Spirit of the Times Batavia, Genesee County, New York State Saturday, June 15-1861 -cont'd.- The Past, Present, and the Future. The change in the proprietorship of a public Journal is always a matter of deep interest to the incoming publisher, but under the present circumstances, I feel a greater degree of responsibility in assuming the charge of the 'Spirit of the Times,' knowing, as I do, that so many men more able than myself have directed its course for a term of nearly forty years. In reviving the old Democratic newspaper of the County of Genesee, I do so under a firm conviction that such a step is desirable at the present momentous period, and meets with the approval and wishes of the Democracy of the County. The vacillating and irresponsible course of the 'Genesee County Herald' for the past year, has also determined me in the resolve to re-establish the 'Times'--a paper that stood strong in the affections of the entire Democratic Party of the "old Genesee," and enjoyed also, in a high degree, the respect and confidence of the business community--and thereby wipe out the 'Herald' of the past. Thinking that a few Historical reminiscences of this old and popular paper may not be uninteresting to the public. I publish the following history of the 'Times' from the hour of its birth up to the time when the establishment came to the hammer, and was swallowed in the rapacious maw of "Live Oak George," November, 1856. For the following information, I am much indebted to William SEAVER, Esq., who possesses bound copies of the 'Times' from its earliest day, when it was issued in a small quarto form, up to the end of its career in the hands of Mr. HURLEY, a period of nearly thirty-nine years. The first number of the Batavia 'Spirit of the Times' was issued in February, 1819, by Orrin FOLLETT, who printed it until May, 1825, when his brother Frederick FOLLETT became its proprietor. Capt. FOLLETT continued its publication until August, 1836, when it was purchased by a company of gentlemen of Batavia, consisting of H.J. REDFIELD, Wm. SEAVER, S.S. GRANT, D.E. EVANS, E. MIX, D.H. CHANDLER, J.B. SKINNER, R.H. SMITH, S. CUMMINGS, and W.B. COLLAR. The paper was then placed in the hands of Nelson D. WOOD, who printed the same for its owners until 1837, when Capt. FOLLETT, who in the interim had returned from his military expedition to Texas, was reinstated in his old position, and continued at its head until June, 1840, when the proprietors sold the establishment to Lucas SEAVER. In June, 1845, he disposed of it to William SEAVER & Son, who published the 'Times' until 1853, when Col. SEAVER sold the office to Chas. S. HURLEY, the last proprietor. In 1856, after an existence of thirty-eight years and twenty-one weeks, the paper came to an untimely decease by the hands of the auctioneer. The path of the publisher of a country newspaper is, at best, a rugged one, and I think the prospect before me, for a time, will be a difficult task, owing to the depleted state of the Establishment, but trust by close application to business, avoiding the publication of scurrilous, personal and offensive articles, and conducting the paper in conformity to the dictates of sound judgment, to surmount the difficulties and once more win back that popular and liberal patronage so justly bestowed on the old paper. At the commencement, I wish my friends and the Democracy of the County to understand that the 'Times' is not, nor will be controlled by any clique or ambitious individuals for gratifying any selfish views, which was unfortunately the case with the 'Democrat' when under my charge in 1856; but I intend to use that discernment and watchfulness which I consider essential requisites to successfully carry on the publication of any newspaper. In examining the Subscription list of the 'Herald,' I am sorry to find many--yes, very many names of subscribers who belong to an extensive organization, called Pay-Nothings; to these I shall be compelled to use the pruning knife pretty freely, and only retain and solicit the names of those who are willing to "pay the Printer" his small but just and hard-earned dues. With these few remarks, I once more undertake to publish a newspaper, which I will endeavor to render acceptable to my patrons, by sustaining intact, the Union, the Constitution, and the Federal Government. -Henry TODD. *** submitted by Linda C. Schmidt *********************************************