Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-07-06
PROSPECTUS s
.wAsHINCTON SENTINEL"

der the name Of the WASHINGTON SENTI.
| MEL
In doing SO, il is proper should make known
the principles il will maintain, and the policy II
will advocate.
II will support cordially and earnestly the prins
ciples of the Democratic party Of hs Untted States
il does not propose to be the organ Of any Depart
ment of the Government, except in so far as an in
4 dependent maintenance of the doctrines OF that
party may represent its opinions and express its
views
| It will not be ambitious to commend tselfto the
people by blind fattery of their rulers. II will
4 seek public support by the bold avowal of the
\ sentiments which are common TO the genuine
/ Democracy of the Union, and by the condemna-
/ uon Of all such as may conflict with them, from
whatever quarter they may come. II will seek 10
be (and il will endeavor TO deserve the titlc) the
| organ of the Democratic party Of the United
States.
| The SxNTrNxI will maintain, fundamental
truth of that great party that the States formed the
Union between them by the ratification of the Con-
stitufion as compact by which, also, they created
i the Federal Government, and delegated 70 II,
as their common agent, the powers expressly
specified in il, with explicit reservation OF all
others to the States, TO their separate govern
ments. The exercise of any powers beyond these
thus delegated, is, therefoe, an usurpaton Of the
reserved authority of the States by the agent OF
their own creation. M
The SENTINEL will uphold and defend the Union
upon the basis Of the rights Of the Statss-under
the Constitution-and thus by sedulously guarding
the latter, it will the efectualy strengthen
and perpetuate the former.
With regard to the exercise of the powers Of the
| Federal Government, the SENTINEL will take as
the principles of action, that Congress shall
| ercise no power which has not been delegated by
the Constitution, according TO strict and fair in
depreciation Of its language and spirit; and that il
shall not seek to attain indireefly object through
the exercise of cosSfti0nai poscsr for the direcf
attainment of which it has delegation Of poscer.
| In other words, all powers exercised must be
clearly granted, and all granted powers must be
used for no purpose, except such as is clearly in
| tended by the Constitution.
In respect to the internal administration Of the
Government, the SENTINEL will sustain the settled
policy Of the Democratic party II will labor TO
inculcate this cardinal doctrine of Democratic in
| ternal policy that this Government will best
promote the freedom and prosperity Of the people
of the States, by being less ambitious to exercise
| power, and more anxious TO preserve liberty; and
! by leaving to the individual States the manage
| ment of all their domesfic concerns-while il
tents itself with guarding the confederacy from
external violence, and directing the foreign policy
| Of the country to the promotion of the common
| interests and defence Of the common rights, and
honor of the States composing it,
| The SENTINEL will advocate such progressive
foreign policy will suit itself to the exigencies,
and correspond with the expanding interests Of the
country. That policy should be energetic and de-
cided; but should temper frmness with lberality
and make its highest ends consist with the strctest
principles OF justice. The real interests of the
i country, upon each occasion demanding attention,
will be its guide in the course the SENTINEL will
pursue.
\ The national policy of the world in this age is
essentially aggressive. In the growing sense OF
weakness Of some of the nations of the Old World,
and the ambitious restlessness of Others. COM
! mon motive 10 colonial extension has developed
iself.
Our settled determination to repel interference
from abroad with our domestic concerns, will
prompt US to avoid il in the affairs Of other coun-
tries unless by their foreign colonial policy our
peace should be threatened, our security endan-
rered or our interests invaded. For when the
| selfish interests Of other nations prompt foreign
| or colonial policy which infringes upon our rights
and places in the pathway of our commerce a
dangerous and unfrendly rival such policy must
be resisted by remonstrance, and, If need be, by
war.
Our foreign policy should, indeed, be defensive (;
but 10 be properly dsfensips il must sometimes be
apparenfly aggressive. Our administration should
be viglant, watchfu, and energetic. The world
| is full Of important movements, commercial and
political, deeply concerning American trade and
| American power. II is time we had an American
| foreign policy. We must have IT, We cannot
avoid it il we would We have larger interests, and
greater stake in the world and its destiny, than
every other people, We occupy the best portion
of continent, with neighbors but colony, and
| a worn-out, anarchical despotism. We are the
only people whose own land, without colonial de-
tendencies, is washed by the two great oceans OF
the world. Our agricultural productions are more
varied and more essential to civilized life. and 10
human progress--our mineral and manufacturing
resources vas-our facilities and capacity for
internal and foreign commerce more extended
than those Of any other people living under one
government. continent, TO great extent, un-
explored and exhaustless its yet hidden wealth
al our feet. European trade seeks the great East
through avenues which are at our doors, or must
be made through own limits. Europe, Asia,
| Africa and the isles Of the sea, lying all around
us, look TO us the rising power, through the
agency of whose example, and ever widening and
extending, though peaceful influences, the bless
ngs Of liberty, civilization, and religion, are des-
tined to triumph over the barbarsm and supcrsii-
ton of the millions of the world. And shall such
people refuse to lay hold upon their destiny, and
act upon the high mission to which il is called !
A mission so full Of hope, though so laden with
responsibility, which, If properly directed, must
make our confederacy the harbinger Of peace TO
the world, as well as the peaceful arbiter Of its
destiny.
The SENTINEL will, therefore, advocate a bold
and earnest foreign policy such as the condition OF
the country demands; but it will advocate il under
the flag ofthe country-nowhcre else Its foreign
policy must be consistent with the spotlcss honor
and unimpeachable good faith Of the country. To
be respectable at home and abroad, and TO be great
j in the eyes Of the world il must ask for nothing
but what is right, and submit TO nothing that is
wrong. III must DC uDerhi duu ihoSunhihfous w
4 the rights of Others and firm and immoveable in
insisting on its own. II must, in fine, be true TO
its own interests, rights. and honor-it cannot then
be false TO those Of other nations.
Such, then, 10 the chart by which we shall be
guided. Independent and free, we shall endeavor
to be honest and truthful The true friends OF
democratic principles we shall cordially support
| and defend. Its enemies the field or in ambush
we shall oppose, and on all proper occasions de-
| nouncc. r ,
To our future brethren Of the press we extend
the hand of friendly greeting. The Sentinel is the
! rival Of no press Of its own party--thc personal
enemy of none of the other.
} The present Democratic Administration has our
best wishes for its success in the establishment o
the great principles upon which u came into power
and in its honest labors TO attain such an end Il
, will find the SENTINEL its friend and coadjutor.
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