as pos