THE WEEKLY REGISTER.
Vol. I.] BALTIMORE, SATURDAY, September 7, 1811. [No. 1.
"—I wish no other herald,
" No other speaker of my living Actions,
" To keep mine honor from corruption
" But such an honest chronicler."
Shakspeare — HENRY VIII.
Printed and published by H. Niles, Water-street, near the Merchants' Coffee-House, at $5 per annum
THE EDITOR TO THE PUBLIC.
Custom forms a "common law" — it is second nature. A first number without an address would outrage the law; as we propose to demean ourselves in the most peaceable manner, we submit to the law, and offer our thanks for the very liberal patronage our work has received in many parts of the Union.
The current of sentiment is evidently in our favor (we say our, for printers and kings have an unquestionable right, by the aforesaid law to make much of themselves) — the unusual number of subscribers already obtained, convinces the editor that his opinion was just as to the want of a work such as the Weekly Register is intended to be; but while so great success flatters his pride and provokes his exertion, it also alarms his fears, lest, in despite of all he can do, the public expectation may be disappointed, though to guard against this he has made some extensive as well as expensive preparations.
In arranging his matter for the first number, the editor has compared himself to a young shop-keeper (iust commencing business) suddenly thrttst into an immense warehouse of most valuable goods. His eye is pleased with a great variety of articles, and his judgment convinced they would, in due season, answer his customers — but he cannot purchase all; and, flurried by the quantities before him, perhaps, selects somethings, that, for the present, he had better leave untouched, though ultimately and unquestionably gocd. As time tempers his judg-ment and experience, the great teacher, enlightens his views, he enters the same warehouse without palpitation, and deliberately lays off such articles as are adapted to the "wants of his neighbors. We hope thus to meet the wishes of our numerous friends; and trust that, by a singly number, they will not attempt to judge the merits of our work; as its utility (if any it shall have) will not become so manifest before several are joined together.
Some have feared we may "dabble too much in politics" — i. e. party politics; and others have apprehended "the work will not stand." It is in our power to remove the first cause of apprehension — but the latter depends on the public as well as ourselves. The first shall be removed, as the Register proceeds — it is not intended for electioneering purposes, of course, party politics will be avoided; yet, by the insertion of original and selected essays, on both sides of great national questions, we shall feel it our duty to preserve a history of the feelings of the times on men and things. If we have dis- covered the rock on which our predecessors have shipwrecked, the second cause of apprehension may, perhaps, be removed. We attribute the general failure of periodical publications to too great a dependence on voluntary contributions from persons without an interest in the work, whose spirit flags when novelty ceases to charm. Though we intend to pay the most grateful attention to communications of this kind, and hereby respectfully solicit them, still we have made no calculation upon them, except so far as they relate to the arts and sciences — to manufactures — and to agriculture, in which, from the public patriotism, we hope for considerable aid. We may sometimes do our work roughly, but for our own sakes (that is, the editor and those associated with him) will attend to itdiligenth ; and by close application strive to render it useful.
This number is to be regarded as a fair sample of the paper and manner in which the work will be uniformly printed. Further to manifest our views and intentions, the patrons of the Register are informed, that the editor proposes, among his selections, to insert the official reports of Alexander Hamilton and Albert Gallatin, Esquires, on the manufactures of the United States; also the report of the latter on Roads and Canals; likewise to publish Mr. Jefferson's celebrated report on weights and measures. When the present secretaries of State and of the Treasury shall lay their respective reports before Congress, on the population, manufactures, &c. of the United State-, they shall be given to our readers as a single number, however voluminous they may be — and to the report of the former shall be prefixed the state of population as ascertained by the census of 1790 and 1800, and such other facts as can be collected relating to the same subject, at more distant periods: so that, by comparison, the rising importance of our country may be duly esteemed. Mr. John Quincy Adams' letter to Harrison Gray Otis, Esq. as containing an admirable history of the causes which produced the embargo, and rendered necessary some other important acts of the government, shall have place in the Register. Mr.'Pickering's political essays shall also he recorded in an extra number or numbers; likewise, Mr. Robert Smith's address, with the "Review" of it, published in the National Intelligencer. These things are particularized merely to shew our general design.
In the original prospectus we promised only twenty-six numbers to a volume; — it is more than probable they will exceed thirty; perhaps amount to thirty-two. For this extra expense, if incurred, we shall seek indemnification in the hope of pleasing the public, and so increase our patronage, with which we will try to keep pace.
As a proper close for this article we put on record the prospectus for the Weekly Register, as first; issued from the press:
A
