Washington sentinel., 1854-03-05
PROSPECTUS s
.WASHINGToN sENTINEL.v
OF THE

=
der the name of the WASHINGTON SENTI
MEL.
In doing so, il is proper should make known
the principles II will maintain, and the policy il
| will advocate
! 1t will support cordially and earnestly the prin-
ciples of the Democratic party Of the United States.
il does not propose to be the organ of any Depart
ment Of the Government, except in so far an in
| dependent maintenance of the doctrines of that
party may represent its opinions and express its
| views.
| II will not be ambitious to commend tselfto the
people by blind lattery Of their rulers. 1t 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-
tion Of all such as may conflict with them, from
whatever quarter they may come. II will seek 10
be (and will endeayor to deserve the title) the
organ of the Democratic party of the United
States.
| The SENTINEL will maintain as a fundamental
truth of that great party that the the
Union between them by the ratification Of the Con-
stitution as compact by which, also, they created
the Federal Government, and delegated TO Il,
| 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, therefore, an usurpation of the
reserved authority of the States by the agent OF
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 more 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 its 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 it
shall not seek attain indirectly object through
the exercise of constitutional poicer, for the direct
| attainment of which it has delegation Of poioer.
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
incucate this cardinal doctrine of Democratic in
ternal policy 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 conceyais-while it 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 as will suit itself to the exgencies
and correspond with the expanding interests of the
country. That policy should be energetic and der,
cided; but should temper firmness with lberality
and make its highest ends consist with the strctest
principles of Justice. The real interests of the
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 0ld World,
/ and the ambitious restlessness of others, COM
mon motive to colonial extension has developed
4 iself.
L al ;pfar rfar
from abroad with our domestic concerns, will
prompt to avoid it in the affairs of other coun-
tries, unless by their foreign colonial policy our
peace should be threatened, our security endan
gered, 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 unfriendy rival, such policy must
be resisted by remonstrance, and, II need be- by
| war.
| Our foreign policy should, indeed, be defensive
but to be properly aetsnstre, it must sometimes be
/ apparc,tly aggressaDe. Our administration should
| be vigilant, watchful, and energetic. The world
| is full of important movements, commercial and
political, deeply concerning American trade and
1 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
greater stake in the world and its destiny, than
/ every other people. We occupy the best portion
Of continent, with no neighbors but colony and
a wornout, anarchical despotism. We are the
| only people whose own land, without colonial de-
i tendencies, is washed by the two great oceans of
| the world. Our agricultural productions are more
varied and more essential to civilized life, and to
| human progress-our mineral and manufacturing
resources vast-our facilities and capacity for
| internal and foreign commerce more extended
| than those of any other people living under one
government. A continent, to great extent, I'M
explored and exhaustless in its yet hidden wealth,
is at feet. European trade seeks the great East
| through avenues which are 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 to us as the rising power, through the
| agency of whose example, and ever widening and
extending, though peaceful influences, the bless
| ings of liberty, civilization, and religion, des-
/ tined to triumph over the barbarsm and supersti-
ton of the millions of the world. And shall such
a people refuse 10 lay hold upon their destiny, and
| act upon the high mission TO which it is called
A mission full of hope, though laden with
| responsibility, which, if properly directed, must
| make our confederacy the harbnger Of peace TO
the world, as well the peaceful arbcr OF its
destiny.
| The SENTINEL will, therefore, advocate bold
and earnest foreign policy such as the condition OF
the country demands; but will advocate it under
| the flag ofthe country--nowhere else. Its foreign
policy must be consistent with the spotess honor
| and uninpeachabe good faith of the country. To
be respectable home and abroad, and 10 be great
| in the eyes of the world, it must ask for nothing
but what is right, and submit to nothing that is
wrong. II must be liberal and magnanmous TO
the rights Of others, and firm and mmoveabe in
| insisting on its own. II must, in fine, be true 10
its own interests, rights, and honor-it cannot then
be false to those of other nations,s
Such then, is the chart by which we shall be
guided Independent and free we shall endeavor
| 10 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 OF
the great principles upon which tcame into power;
and in its honest abors to attain such an end it
will find the SENTINEL its friend and coadjutor.
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