Washington sentinel., 1855-02-07
PROSP ECTU S
..w wAsHINCToN w SENTINEL. /,

As OF THE
"W WASHINGTON SENTINEL"
II PROPOSE TO publish in the city Of Washing
u ton, in September, political newspaper, un
der the name Of the WASHINGTON SENT
MEL.
In doing SO, il is proper should make known
the principles il viii maintain, and the policy il
will advocate.
II will support cordially and earnestly the prin
cipes of the Democratic party Of the Umited States
Il does not propose TO be the organ of any Depari
nent 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. -ra
1t will not be ambitious to commend itsefto the
people by Z blind fattery of their rulers. Il 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.
ton Of all such As may conflict with them, from
whatever quarter they may come. II Will seek 10
be (and it will endeavor to deserve the ttle) the
organ of the Democratic party Of the United
States.
The SENTINEL will maintain, as a 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 II,
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
reserved authority of the States by the agent OF
their own creation.
The SENTINEL viii uphold and defend the Union
upon the basis of the rights of the States-under
the Constitution-and thus by sedulously guarding
the latter il 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 Constitution according to strict and fair in
depreciation Of its language and spirit; and that
shall not seek to attain indtrscy an objectthrough
the exercise of constitutional poscev, for the direct
attainment of which it has no delegation 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 to the internal administration of the
Government, the SENTINEL will 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 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 concsrms-while il con-
tents itself with guarding the confederacy from
of the country to the promotion of the common
interests, and defence of the cofnmon rights, and
honor Of the States composing it.
The SENTINEL will advocate such progressive
foreign policy will suit itself TO the exigences,
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 strietest
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.
The national policy Of the world in this age is
essentially aggressive In the growing sense OF
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, will
prompt us to avoid it in the affairs of other coun
tries nnless by their foreign colonial policy our
peace should be threatened, our security endan
Qered or our interests invaded. For when the
selfish interests Of other nations prompt foreign
or colonial policy which infrnges upon our rights,
dangerous and unfriendy rival, such policy must
be resisted by remonstrancc, and, II need be, BY
war.
Our foreign policy should, indeed, be defensive
but 10 be properly defensive, il must sometimes be
apparently aggrsssice Our administration should
be vigilant, watchful, and energetic. The world
s full of important movements, commercial and
political, deeply concerning American trade and
American power. IL is time we had an American
foreign policy. We must have il. 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 oes, portion
of Continent, with no neighbors but colony and
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 more essential to civilized life, and to
al nd ma oprtfa efrrri 20
resources more vast-our facilities and capacity ior
internal and foreign commerce more extended
than those Of any other people living under one
government A continent, TO great extent, nm
explored and exhaustjess in-its yet hidden wealth
IL al our feet European trade seeks the great East
through avenues which al 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 TO triumph over the barbarism and supersti-
ton of the millions of the world. And shall such
4 people refuse TO 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, u properly direc'co, mus'
make our confederacy the hsrbinger Of peace 10
the world, 40 well as the peaceful arbitsr OF Its
destiny.
The SENTINEL will, therefore, advocate bold
and eaynssf forsgn policy such as the condition Of
the country demands; but il will advocate II under
the flag ofthe country-nowhere else. lts foreign
policy must be consistent with the spotless honor
and unimpeachable good faith of the country. To
be respectable Al home and abroad, and to be great
in the eves of the world il must ask for nothing
but what is right and submit 10 nothing that y
wrong. II must be liberal and magnanimous to
the rights Of others, and firm and immoveable IN
insisting on lis own u must, in fine, be true to
=. o,yn ;n,eresta rights and honor--t cannot ther
be false to those Of other nations.
Such, then, is the chart by which. we shall be
euided. Independent and free, we shall endeavol
to be honest and truthful The true friends Q
democratic principles we shall cordially suppor
| 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 e1tene
tho hand Of friendly greeting. The Senonel - ln'
enemy Of none OF the other.
/ The present Democratic Administration has ou