PROPOSALS

For publishing by subscription, in the City of Richmond, a Semi-weekly and Daily Newspaper,

to be called

THE VIRGINIA TIMES:

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BY SAMUEL CRAWFORD.

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The Virginia Times, both semi-weekly and daily, will be printed on an imperial sheet, (the largest size on which papers are usually printed,) with a neat type. The typographical department will be under the management of a gentleman, who, from long experience, is well acquainted with its duties, and capable of executing them with neatness, accuracy and dispatch. The matter which will usually fill its columns, will be foreign and domestic news; commercial and agricultural information; historical and biographical extracts; political and moral essays; the proceedings of Congress and the State Legislature, during their sessions, with the most interesting debates in those bodies; and such miscellaneous matter as may offer, calculated either to instruct or entertain its readers. The commercial information will be principally confined to the daily paper; and, as dispatch in this kind of intelligence is of incalculable importance, the Editor will avail himself of such means as will enable him to be with the first at all times in giving it.1 To render this paper interesting to the merchants of Richmond, and the neighbouring towns, and to commercial men generally, there will be published in it a collective price-current of all merchandize, foreign and domestic, in the principal commercial cities in the United States, accompanied by the rate of exchange, price of stocks, and a marine list supplying all the shipping intelligence that can be interesting to our merchants. The price-current will be regularly examined and carefully corrected as the fluctuations in the different markets may require. To increase the utility of the semi-weekly paper to country subscribers, a large proportion of the advertisements, marine intelligence, and other matter not interesting to them, will be excluded from it: but such a price-current, and other commercial information, as will be most interesting to country gentlemen will be published in the semi-weekly paper.

The publication of the Virginia Times will commence as soon as the paper and types, already ordered, are received, and which are expected early in the month of January next. It shall be delivered in the city on the days of publication, and be carefully packed up, and forwarded to subscribers residing at a distance, by the first mail after publication.

All subscriptions will be considered as for one year, unless expressly agreed to the contrary, and as continued thereafter from year to year, if not otherwise ordered. Subscribers must pay all arrearages before they are permitted to discontinue their subscription; but the proprietor of the paper may at any time discontinue the subscription of a delinquent subscriber, and be entitled to claim of him payment to the time of such discontinuance.

☞Terms of subscription, same as for the other papers of the city, viz: semi-weekly paper $5—daily paper $6 per annum, payable in advance.

☞Advertisements inserted in both papers, on such terms as are usual in the city.

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to the public.

In soliciting public patronage, custom requires that the Editor of the Virginia Times should say something of his political opinions; and give some general outline of the manner in which his paper will be conducted. Custom forms a “common law,” which, in the present case, is so reasonable in itself, that the Editor, intending to demean himself as a peaceable citizen, cheerfully conforms to its requisition.

In the common language of the day, the Editor of the Virginia Times is a “democratic republican;” and, granting to others all the privileges he claims for himself, will, as a duty he owes his own creed, endeavour to sustain and enforce it to the best of his abilities. He highly approves the republican form of our General Government; and is an advocate for such an administration of it, as may be best calculated to secure the liberty, guard the rights, promote the prosperity, and effect the happiness of the people; accompanied with the observance of the greatest degree of economy in disbursing the public money compatible with the attainment of these great objects. He approves the general features of the administrations of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe.—That of Jefferson, was a lucid exposition of the principles of our republican form of government, and a clear demonstration of its efficiency in promoting the prosperity and happiness of the people. Madison, influenced by the same republican principles and steady adherence to the rights of the nation which distinguished his illustrious predecessor, and having the same great objects in view, placed the nation, during his administration, in the novel and important attitude of a belligerent—This event; forced upon him by the state of our foreign relations, enabled him, not only to prove to the world, that our republican form of Government was able to sustain the shock of war, and protect the rights and liberties of the people, with as little injury to individual and public prosperity as usually attends such a state of things; but to establish for us a national character, highly respected abroad, and honorable to his administration. Monroe, profiting by the examples of his compatriots, who immediately preceded him in the high and responsible office he at present fills; and by the lessons of experience which the late war afforded, (to the rounding off of which, in a manner pleasing to every American; he so eminently contributed;) and influenced by a prudential and enlightened forecast, alike demanded by humanity and the security of an extensive and exposed marine and inland frontier; has ably bestowed, and yet zealously affords, his full proportion of aid, in raising our government to an eminence, and placing the people in a state of security, prosperity and happiness, which may fearlessly challenge a parallel in the history of any other nation.

Of that illustrious man, whose sword achieved, and whose incorruptible virtue and firmness secured our liberty and independence; whose name is venerated by all good men, and whose memory is dear to every patriot; the Editor deems it unnecessary to say more, than that, in common with every lover of his country, his bosom swells with gratitude to the immortal hero and father of his country.

In conducting the Virginia Times, the Editor will give the events of the day, as they may occur, with all the precision and accuracy which their rapid succession and the best means of information may admit. Any animadversions he may feel it his duty to make on public agents, in discussing public measures, will be decorous, and not calculated wantonly to wound their feelings by impugning their motives. He will not consider himself guilty of apostacy by admitting into the columns of his paper the opinions of those who may think differently from himself on political subjects. A government founded on the principles of justice and equal rights, (as this republic is,) and honestly administered, needs no such exclusion from its editorial friends. A people possessing that degree of intelligence which enables them to select and organize such a government, may be safely intrusted with any opinions that can be written on the subject. The Editor who advocates particular doctrines, or measures of public policy, were he to exclude from his columns adverse opinions and arguments, and thus screen them from public examination and discussion, would not only betray an unpardonable degree of arrogance and political dishonesty, but impose a restriction on the freedom of the press reprobated by our constitution, and justly abhorred by the people. Despotic governments, whose existence depends upon the ignorance of their vassals, may be benefited by censorships over the press; but republics cannot—they become more stable by the diffusion of light and knowledge amongst the people. The columns of the Virginia Times will, therefore, be open to all parties; temper, moderation and dignity being preserved; and all essays, on subjects of general interest, if couched in decent language, will be published without hesitation, subject, however, to the reserved right of the Editor to expose any errors which in his opinion they may contain

Against private quarrels, personal invective, and all other matter tending unnecessarily to disturb neighbourhood repose, the columns of the Virginia Times will ever be closed: unless indeed, an irremediable evil would result from such exclusion—a consequence which can but rarely, if ever, follow.

As the approaching Presidential Election, notwithstanding the remote period at which it is to take place, has excited considerable attention; and the friends of the different persons who are named as candidates, begin already to buckle on their armour and prepare for the contest; it is deemed proper to state, that this paper is not established for the purpose of subserving the views or promoting the election of any particular candidate. On this subject, as well as all others of general interest, the columns of the Virginia Times will be open to free discussion and enquiry; and the Editor will, as freely and frankly as any, give his own opinions whenever occasion shall seem to require.

S. Crawford.