Washington sentinel., 1854-07-11
PROSPE G 7 u s
OF THE
"WAsHINGTON SENTINEL

| II PROPOSE TO publish III the city OF Washing
| Il ton, in September, political newspaper, IN
der the name of the WASHINGTON SENTI
| MEL. .
In doing so, il is proper I should make known
the principles il will maintain and the policy II
will advocate.
II will support cordially and earnestly the prin
cipes Of the Democratic party Of the Unite3 States
it does not propose to be the organ Of any Depart
loent of the Government except in so far as an in
dependent maintenance of the doctrines of that
party may represent its opinions and express its
views. ~ Ilat3}! rg e4t 3,l
II will not be ambitious to commend itselfto the
people by blind fsltery Of their rulers. il viii
seek public support by the bold ayowal of the
sentiments which are common TO the genuine
Democracy Of the Cnion and by the condemns
ton of all such as may conflict with them, from
whatever quarter they may come. Il will scok to
be (and il will endeavor to 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-
stitution compact; by which, Also they created
the Federal Government, and delegated 10 it,
as their common agent, the powers expressly
specified in il, with an explicit reservation OF all
others to the States, or 10 their separate govern
ments. The exercise of 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-and thus by sedulously guarding
the latter it will the more cfectually 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 ofits language and spirit; and that II
shall not seek TO attain indirectly object through
the exercise of Constitutional potcer for the direct
attainment of which il has no deLegtton 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 10 the internal administration of the
Government, the SENTINEL will sustain the settled
policy of the Democratic party. II will labor 10
inculcate this cardinal doctrine Of Democratic in
tcrnal 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 10 the individual States the manage
nient of all their domestic coneerrs-while il con-
tents itself with guarding the confcderacy from
external violence and directing the foreign policy
Of the country 10 the promotion of the common
interests, and defence Of the common rights, and
honor of the States composing it.
The SENTINEL viii 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 hrmness with liberality
and make its highest ends consist with the sfrictest
principles Of justice. The real interests of the
| country, upon each occasion demanding attention,
win 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 restlessncss of others, CON-
mon motive TO colonial extension has developed
isef
Our settled determination TO repel interference
from abroad with our domestic concerns, viii
prompt TO avoid II 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 unfriendly rival, such policy mus.
be resisted by remonstrance, and, If need be, by
war.
Our foreign policy should, indeed, be defensive I;
but 10 be properly defensfue il must sometimes be
apparently aggreSsipe Our administration should
be vigilant, watchful, and energetic. The world
is full OF important movements, commercial anc
political, deeply concerning American trade and
American power. II is time we had an American
foreign policy. We must have il. We cannot
avoid it IL 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 neighbors but colony, and
worn-out anarchical despotism. We arc 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, 20 a great extent, un-
explored and exhaustless In its yet hidden wealth
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 the rising power, through the
agency OF whose example, and ever widening and
extending, though peaceful influences, the bless
nqs of liberty civilization, and religion, are des-
tined 10 triumph over the barbarisn and supersti-
ton of the millions of the world. And shall such
people refuse 10 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, il properly directed, must
make our confederncy tho harbingcr Of peace TO
the world, as well as the peaceful arbiter of its
destiny.
The SENTINEL will, therefore, advocate bold
aud earnest foreign policy such as the condition OF
the country demands; but il will advocate il under
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, it must ask for nothing
but what is right, and submit TO nothing that is
wrong IL 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--t 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-
uounce.
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 II camc into power;
and in its honest labors TO attain such an end il
will ind the SENTINEL its friend and coadjutor.
TERMS: For the Daily paper, $40 year, IN ad-
vunce. For the Tr-weekly, SIS year 10 single