Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-05-14
PROSP ECTUS
aWAsHINCTON sENmNET..,,
OF THE

der the name Of The WASHINGTON SENTI.
MEL
In doing so, it is proper should make known
the principles It will maintain, and the policy il
/ will advocate.
/ II will support cordially and earnestly the prin-
ciples of the Democratic party Of tho United States
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
/ 1t will not be ambitious to commend itsefto the
| people by blind hattery of their rulers. II will
seek public support by the bold avowal of the
| sentiments which common to the genuine
/ Democracy of the Union, and by the condemns
ton OF all such as may conflict with them, from
whatever quarter they may come. Il will seek TO
be (and it will endeavor to deserve the ttle) 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-
stitution compact; by which, also, they created
the Federal Government, and delegated TO 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 of any power, be .ond these
/ thus delegated, is, therefore usu pat of the
reserved authority of the States by me agent OF
/ their own creation.
The SENTINEL will uphold and defend the Union
upon the basis of the rights of the States--under
| the Constitution-and thus by sedulously guarding
the latter, it 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 strict and fair in
depreciation ofits language and spirit; and that il
shall not seek to attain indirectly objectthrough
the exercise of Constitutional poacer, for the direct
attainment of which it has no allegation Of poter.
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.
i 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
| terna policy:-that this Government will best
promote the freedom and prosperity of the people
Of the States, by being less ambitious exercise
power, and more anxious TO preserve liberty; and
| by leaving 10 the individual States the manage.
ment Of all their domestic concerns-while it con-
i 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 il.
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 II justice. The real interests Of the
country, upon each occasion demanding attention,
! will be its guide in the course the SENTINEL will
Z 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
! iself.
/ Our settled determination to repel interference
from abroad with our domestic concerns, will
, prompt TO avoid il in the affairs of other conn-
tries unless by their foreign colonial policy our
peace should be threatened, security endan-
gered, 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 unlriendly rival, such policy must
be resisted by remonstrance, and, If need be, by
| war.
Our foreign policy should, indeed, be defensive;
but to be property defeasire, must sometimes be
| apparently aggressive. Our administration should
be vgilant, watchfnl, and energetic. The world
| is full of important movements, commercial and
4 political, deeply concerning American trade and
| American power. II is time we had an American
foreign policy. We must have it, We cannot
avoid il 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 neighbors but colony, and
| wornout, anarchica 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
q.
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-
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 religions are des
tined to triumph over the barbarism and supersti-
i tion 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 bold
and earnest foreign policy such the condition OF
the country demands; but il will advocate il under
the flag ofthe 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, 1t must ask for nothing
but what is right, and submit to nothing that IS
A wrong II must be liberal and magnanimous to
the rights of others, and firm and mmoveabe in
insisting on its own. II must IN hne' De true TO
its own interests, rights and honor-l cannon tnen
. be false TO those Of other nations
Such, then is the chart by which we shall be
, guided, Independent and free G we shall endeavor
, 70 be honest and truthful. The true friends OF
, democratic principles 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 wishesfor its success in the establishment OF
the great principles upon which il came into power;
| and in its honest labors to attain such an end il
i will find the SENTINEL its friend and coadjptor.
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