Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-12-04
OUR RECORD.

our conduct with such fulness of candor as
may seem to the fastidious to encroach upon
good taste. The present is such an occasion
with US.
When we embarked in our newspaper enter
prise, we had the i'll luck of finding principali-
ing then and continued up TO this time, have
been industriously made to crush US out. We
have been condemned where We should have
been welcomed, and suspected where we should
have been trusted. In order to discredit us
with the Democratic party, and counteract any
influence that we might exert, doubts and sus-
picions have been insidiously and sedulously cir.
culated against our democracy.
We determined from the first to publish an
honest, straightforward Democratic papers
paper not for the upholding Of men or admin
istrations, but for the upholding of the time.
honored, State rights principles of democracy.
In pursuing this idea, which we think the only
true theory of political newspapers, we have
sometimes found it necessary to condemn men,
and to differ from the present Democratic Ad-
ministration. But, uninhuenced by caprice
and unmoved by malice, we have never in any
instance made c~aptious objections. To our re-
cord as a Democratic journal, We challenge in.
vestigation and defy criticism. 1t is unstaincd
by personal rancor, unpolluted by trick or fraud,
and altogether unmarked by any, the slightest,
alteration from the creed and principles of the
Democratic party.
If we have at times expressed our dissent
from the Administration, ii was painful to US
to do so. We have felt, and always expect to
feel, that our first duty is due to the great
principles of our party, and our second duty to
the men who are appointed TO carry out aud
illustrate them. We can point to our record
in evidence Of the fact that if sc have blamed,
when blame was merited, we have praised,
when praise was due. We could do nothing
more, nothing less and roHd not, and wiU
not, under any circumstances, come what may.
We shall not undertake to trace with minute
ness the course of the Sentinel since its COM
mencement. That would require more time
and space than are at our command. We
shall only refer to a few marked incidents in
our humble career.
When we started our enterprise the war of
the New York Shells had just broken out and
threatened to disturb the peace, if it should not
destroy, the integrity of the Democracy as a
great national organization. We d~eplored
such divisions in the ranks Of the New York
Democrats, and would have done all in our
power to have tranquilized and reconciled the
excited adherents Of the separated parties.
But lust at the time when the balm Of Gilead"
might have been most OPPORTUNITY and efica-
~ciously applied-just at that time the great
strong arm Of the Federal power was inter.
posed between them. 1t was gently raised to
bless the Softs, aud was extended in anger TO
smite the Hards. We said promptly and fear
lessly that the Federal Government had no
right to interfere between the Democrats Of
New York in a State quarrel. We said, more
over, that in sustaining and maintaining the
Softs, the administrator was stimulating free
soilism, rewarding treason, and warming into
life a serpent that would sting it. The course
we took brought down upon our devoted heads
the same hand that smote the Hards, aud we
we're set on by as vile a pack of hungry hounds
as ever hunted for food.
Has not our judgment in respect to the New
York Democracy been signally indicated ?
That it has no one can gainsay. That division
Of the party which we condemned has lost the
H
confidence Of both the Administration and the
Washington Union, and fastened its envenomed
fangs in the generous bosom that warned it
into life. That other division which we
sustained has planted itself firmly upon the
great principles Of Democracy, and at this
moment enjoys the sympathy and esteem Of
sound Democrats throughout the country.
Another measure in reference TO which we
took ground was that proposed monopoly,
gigantic in its proportions Government
railroad to the Pacific. From the first We de.
nounced it.
Again we denounced and condemned as
soon as it was proposed the high protective
policy recommended by the Secretary Of the
Treasury, which we were the first to show was
rspugnant to every sentiment of the Democ-
racy.
Next came up the Nebraska Kansas bill, and
we claim and can claim with truth that we we're
it's first and frmest friends. When our CO.
q~uettish and tickle Democratic neighbor here,
manifestipg that amphibious nature that dis
,inguishes the politicians Of its school, was one
day for and another against it, we planted our.
selves upon the principles of the bill, and up.
held them without any shadow Of turning.
Next sprang up a question as TO the appoint.
ment Of governors for the two newly organ.
lied Observation-Disclosures and Kansas. The
policy Of the Administration, and Of our Demo.
cratic contemporary was to appoint a Northern
man Governor Of Kansas, and a Southern man
Governor Of Nebraska. This We demonstrated
against. 1t seemed to us like sending FIRE to
Africa, and snow TO the polar regions. But
our humble remonstrances proved to be Of no