NOTICES OF THE ARTS AND MANUFACTURES, AND A RECORD OF THE H. NILES, EDITOR: Hec olim meminisse juvabit.—VIRGIL. FROM MARCH 1812 TO SEPTEMBER 1812.-VOL. IL BALTIMORE: PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY THE EDITOR, At the Franklin Press, SOUTH-STREET, NEXT DOOR TO THE MERCHANT'S COFFEE-HOUSE. A. 23351. PREFACE TO THE SECOND VOLUME OF THE WEEKLY REGISTER. We have at length happily brought to a conclusion the SECOND VOLUME of the WEEKLY REGISTER. We cannot omit the opportunity which that circumstance affords us, of addressing a few words to the friends of the work. The year which is just concluded, has been, perhaps, more productive of interesting and remarkable events, than any period in the history of our country. The long and fruitless negociation with the British ministry; the discovery of a treacherous plot to dismember the union; the cruel and unprovoked murders on our frontiers by the savage and remorseless allies of Great Britain; the final appeal of an outraged people, to the God of battles; and subsequent and consequent domestic occurrences, have all awakened and continue to excite public attention. We were well aware, that in the record of these events, we should not give satisfaction to every reader. Some have blamed us for a cold indifference, where others have accused us of an unbecoming warmth; this, however, is evidently the effect of party zeal in our accusers, and not in ourselves. We have endeavored, in every instance, conscientiously and faithfully to discharge the duties of an editor. On the one hand, we have been scrupulously regardful of the honest difference of opinion, between the two great political parties, which divide the republic; and on the other hand, we have never failed, upon every occasion which presented itself, of expressing an indignant reprehension of all foreign partialities. But we are defending ourselves against the charges of the few, while we ought to be employed in rendering thanks to the many; whose candor and indulgence we have abundantly experienced. It would be presumptuous and absurd, to think of concealing, from the judicious reader, the many inaccuracies to which a work of this nature is unavoidably subject. Imperfections and errors, as well in matters of intelligence as in typography, must necessarily result from the hurry inseperable from such a publication; but, we trust, that none of magnitude will be found in either. Circumstances, already detailed, have rendered the miscellaneous department of our work, less interesting, than we could, otherwise, have made it; while the same circumstances have, perhaps, swelled to an undue limit, the political notices of the times. It was our wish to have embellished this volume, with some specimens of American proficiency in the fine arts; but obstacles which we neither foresaw nor could counteract, have imperiously denied us the gratification of our desire. We take this occasion to thank those gentlemen who have furnished us with hints towards a better arrangement of our plan. By some we have already profited; while of others, we are compelled, for the present, to appearunmin bul. Upon the whole, we venture to express a hope, that the generality of our readers will be satisfied, with the present result of our labors, that we may be encouraged to go on with a renovated zeal. |