Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-03-18
PROSP ECTU S
OF THE
.wAsHINGTON SENTINEL,
OF THE

/ OF THE
"WAsHINGTON sENTINEL.o
II PROPOSE to publish in the city of Washing
i ton in September, political newspaper un
MEL.
In doing so, it is proper should make known
the principles il will maintain, and the policy IL
| will advocate.
cples of the Democratic party Of the United STATES.
II does not propose TO be the organ of any Depart
ment Of the Government except in so far as an in
dependent maintenance Of the doctrines of that
party may represent lis opinions and express its
| views
i II will not be ambitious TO commend tselfto the
people by blind fattery of their rulers. II will
seek public support by. the bold avowal Of the
/ sentiments which are common to the genuine
Democracy of the Union, and by the condemna-
| ton Of all such as may conflict with them, from
| whatever quarter they may come. II will seek to
| be land it will endeavor 10 deserve the title) the
organ OF the Democratic party Of the United
| States.
! The SENTINEL will maintain, as fundamental
truth of that great party that the States formed the
! Union between them by the ratification of the Con-
sttution as compact; by which, also, they created
| the Federal Government, and delegated 10 it,
as their common agent, the powers expressly
! specified in it, with an explicit reservation of all
others to the States, or to their separate govern
| ments The exercise OF any powers beyond these
thus delegated, is, therefore, usurpation Of the
l
/ their own creation.
| 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, il will the effectualy 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 its action that Congress shall ex-
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 indirectly an objectthrough
the exercise Of constitutional poaer, for the direct
attainment Of which it has delegation of posver.
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. It viii labor to
incucate this cardinal doctrine of Democratic in
| ternal poicy:-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 domestic concerns--while il con-
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 10 the exigencies
and correspond with the expanding interests OF the
country. That policy should be energetic and de-
| cided; but should temper frmness with liberaty
and make its highest ends consist with the strictest
principles of justice. The real interests of the
country, upon each occasion demanding attention
will be its guide in the course the SENTINEL will
i 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 restessness of others, COM
mon motive to colonial extension has developed
isef
/ Our settled determination 10 repel interference
! from abroad with our domestic concerns, will
prompt TO avoid il in the affairs Of other coun-
tries, nnless by their foreign colonial policy
! peace should be threatened our security endan-
| gered, or our interests invaded. For when the
selfish interests OF other nations prompt foreign
or colonial policy which nfringes upon our rights,
| and places in the pathway OF commerce a
dangerous and unfriendly rival, such policy must
be resisted by remonstrance, and, if need be, sy
war.
Our foreign policy should, indeed, be defensive
but to be properly defenstre, il must sometimes be
| apparently aggressive. Our administration should.
| be vigiant, watchfu and energetic. The world
| is full Of important movements, commercial and
| political, deeply concerning American trade and
| American power. 1t is time we had an American
| foreign policy. We must have it. We cannot
avoid it if we would. We have larger interests and
| a greater stake in the world and its destiny than
| every other people. We occupy the best portion
| OF continent, with no neghbors but colony, and
worn.out, anarchcal 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
human progress-our mineral and manufacturing
resources more vast-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-
nINraI and ctlxps
| is feet European trade seeks the great East
| through avenues which at our doors, or must
be made through our own limits. Europe, Asia,
Africa, and the isles of the sea. lying all around
/ us, look 10 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 supersti-
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 it is calleds
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 the condition OF
the country demands; but il will advocate it under
the flag OF the country-nowhere else. Its foreign
policy must be consistent with the spotless honor
and unimpeachable good faith Of the country. To
be respectable at home and abroad and TO be great
in the eyes of the world, il must ask for nothing
but what is right, and submit to nothing that is
wrong. II must be liberal and magnanimous to
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, is 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 in the field or in ambush
we shall oppose, and on all proper occasions de-
nounce.
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-the personal
enemy of none of the other.
The present Democratic Administration has our
best wishes for its success in the establishment
the great principles upon which itcame into power,
and in its honest labors to attain such an end il
will find the SENTINEL its friend and coadjutor.
Teams For the Daily paper $40 n wear IN adj