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Editorial Chapter

Editorial Chapter image
Parent Issue
Day
25
Month
March
Year
1844
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

jjunng tne winter, our commns nave been filled to a large extent with long, and elabórate articles relating to the antislavery cause, which it seemed necessary to publish. But the general reader claims lus share in the paper as vell as the laborious, untiring Liberty man. He wishes something to interest kim. His department has been curtailed too much of late. Ofthis we ""we re sensible, but could not remedy it. But having now despatched all our long documenta on hand, we give notice to all and singular whom it may concern, that in future,those who wish their lucubrations to appear in this paper, must remember the admonition which Dr. Cotton Mather placed over the door of his study- BE SHORT. Communications ought not usually to exceed a column in length. Especially do we commend this admonition to the scribes of public meetings and conventions. If they would send us the spirit of their meetings, instead of the skelelons of them, (to use the expression of a bro.ther Editor,) they would be far more acceptable to the reader. The Signa! being the only antislavery paper in the State, must necessarily contain many notices of meetings and official proceedings, and henee, on account of their number, they must be brief. We have been often requested to consider the wants of the ladies. It is said they are but little interested in politics, and if there are not stories or something of the kind to be found in the paper, they lay it down, affer reading the deaths and marriages, to resume it no more. We trust, however, that all our female readers are not of this class. We know not why females are not as much interested in every public question as men. Their happiness and welfare, social, pecuniary, and civil, depend as much on the administration of government, as do those of men. We know not why their capacity for comprehending and acting in important matters is not equal to that of the other sex. But we are disposed to comply wilh the request made to us, and shall insert every week a story, or something of the kind, for the benefit of those who will not read political matters. We must say, however, that we find it difficult to select stories that are calculated to do good. The almost universal passion for , them demonstrates that they appeal to the most powerful principies of our nature, and it were to be wished that this appetite for the works of íiction might be directed to a useful channel. Most of the stories in circulation are founded on Love - a very proper sentiment in itself, but it should not be cherished to the exclusión of all others. Many of those written by females have a kind of sickishness about them - such praisesof "auburn tresses," "alabaster necks," "sylph-like forms," &c as sets persons of coramon sense into fidgets. However, we shall do the best we can. We are aware that many grave and solid persons are opposed to the publication of all fictitious narrations. But such articles should be proscribed, if at all, not for their fictitious character, but for their tendency to evil. Sometime since, we published a story called "The Bushei of Corn," by T. S. Arthur, inculcating the highest Christian principies by a narrative of every day life. Two readers of that story became subscribers in consequence of its excellent spirit and beneficial influence, while one of our oldest subscribers stopped his paper, on the ground that if nothing but goose stories could be found to fill up an anti-slavery paper, he did not wish for it. We mention this to show how diíEcult it is to suit every one. For our part, we shall suit ourselves first, and others afterwards. And now, reader, we will conclude this desultory chapter on editorial life. {L A public meeting has been held in Wayne Co. Indiana, in reference to the 6entence of death pronounce on John L. Brown, in South Carolina, for helping a slave to escape. A memorial is to be forwarded to the Governor, asking him to interpose the pardoning power in his behalf. Q3?3 The first teamboat arrivcd at Detroit frotn Buffalo on the 17th instant.

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News