Washington sentinel., 1854-07-23
PROSPECTUS
awAsHrNGToN SENTINEL.
OF THE

III
j ton, in September, political newspaper, I'M
der the name Of the WASHINGTON SEMI
MEL. si
In doing SO, il is proper should make known
the principles il will maintain, and the policy ~
will advocate. 5s.t q. t8i,.
Il will support cordially and earnestly the prin.
cples Of the Democratic party Of ts Ussited States
il does not propose to be the organ of any Depart
ment of the Government, except in so far as an IN
dependent maintenance Of the doctrines OF that
party may represent its opinions and express it,
views. II 4.
1t will not be ambitious to commend itselft to the
people by blind fattery of their rulers. twill
seek public support by the bold avowai OF the
sentiments which are common TO the genuine
Democracy Of the Union, and by the condemna
ton of all such may conflict with them from
whatever quarter they may come. II will seek 10
be (and il will endeavor TO deserve the tite) the
organ Of the Democrats 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.
stituton as compact by which, also, they created
the Federal Government, and delegated TO II,
as their 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 powers beyond these
thus delegated, is therefore, usurpation of the
reserved authority Of the States by the agent o.
their own creation. f AE 5t lts.R L- 49
The SENTINEL will uphold and defend the Union
upon the basis of the rights of the Statss-under
the Constitution-and thus by sedulousiy guarding
the latter it will the more efectually 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 Constitutions according to strict and fair in.
terpretation ofits language and spirit and that
shall not seek TO attain fndiyetty an objectthrough
the exercise of Constitutional poicev for the direct
attainment of which IT has no delegation of poa0er
In other words, all powers exercised must be
clearly granted, and all granted powers must be
used for purpose, except such as is clearly in
tended by the Constitution n 1Eeses
In respect to the internal administration of the
Government, the SENTINEL will sustain the settled
policy Of the Democratic party 1t will labor to
incucate this cardinal doctrine of Democratic in
ternal policy:-that this Government will bes
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 conceyns--whe il con-
tents itself with guarding the confederacy 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 will advocate such progressive
foreign policy as will suit itself to the exgencies,
aud correspond with the expanding interests of the
country. That policy should be energetic and de
| cided; but should temper frmness with liberalty
and make its highest ends consist with the strictes
| principles of justice. The real interests OF the
\ country, upon each occasion demanding attention
will be its guide in the course the SENTINEL viii
| pursue. t
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 restlessness of others, a com
| mon motive to colonial extension has developed
| iself
Our settled determination TO repel interference
| from abroad with our domestic concerns, will
prompt us 10 avoid il in the affairs Of other coun
tries unless by their foreign colonial policy our
peace should be threatened, our security endan-
eered 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 unfriendly rival, sucha policy must
be resisted by remonstrance, and, if need be, by
war.
Our foreign policy should indeed, be defensive
but TO be properly detsnsfve, il must sometimes be
apparently AGGRESSIVE. Our administration should
be yigant, watchful, and energetic. The world
is full Of important movements, commerciai and
political, deeply concerning American trade and
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 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 exhaustess 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 us 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 10 triumph over the barbarism and superstl-
ton of the millions of the world. And shall such
a people refuse TO lay hold upon their destiny and
act upon the high mission TO which II is called
mission so full Of hope, though 50 laden with
make our confederacy the harbnger of peace 10
the world, as well as the peaceful arbiter Of its
destiny.
The SENTINEL will, therefore, advocate a bold
and earnest foreign policy, such as the condition OF
the country demands but il will advocate II under
the flag ofthe country-nowhere else. Its foreign
and unimpeachable good faith of the country To
be respectable at home and abroad and TO be great
in the eyes of the world, il must ask for nothing
but what is right, and submit TO nothing that IL
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
it's 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 endcavor
to be honest and truthful The true friends oi
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-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 il came into power;
and in its honest labors 10 attain such an end II
will find the SENTINEL its friend and coadjutor.
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| vance For the Tri-weekly, IS a year 10 single