Year: 1876

In few more brief weeks the Rus sellville DEMOCRAT will enter upon its Third volume, embracing the year 1877. We desire to enter upon the new year wita . largely increas- ed circulation iG this and surround ing counties-Dut more especially in this.

 During the past two years we have endeavored to give the readers of this journal a paper which would meet their appreciation. We fiatter ourself that we have partially suc- ceeded.

 Whatever our immediate home req iers may now think of our p paper, we could, at least, if we were 80 dis posed, publish some flattering opin- sons of our efforts, freely offered from sources which we know are competent to judge. But enough of the past.

 The future demands our attention. The coming year is fraught with is- sues of the most weighty import. The political events of no year since the foundation of our government have had such an intense interest and importance to the people, as those of the coming year will have. The citizen of the United States owes it to himself and his country to be fully informed upon public affairs. There is no telling at what hour try ing duties may confront the citizen who is true to the form of free gov- ernment handed down to us by our Revolutionary sires. The duty of every citizen is to keep himself so informed that he may not take a wrong step.

 The amount of money expended for an honest, faithful newspaper. which is the true chronicler of cur rent events, is always insignificant, compared to the value received, but this year nothing would justify a man in being without this, the best means of keeping himself informed.

 The DEMOCRAT will try, during the coming year of great events, to be true correct and faithful chron- icler of things which may transpire, and he who will read from it's record need not be ignorent ef any single important event which may take place. We propose to keep our read- CTS so informed that they need nev- CT CIT thi ough ignorance of the situ- tion.

 Aside from the value which our paper will have as a chroni Ter of important events, we propose, if the Ruler eff Nations gives our country 2 peaceful dcliverance from the per- picking complications which now appear upon our political horizon, to do much work for the upbuilding, the development and the material betterment of the condition of our own State, and especially our own section. The influence which good county paper exerts may not be generally known or acknowledg- ed by the people of our county, but we assert that it is very great in- deed. It is very seldom that the consideration given by the people of a county for good home paper, is at all in proportion to the benefits received, or, the labor and expendi- ture of means incurred by the pro- prietors of such an enterprise.

 Aside from the pccunialy reward to be derived from generous home patronage and large home sub- scripti0n, the encOuragementa aff'ord- ed by knowing that our efforts are appreciated is an immense incentive to stimulate us onward in our work.

 We want the cooperation, the sympathy and the confidence of tlre people for whom we work. Without this pecuniary reward is poor pay. We ask that those who wish credit able home paper live in Pope county will now go at it and add their eff forts to onrs, to get every family in Pope county to read the DEMOCRAT.

 Will you do it?