Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-12-29
P ROSPEC T U s
of THE
aw ASHINGTON SENTINEL.

| MEL gif'2-2. ti
In doing 50, il proper I should make known
the,principIes il viii maintain, and the policy il
will advocate
twill support cordially and earnestly the prin
cipes Of the Democratic party Of the United 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 lis opinions and express its
views.
II will not be ambitious 10 commend ltselfto the
people by blind dattery of their rulers, Il will
seek public sipport 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
whatever quarter they may come. IL will seek TO
be land il will endeavor TO deserve the title) the
organ Of the Democratic party OF the United
States. ,l ~ - . &
The SENTNKI will maintain 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 II.
as their common agent, the powers expressly
specified IN il, with 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 usurpaiios of the
reserved authority OF the States by the agent OF
their own creation. ia
The SENTINEL will uphold aud defend the Union
upon the basis of the rights Of the Siates--under
the Constitution--and thus by sedulousv guarding
the latter, it will the eHectnalIy strengthen
and perpetuate the former
With regard to the exercise Of the powers OF the
Fec eral Government, the SENTINEL will take ~
the rincipes of its action, that Congress shall
ercis no power which has not been delegated by
the G, Institution, according TO strict and fair IN
terpret tion of its language and spirit and that II
shall seek TO attain indirectly object through
the exei Use of constitutional poroer for the 1ireet
attanme of which il has no delegation Of poacer.
In other words, all powers exercised must be
clearly gra ted, and all granted powers must be
used for no purpose, except such as is clearly in
tended by tn Constitution.
In respect 10 the internal administration of The
Government, The SENTINEL will sustain the settled
policy of the Democratic party. II will labor to
incucate this cardinal doctrine of Democratic in
ternal policy cy:-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 eonoerns-whiie II 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 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 hberality,
and make its highest ends consist with the strctest
principles of Justice. The real interests of the
country, upon each occasion demanding attention
VIII be It's guide In the course tue envrrvnrs viii
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 restlessness of others, com
mon motive TO colonial extension has developed
self
Our settled determination tc repel interference
from abroad with our domestic concerns, vii
prompt US to avoid il in the affairs OF other coun
tries, unless by their foreign colonial policy our
peace should be threatened, our security endan
gered or 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 must
be resisted by remonstrance, and, if need be, by
war.
Our foreign policy should. indeed, be defensive,
but 10 be properly offensive, Il must sometimes be
apparently aggressive Our administration should
be vgilant, 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 it. We cannot
avoid il II 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
a 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 essential to civilized life, and 10
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 a great extent, un-
explored and exhaustIess its yet hidden wealth
/ =. A. H. Ia aua
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
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
a people refuse 10 lay hold upon their destiny and
| act upon the high mission TO which II is called
| 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 ms 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 il will advocate II under
| the flag of the couniry-nowhere else. Its foreign
policy must be consistent with the spotess honor
| and unimpeachable good faith OF the country. To
be respectable al 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 is
wrong II must be liberal and magnanmous TO
the rights of others, and firm and immoveable in
| insisting on its own. II must, in fine, be true 10
its 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
1 guided. Independent and free, we shall endeavor
to be honest and truthful. The true friends OF
/ democratic principles we shall cordially support
/ nd d.fpn It's mi N
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
hest wishes for its success in the establishment o
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.
i r. ATER YEARS. the Aufhpr of q. the