Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-10-16
PR OSP E G I IT s
OF THE
Nv ASHINGTON SENTINEL"

/ ton, in September, political newspaper IN.
der the name Of the WASHINGTON SENT.
MEL
In doing so, il is proper | shoud> make known
the principles il will maintain, and the policy il
will advocate.
II will support cordially aud earnestly the prin
cpes of the Democratic party of the United StaeS
il does not propose 10 be the organ OF any Depart
ment OF the Cove rnment, except In so far as an III
dependent maintenance of the doctrines of that
party may represent its opinions and express lis
views.
II will not be ambitious 10 commend itsefto the
people by blind fattery Of their rulers. Il will
seek public slpport by the bold avowa OF the
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 to
be (and il will eudeavor 10 deserve the iite) the
organ OF the Democratic party Of the United
States.
The SENTINEL. will maintain, fundanentai
truth of thatg party that the States formed the
Union between them by the ratification of the Con
slitution as compact; by which also they created
the Federal Government, and delegated 10 IT.,
as their common agent, the powers expressly
specified in il, with explicit reservation of all
others to the States, or TO their separate govern
nients. The exercise Of any powers beyond these
thus delegated, is, therefore, nsurpaon oi ihe
reserved authority Of the States by the agea ~
their own creation.
upon the basis OF the rights Of the Siates--und-r
the Constitution--and thus bv sedulousiy guarding
the latter, il will the more eH-ctnaily strengthen
and perpetliate the former.
With regard TO the exercise OF the powers OF the
Fe1eral Government, the SENrINEL will take y
The rnciples of its action, that Congress shall eh-
ercis no power which has not been delegated 10y
the O. institution, according 10 strict and fair ~
terpre, ton of lis language and spirit; and that Il
shall seek TO attain ind'rectly an obIectthroueh
the exel Use of constitutional p0,oer for the hirec
attainme of which it has no deiegatson 0f 3ocey.
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 m
tended by tn 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
incucate this cardinal doctrine of Democratic in
ternal policy that tins Government will besi
promote the freedom and prosperity Of the people
OF the States, by being less ambitious TO exercise
power and more anxious to preserve hbertyj and
by leaving 10 the individual States the manage
ment of all their domestic c0H1cer1S-whe II 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 ii.
The SENTINEL will advocate such a progressive
foreign policy as will suit itself to the eXgencies,
and correspond with the expanding interests Of the
country. That policy should be energetic and de-
cded; but should temper iirnness with lberality,
and make its highest ends consist whit the srlctes
principles of Justice The real interests OF the
country, upon each occasion demanding attention
will be its guide in the course the SENTINEL vii
pursue.
The national policy OF the world IN this age =
essentially aggressive. In the growing sense OF
weakness of some Of the nations OF the Old Word,
and the ambitious restessness OF others, com
hng lam
self
Our settled determination &c repel interference
from abroad with our domestic concerns, vii
prompt US avoid il in the affairs of other coun
tries, uRieSS by their foreign or colonial policy our
peace should be threatened, security endan
gered or onr 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 uniriendly rival such policy must
be resisted by remonstranee and. 4 need be ~
war.
Our foreign policy should indeed, be defensive,
but 10 be property dsJ6nSiUe 4 must sometimes be
01parentiV 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 II. We cannot
avoid il ii we would. We have larger interests, and
a greater stake in the world and ts destiny than
every other people. We occupy the best portion
of a continent with no ncghbors but a colony, and
a worn out, anarchica despotism. We the
olny people whose own land without colonial de-
Tendencies. is washed by the two great oceans ol
the world. Our agricultural productions are more
varied and more essential to civilized lie, and 10
human progress-our mineral and manufacturing
resources more vast--ourfacllItlesa and capacity for
internal and foreign commerce more extended
than those Of any other people living under one
government continent, TO great extent, I'M
explored and exhaustless IN ITS yet hidden wealth
il 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 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, des
tined 10 triumph over the barbarsm and superst-
ton Of the millions the world. And shall such
a people refuse 10 lay hold upon their destiny, and
act upon the high mission to which il is calledl 2
A mission so full of hope, though so laden with
responsibility, which, If properly directed, must
make our confederacy the harbinger of peace 10
the world, as well as the peaceful arbiter Of its
destiny.
The SENTINEL will, therefore, advocate boid
and Earnest foyeign policy such as the condition Of
the country demands; but it will advocate II under
the flag of the country-nowhere else. Its foreign
policy must be consistent with the spotless honor
and unimpeachable good faith OF the country. To
be respectable home and abroad, and TO be great
in the eyes Of the world il must ask for nothing
but what Is right, and submit 10 nothing that j.
wrong. Ii must be liberal and magnanimous 10
the rights Of others, and firm and lmmoveable in
insisting on It's own II must, in fine, be true 10
its own interests, rights, and honor-it cannotthen
be false to those Of other nations
Such, then, is the chart by which We shall be
guided Independent aud 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 - the
rival of no press Of is own party-~thc personal
enemy of none Of the other.
The present Democratic Administration has our
lest wishes for its IN the establishment OF
the great principles upon which itcame into power
and in its honest labors TO attain such an end u
will find the SENTINEL its friend and coadJutor.
~ NJ NJ t,rtI.. "a. he