What Happened?

161 years ago today, we were blessed with the initiation of the "paper of record."  In 1851, George Jones and Henry Jarvis Raymond introduced to the world, the New York Daily Times.  This newspaper, selling for one cent a copy, took on the New York Times name in 1857.

The first edition of the New York Daily Times tried to explain its purpose to the potential readers.  It read like this:

We shall be Conservative, in all cases where we think Conservatism essential to the public good;—and we shall be Radical in everything which may seem to us to require radical treatment and radical reform. We do not believe that everything in Society is either exactly right or exactly wrong;—what is good we desire to preserve and improve;—what is evil, to exterminate, or reform.
 

Shocking, isn't it?  The New York Times started out as a "conservative" publication.  Henry Raymond, at the time, was a member of the Whig Party, but eventually became the chairman on the Republican Nation Committee.  Today, however, the New York Times leans so far left that it looks like it's lying down.  And so does its circluation.

 Happy Birthday you Liberal rag, you!!!