Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-06-17
PROSPECTUS s
.WAsHINGToN SENTINEL, >,

In doing So il is proper should make known
the principles il will maintain, and the policy il
will advocate.
1t will support cordially and earnestly the prin
cples of the Democratic party Of the Uitsd States
It does not propose to be the organ of any Depart
ment of the Government, except in so far in
dependent maintenance Of the doctrines OF that
party may represent its opinions and express its
views.
1t win not be ambitious to commend itselfto the
people by blind fattery of their rulers. II will
seek public support by the bold avowal of the
sentiments which ere 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 (and 1t will endeavor to deserve the tite) the
organ Of the Democratic party Of the United
States.
The SENTINEL will maintain, as a fundamental
truth of that great party, that the States formed the
Union between them by the ratification of the Con-
stituton asa compact; by which, also, they created
the Federal Government and delegated 10 il,
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 any powers beyond these
thus delegated, is therefore, 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 thus by sedulously guarding
~
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 il
shall not seek TO attain indirectly object through
the exercise of constitutional po,cer, for the direct
attainment of which il has delegation of poicer.
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 this Government viii 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 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 exigencies
and correspond with the expanding interests ofth
country That policy should be energetic and de-
cided; but should temper frmness with liberality
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 o
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 to repel interference
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, or our interests invaded. For when the
selfish interests of other nations prompt a foreign
or colonial policy which infringes upon our rights
and places in the pathway Of our commerce a
dangerous and unfriendly rival, such policy must
be resisted by remonstrance, and, if need be, by
war.
Our foreign policy should, indeed be defensive !;
but to be properly detenSfUe, it must sometimes be
apparently aggressiue. Our administration should
be- vigilant, watchfu, and energetic. The world
is full of important movements, commercial and
political, deeply concerning American trade and
American power. It 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
of continent, with no neighbors but colony, and
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 to
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. A continent, to a great extent, un-
explored and exhaustless in its yet hidden wealth
is at our 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, are des-
tined to triumph over the barbarism 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 1t 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 arbter Of its
destiny.
The SENTINEL will, therefore, advocate bold
and earnest foreign policy, such as the condition OF
the country demands; but it will advocate it under
the flag ofthe country-nowhere else. Its foreign
policy must be consistent with the spotless honor
and nnimpeachable good faith of the country. To
be respectable at home and abroad and 10 be great
in the eyes of the world, it must ask for nothing
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 oil
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-
nouncc.
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 in the establishment OF
the great principles upon which itcame into power;
and in its honest labors to attain such an end il
win find the SENTINEL its friend and coadjutor.
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