SALUTATORY.
WE realize the fact that to embark in a historical venture requires courage, as well as a good share of prudence and wisdom. We realize the responsibility of the undertaking, and know our path will be no easy one to travel. We realize that our friends are critical and are people of culture as well as students of history. While we delight to address such a class of readers as our patrons will be; still we would love to have them give us a degree of charity, and we feel that they will give us that charity that belongs to one who is searching for truth as earnestly and as sincerely as themselves.
WE realize the fact that to embark in a historical venture requires courage, as well as a good share of prudence and wisdom. We realize the responsibility of the undertaking, and know our path will be no easy one to travel. We realize that our friends are critical and are people of culture as well as students of history. While we delight to address such a class of readers as our patrons will be; still we would love to have them give us a degree of charity, and we feel that they will give us that charity that belongs to one who is searching for truth as earnestly and as sincerely as themselves.
Dear friends: You well know that much falsehood has been written upon subjects of Narragansett History. Part of this, no doubt, we will find, and state it as truth. On all such false statement we wish our patrons to correct us, and at once. We want facts, and intend to print only such as far as lies in our power. When our statements are wrong no one will feel more keenly the mistake than ourselves. Therefore we here invite our patrons and all those interested in subjects of Narragansett History to write us, and each letter and correction will be received by us with sincere thanks. We invite you to write us upon any subjects illustrating in any way incidents or events of this portion of Rhode Island. Let us all work together and vindicate Narragansett from the printed calumnies of our enemies.
A rule we shall strictly enforce is to give our patrons credit for all contributions as far as we can in our work.
We intend to make our work interesting, and we want our patrons to liave and feel that same enthusiasm and love that we have for our chosen work, and field of historical research. Our intention is to make our work an authority, and intend it to have its value; and we shall spare no pains on our part to make it so. We intend to do our best to this end, and shall produce for our patrons’ benefit the very best that we can procure, or that lies in our power.
The confidence and esteem already given us, on our part, we shall aim to be worthy of. Our promises and labor can best be proven by our work, and of that work we shall leave you to judge as to the honesty and sincerity of our intentions.
We here take the opportunity to publicly thank all who have spoken kind words to us ; who have aided us in our labors ; who have rendered, in many ways, favors to us, and have in any way cheered us on in our researches ; who have spoken words of encouragement to their friends for us ; who have promised us aid and assistance in the future ; and lastly to our honored patrons who have made this, our first number, a matter of history. We solicit your aid, dear friends, in the future, at the same time we heartily thank you for all that you have already bestowed upon us.
SOURCE: Page(s): 3-4; The Narragansett, Volume 1. July, 1882 Number 1
