THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: News Letter reaffirms itself to being the 'conservative journal of the Protestant north'

On the occasion of the 115th anniversary of the first edition of the News Letter the paper published an address to its loyal readers reaffirm the stance that it had taken in those years and which it would continue to take.

The address read: “It is a matter of no small pride and satisfaction to us to know that our efforts, for seven years past, to re-establish the News Letter in the confidence of the Protestants and Conservatives of Belfast and the Province of Ulster, have at length been rewarded by the most complete success. It has been our ambition to make this journal what, for the greater part of a century, it was – once more the leading newspaper in the Protestant North. The achievement was not to be accomplished per saltum. Whether it has yet been accomplished, we are willing to abide by the verdict of the public. Various causes have co-operated to render our uphill journey more difficult than it otherwise would have been – among which we may allude to the partial and temporary success of a dishonest agitation which inflamed the minds of the agricultural party against every advocate of law and order.”

The address continued: “Our most sanguine expectations of support and encouragement are already realised, and the News Letter is now the acknowledged organ of the loyal Conservatives of the North-East.”

It concluded: “A century and a quarter has laid the foundation of our present success – and another century and a quarter will elapse before we and our successors give way to the movement which aims at stifling the voice, or crushing the energy, of the Conservative press of Ireland.”