Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1855-02-25
! PROSPECTUS
~wAsHINcToN SENTINEL

II - - A0 " ~ - - ~ - ~ ~
\ iWEhNg OF THE 8.@
4 RI .WAsHINCTON SENTINEL.o
II PROPOSE 70 publish in the city Of Washing
j l ton, in September, a political newspaper, un
MEL. '
In doing So il is proper | should make known
the principles il win maintain, and the policy Il
/ will advocate. 5atS8 gt.t
Il will support cordially and earnestly the prin
cpes OF the Democratic party Of The Unitsd SfGfss
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 It's opinions and express It's
| views M afS 6s
| II will not be ambitious to commend itselfto the
people by blind fatfery Of their rulers. Il win
| seek public support by the bold avowal Of the
ssntimHnts. which aEe scommQn ~ the Genulns
| tion Of all such as may conflict with them. from
whatever quarter they may come. Il will seek TO
be land il will endeavcr to deserve the tite) 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 IL
as their common agent, the powers expressly
specified in il, with an explicit reservation OF all
others to the States or to their separate govern
\
thus delegated is, therefore, an usurpston OF the
reserved authority of the States by the agent OF
their own creation.
The SENTINEL will uphold and defend the Union
the Constitution thus by sedulously guarding
the latter, il will the effectualy 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 ofits language and spirit; and that
shall not seek to attain indirectly objectthrough
the exercise of constitutional pos0ey, for the dlre
attainment of which il has no delegation Of poscsr.
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 I'M
tended by the Constitution.
In respect to the internal administration of the
Government, the SENTINEL will sustain the settled
policy Of the Democratic party i will labor to
inculcate this cardinal doctrine OF Democratic In
ternal policy 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 10 preserve liberty; and
by leaving to the individual States the manage
ment of all their domssfic eoncsrns-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 IT,
The SENTINEL will advocate such progressive
foreign policy as will suit itself to the exigcncies
and correspond with the expanding interests of the
country. That policy should be energetic and de-
cided but should temper 6rmness with liberallty
and make its highest ends consist with the srietesi
principles of justice. The real interests OF the
country, upon each occasion demanding attention
viii be its guide in the course the SENTINEL. wil
pursue.
The national policy or rhe world in this ago 10
essentially aggressive. In the growing sense OF
weakness of some Of the nations Of the Old World
and the ambitious restlrssness Of others, a com
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 unless by their foreign or 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 infringes upon our rights.
and places in the pathway OF our commerce
dangerous and unfrendly rival, such policy must
be resisted by remonstrance, and, If need be, by
war.
Our foreign policy should, indeed, be defensive;
but TO be properly dsfens,ue i must sometimes De
apparently aggressive. 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 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
OF 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 10 civilized life, and to
human progress--our mineral and manufacturing
resources more vastour facilities and capacity ior
internal and foreign commerce more extended
than those Of any other people living under one
government. A continent, 10 great extent, un
explored and exhaustless IN its yet hidden wealth
is nj feet European trade seeks the great las,
through avenues which are 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 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 dcs-
tined to triumph over the barbarism and supersti-
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 10 which Il Is calledi
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 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 under
the ang ofthc country--nowhere else. Its foreign
policy must be consistent with the spotess 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
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 mmoveable in
insisting on its own. II must, in 6ne 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
guided Independent and free, we shall endeavor
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
lest wishes for its success in the establishment OF
4 4. Ia tnt..