Washington sentinel., 1855-03-21
PROSPECTUS y
.w AsHrNCToN sENrrNEIv


II ton, in September, a political newspaper, un
der The name Of the WASHINGTON SENTI
In doing so, ills proper / should make known
the principles il win maintain, and the policy il
will advocate.
N twill support cordially and earnestly the prin
cipes the Democratic party Of tho United Statss
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 its
views.
1t will 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 are common to the genuine
Democracy of the Union, and by the condemna-
lion Of all such as may conflict with them, from
be (and it will endeavor to deserve the tite) the
organ Of the Democratic party of the United
States. @
The SxNrnEI will maintain, as Fundamental
truth Of that great party that the States formed the
Union between them by the ratification Of the Con.
The Sa Tsdsr.i Govsrnnsns y and % Delegated @ 70 it.
~ their common agent, the powers expressly
specified in it, with explicit reservation Of all
others to the States, or to their separate govern.
meIts. The exercise of any powers beyond these
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 States-under
the Consttution-and thus by sedulously guarding
the latter it will the more ef1ectualy strengthen
and perpetuate the former.
With regard to the exercise Of the powers of the
Fec sral Government, the SENTINEL will take as
the rincpes of its action, that Congress shall ex-
ercis no power which has not been delegated by
the @. institution according to strict and fair in
erprel tion of its language and spirit; and that II
II. ,Cl~.o II
the exel Use of constitutional poscer, for the direct
attainme Of which it has no delegation Of poscey.
In other words, all powers exercised must be
clearly gra ted, and all granted powers must be
used for no ,urpose, except such as is clearly I'M
tended by tn Constitution. M
In respect 10 the internal administration of the
Government, The SENTINEL will sustain the settled
policy Of the mocratic party II will labor to
nculcate this c, dnal doctrine of Democratic in
ternal poHcy:-tna AT this Government Will bes'
promote the freed m and prosperity OF the people
Of the States by being less ambitious 10 exercise
power, and more anxious to preserve liberty; and
BY leaving to the individual States the manage
ment of all their donsstie oos,eerns-while il 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 il.
The SENTINEL will advocate such progressive
foreign policy as will suit itself TO the exigences,
and correspond with the expanding interests of the
country. That policy should be energetic and de-
cded; but should temper frmness with hberahty
and make its highest ends consist with the stretest
principles Of Justice. The real interests Of the
country, upon each occssion 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 tho growing sense OF
weakness Of some of the nations Of the Old World,
al. ..~A.s rfC cou
mon motive to colonial extension has developed
self
Our settled determination &c repel interference
from abroad with our domestic concerns, viii
prompt us to avoid il in the affairs Of other coun
tries nnlsss by their foreign colonial policy our
peace should be threatened, our security cndan
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 unfricndly rival, such policy must
be resisted by remonstrancc, and, if need be, by
war.
Our foreign policy should, indeed, be defensive I;
but to be properly defensiye, it must sometimes be
apparently aggressiUe Our administration should
be vglant, watchful, and energetic. The world
is full Of important movements, commercial and
political, deeply concerning American trade and
Americ power. II is time we had an American
foreign policy. We must have IT. We cannot
avoid il 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 a continent, with no neighbors but colony, and
q worn-out, anarchical despotism. We are the
olny 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 HE, and 10
human progress-our mineral and manufacturing
resources more vast--ourfa 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 exhaustess in its yet hidden wealth
is al 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 10 us as the rising power, through the
agency of whose example, and ever widening and
extending thoughpesceful influences, the bless
ings of liberty, civilization, and religion, are des-
tined TO triumph over the barbarism and supersti-
ton of the millions the world And shall such
a people refuse to lay hold upon their destiny, and
act upon the high mission to which II is caiedf
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 II will advocate IT 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, il must ask for nothing
hut what il right, and submit 10 nothing that Is
wrong. Il must be liberal and magnanimous TO
the rights Of others, and firm and lmmoveable in
insisting on its own. II must, in fine, be true 10
its own interests, rights and honorit cannot then
be false to those Of other nations.
Such, then, 10 the chart by which we shall be
guided. Indepe ndent and free, we shall endcavor
10 he 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 des
nounce. E
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
hest wishes for its success in the establishment OF
the great principles upon which i tcame into powers
and IN its honest labors TO attain such an end II
will find the SENTINEL its friend and coadjutor.
TKRMs: For the Daily paper, $40 year, IN ad-
vccc. For he Tri-xeeklv &S \ single