Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-06-12
PROSPECTUS
For pubiishiag at Washington, a Newspaper, to Be called
"The UniOn.o
m rHP

u ~ " q &c Itto- NuDllcl4Ik AZ 1
Washington a paper to be styled "rHE UNION"
We approach the task before Us with a deep sense Of the
out much difidencc Of our qualifications. We have some
acquaintance, indeed, with the duties Of an editor Of a news
paper, but it was acquired upon other theatres, much more
limited and less conspicuous Than the metropolis of our cum
federated and widespread republic.
We can scarcely be charged with any inOrdina's vanity
in saving that UPON the success Of our institutions depends.
10 a great degree, the deslinies Of the Oldest counties Of
Europe. A distant posteIity has a deep interest in our fate.
The blessings Of liberty are essential 10 the prosperity 81. the
whole human race and where are they spread out on 50
large a held Of action, or illustrated by 50 many brilliant
examples, as in these United States.
We have only to realize them in our own history. and in
fhe happiness Of our people, TO spread the name of liberty
over the CASTERS WORLD. We have only 10 peIpetuaie
these blessings by preserving the sacred UEIoS Of OUT
STATES, and there i no %assgnable limit 10 the prosperity
which we may enjoy, or the g:oIies to which we may as
ceId in the scale Of nations. We have already wrought
mil acles enough 10 astonish the iofeign iounst amid all his
p~rejpdices, and to attract the curiosiiy, n not the admiration
OF Europe. We have displayed the benefits OF LIBERTY
and UFIos in a series Of phenomena which are almost calcu-
lated t. surprise ourselves. What can be more rema kaJle.
even IN the present day, than the spirit Of enterprise and
they aye erecting; The canals which they have executed;
the more than 4,000 miles of railway which they have con-
.trueted in less than twenty years the immense bodies Of
land which they have redeemed from the Wilderness Tie
towns which they have slrewn over the West he multi
plication Of our people from three TO twenty millions Of
souls the augmentation Of the number Of our States from
thirteen to tweniy-ntne, including the three new States Of
Florida, Iowa and Texis. which, as we write, we hope are
row probably starring into existence
"wrhtvrad the course OF empire takes It's way;
The far hnt acts already pat,
a ema sha a slsse The as, diana "a, MIN w. !. .e Day
II is principally the influence OF The free INSTITUTIONS we
possess, and which were never dreamed d. more than : hun
dred years since, ty the philosophie author Of these besu'i-
city exci;es man to think for himself. TO cast off ~sntiqasled
+ ~prejudices, and TO stalt in a new caieer Of improvement. IL
opens, besides, in this new country, as it were, a new asy-
lum to the oppressed Of al. nations, y hieh. in despite OF the
Native American" ~pejudices Of the day, still Continues 10
invite other people to cultivate our lands, and contribute 10
our progress. IL Is our free institutions, more than any other
cause, which are drawing "ihe course OF empire" 10 the
WESTERN WORLD.
We live, too, in an extraos binary age. Improvement
seems to be the order Of the day. Science is shooting forth
in all directions. Art is obtaining the most Brilliant tH-
umphs over NATURE. The age is advancing with the impet-
uosity Of steam, 10 which il is so much indebted faT its pro-
gress- Commerce IS expanding her wing under the impulse
Of a new and stronger principle. There seems, indeed, 10
be no limit 10 the progress of discovery F; and it i in The
midst Of such an age, and at the metropolis Of this great
country, that we are about TO erect our tent, for the rcspon-
sible purpose Of maintaining the true principles Of our insti-
tutIons. We almost shrink back iIom the enterprise we
have undertaken. But we at least BRING 10 the task a spirit
that is devoted to LIBERTY, to UNION. and TO cur COUNTRY
a heart that Is proud Of The name of AMERICAN some little
experience in our business a zeal that nothing can subdse,
and an industry that fears no labor. With these feelings,
We come To throw ourselves upon the liberality Of our conn
tymen. We trust that we shall receive, il we deserve,
their support If we fail in an enterprise that might almost
appsl the sioutesi spirit, tn y will at least be liberal enough
to ascribe it to the want of power, and not Of wil--tO the
head that guides us, and not to the heart that impels US.
OF one thing we may confidently assure the pnblic-we
approach the task with the deepest reverence for the true
theory Of our political Institutions. Our confedeTated Re-
PUBLIC is making a new and bold experiment in the SCIENCE
of GOVERNMENT. When we look TO the original folm Of the
const tuition, we are indeed struck with its novelty and
beauty. We see in il an attempt to ascertain how far pow
er can be so distributed between two GOVERNMENTS as 10
prevent an ercessfre concentration, and conseournt abuse Of
il, in the federal arm at the same time that so much poIcer
was convey ed to each, as 10 enable them to accomplish The
objects to which each of them was best adapted.
The FEDERAL government was PriaciPrHy to watch over
our foreign relations that Of the States was particularly to
take care of our internal concerns.
The federal government should have adequate powers to
maintain the peace and the rights of the Union abroad; but
at home, its office is to assist in binding the Union together,
by the benefits which it showers around it, within certain
) prescribed limits-leaving The great mass of local matters TO
the jurisdiction Of the States, which can better understand
and more properly regulate them. Keeping This general dis
linction in view. the constitution has naked down the lin
It's Of the federal power, and il should be the duty Of its au-
thorities religiously 10 preserve them. Dissolution on the
one hand, and consolidation on the other, being the extremes
which are to be carefully avoided, the constitution was so
framed, and the government should be so administered, as,
whilst the federal power exercises its legitimate functions,
it should sacredly respect the RIGHTS Of the States and the
rights of the people. The federal government must, there
fore. ever remember, that it has only certain limited powers,
which are either specified in the constitution itself. or which
may be necessary and proper" for carrying out the specified
powers. II cannot pass these limits with impunity. Ii can
not interpolate any powers by a forced or Fictitious construc-
tion, without Producing some opposition from the parties to
the, compact. or some remonstTance from the people.
1t would never do, indeed, to give an unlimited power to
the federal head, over the local Interests Of the several parts.
Our country covers an extensive empire. 1t embraces a
great variety OF climates and SOILS, of occupations and oil III
terests. The obvious danger of too much federal legislation
is, of course, that ii may affect these interests in a very IN
equal degree. Whilst it seeks 10 administer benefits to one
section, it may impose burdens upon another. Nor does the
mischief terminate here. Inequality produces complaint.
The suffering States become dissatisfied. One section not
only murmuTs about the partiality shown to another, but
: against the government which commits it. The Union itself
is less respected, because Of The iuju> tice which it displays.
The only way of preventing these inj1Ties and these COM
= plants is, to administer the government within the limita-
tons Of the instrument, and in a spirit which is calculated
to eQualiZe, as far as possible, its benefits and its burdens
a amongst the whole Union. In no other way can we prevent
a the federal government from rushing into schemes of consOl-
I idation, or the States into a tendency towards dissolution.
!, If we permit tie FEDERAL GOVERNMENT Systematically to
!. adopt any rule of construction, which NAV enlarge it, pow
5 ers at the expense Of the States, or Of the Ieople-if Con-
GEES may adopt any measure which they may fancy 10 be
Unnecessary and proper" then power may be so augmented
as, in the progress of time, to amount to consolidation. Then,
we must extend the executive department TO carry out these
3 extended powers, then. as ore Of the celebrated resolutions
of one Of the first States in the Union showed in $50. we
should gradually merge into a limited monarchy, flushed with
I power and fortified by patronage; or, we must fly to the
other fatal altemative-we must dissolve the UNION itself
TO recover our liberties that Union, which is so necessary
f to preserve our tranquility at home and our peace abroad
that Union, which ought 10 be as dear TO US as "the rudy
diops which warm cur heats"
In a word, the government must be administered according
10 the good old JEFFERs0NIAN standard. In this respect we
are happy TO know that we shall but carry out the delibeT-
ate wishes of the present President of the United States.
r aud when the laiitudinous con>t uctiODisls of the federal
school stood at The helm Of affairs. A powerful NATIONAL
BANK had tiumphed over the CONSTITUTION, and threatened
our veIy liberties. A gigantic system Of INTERNAL I'M
unequal aud oppressive TARIFF of duties was established.
What limit, indeed, was there to be to the entertainments
and excuses of the government, if these principles prevail
ed in its administration : But thanks to The superior genius
by his vetoes, the constitution fIOm violation, and the coun-
try from abuse. He stIangled the MONSTER BANK; he set
limits 10 the wild schemes of Internal improvements, and
he insisted on bringing back the Tariff System to its legiti-
mate revenue uses.
But The federal party was not yet extinguished. Their
extraordinary efforts in $40 to defeat that able statesman,