1838
No. 1, of Vol. 1 made its appearance April 6, 1838. L.A. Parks and Edmund Breath were the editors and publishers. It was a four (wide) column folio, Whig in politics, and supported Henry Clay for the presidency. In the third number the editors say,”We feel highly flattered at the reception our paper meets with, but the mere approval of those who agree with us in sentiment will not support us. We desire more substantial proofs of their good will for we cannot, like the chameleon, ‘feed on air.’ Our paper at present contains more reading matter than any other paper in the state, and the cost of publication is consequently considerable. As yet we have not received a sufficient number of subscribers to cover expenses and have deteremined to suspend operations until we secure six hundred. We shall issue an extra whenever we have matter sufficiently important to communicate.” This tells the story of its rise and fall.
(From The History of Madison County, Illinois by W.R. Brink & Co., 1882).
