39
newspaper's political stand;
Influenced in their editorial capacity by no
motive but of rendering their paper the most
useful and early vehicle of interesting and im-
portant information, they [the proprietors]
have been cautious of enlisting under no banner
but that of impartiality; determined to observe
that strict regard to Truth (as far as she could
be followed through her mazy path) that was due
to the dignity and understanding of their numer-
ous readers. As far as relates to their politi-
cal selections (since they have become insepar-
able from daily papers) they fear they might not
have steered entirely free of censure:. But
viewing the political situation of their country
as the most eventful since the revolution, they
have only observed that caution and circumspec-
tion that the crisis required, and while they
have ever avoided propagating the doctrines of
mercenaries, hired to sharpen the daggers of
calumny, rouse the indignation of a too ir-
ritated public, against the officers of govern-
ment and the laws; they at the same time have
been open in declaring themselves the supporters
of rational liberty, and the friends of candid
and manly investigation.34
In the same issue, the publishers announced their in-
teption to alter the newspaper's title to the Federal
Gazette and Baltimore Daily Advertiser, beginning
January 1, 1796, "more through convenience than a de-
sire of novelty"35.
Per advertising purposes, the enlarged Federal
Gazette was distributed gratis to various Baltimore
homes, for on January 6 the recipients were warned:
Those gentlemen into whose doora the Federal
Gazette has been thrown since the lst instant,
34 Federal intelligencer. December 26, 1795,
35 Ibid. December 26, 1795.
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