Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-06-16
PROSPECTUS s
.wAsHrNcToN r rs sENTINELn

! ssWASmNGTON SENTINEL"
/ IT PROPOSE TO publish in the city Of Washing
/ il ton, in September political newspaper, un-
der the name Of the WASHINGTON SENTI;
/ MEL.
/ In doing so, il is proper I should make known
1 the principles il will maintain, and the policy it
/ will advocate.
It will support cordially and earnestly the prin
cples ofthe Democratic party Of the United States.
il does 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 itself to the
/ people by blind fattery of their rulers. II will
seek public support by the bold ayowal of the
| sentiments which are common TO the genuine
Democracy of the Union, and by the condemna-
Ition Of all such as may conflict with them, from
i whatever quarter they may come. II will seek to
be (and il will endeavor to deserve the ttle) the
organ Of the Democratic party Of the United
i 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-
stituton as compact; by which, Also they created
l 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 to their separate govern
ments. The exercise of any powers beyond these
thus delegated is, therefore, an usurpaton of the
Il
| their own creation. ft zf5#
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 ofthe
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 ofits languages and spirit and that il
shall not seek 10 attain 5adrec an object through
the exercise Of constitutional poey, for the direct
attainment of which it has no delegation of yoacer.
In other words, all powers exercised must be
clearly granted, and all granted powers must be
used for no purpose except such is clearly in
tended by the Constitution.
In respect to the internal administration Of the
Government, the SENTINEL win sustain the settled
policy of the Democratic party II will labor to
inculcate this cardinal doctrine of Democratic in
ternal 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 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 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 hberality
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
j essentially aggressive. In the growing sense OF
| weakness of some of the nations fthe Old World,
| and the ambitious restlessness of others, a COM
/ non motive to colonial extension has developed
| self
/ Our settled determination to repel interference
/ from abroad with our domestic concerns, will
prompt us to avoid il in the affairs of other
tries, uacss 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 infrnges upon our rights
| and places in the pathway of our commerce
dangerous and unfriendy rival, such policy must
4 be resisted by remonstrancc, and, if need be, by
| war;
| Our foreign policy should indeed, be defensive; |;
but to be property deteasire, il must sometimes be
\ apparsntiy aggresssCs. Our administration should
be vigilant, watchful, and energetic The world
is full Of important movements, commercial and
| POLITICAL deeply concerning American trade and
| American power. II is time we had an American
foreign policy. We must have 1t. We cannot
IL
| a greater stake in the world and its destiny than
| every other people. We occupy the best portion
Of continents with no neighbors but colony, and
worn-out, ,anarchical despotsm. 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.
Il thon hos af Ofh
government A continent, TO great extent, un-
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, 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 it is called?
A mission SO full of hope, though so laden with
responsibility, which, if properly directed, must
make our confederacy the harbnger 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 as the condition OF
the country demands; but it will advocate 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, it must ask for nothing
but what is right, and submit to nothing that IL
wrong. 1t must be liberal and magnanimous 10
the rights of others, and firm and immoveable in
insisting on its own. 1t must, in fine, be true 10
its own interests, rights, and honorit 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 cndeavor
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 OF
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. 4
TERMS: For the Daily paper, $40 year, IN ad-
vance. For the Tri-weekly, $5 year TO single
subscribers, and to clubs orpersons subscribing for
or more copies, at the rate of SO year. For the