Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1855-01-25
PROSPECTUS

.wAsHINGTON SENTINEL.


or THE
sWASHINGTON SENTINEL"
IT PROPOSE 10 publish in the city of Washing
il tom in September, political newspaper, un
der the name Of the WASHINGTON SENTl
MEL.
= In doing so, il is proper should make known
the principles il will maintain, and the policy il
will advocate.
II will support cordially and earnestly the prn
cples OF the Democratic party Of the United STATES
il does not propose TO be the organ OF amy Depart
ment of the Government, except IN SO far as amin
dependent maintenance Of the doctrines oil that
party may represent its opinions and express lis
views.
II will not be ambitious to commend itselfto the
people by blind dattery Of their rulers. Il will
seek public support by the bold avowal of the
sentiments which are common 10 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 TO
be land il will endeavor TO deserve the tte) the
organ Of the Democratic party Of the United
States
The SENTINEL will maintain, as fundamental
truth Of that great party that the States formed the
Union between them by the ratification of the Con-
sttution as compact; by which, also, they created
the Federal Government, and delegated TO il,
az their common agent, the powers expressly
specified in IT, with an explicit reservation OF all
others to the States, or to their separate govern
se
reserved authority Of the States by the agent OF
their own creation
The SENTINEL will 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 edectualy strengthen
and perpetuate the former
With regard to the exercise of the powers of the
Federal Government, the SENTINEL will take as
the principles Gifts action, that Congress shall ex
ercise no power which has not been delegated by
the Constitution, according 10 strict and fair in
depreciation of its language and spirit and that il
shall not seek to attain indirectly object through
the exercise of constitutional p0acer for the direct
attainment of which it has no allegation Of pososy.
In other words, all powers exercised must be
clearly granted, and all granted powers must be
used for no purpose, except such as ID 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. It will labor to
inculcate this cardinal doctrine Of Democratic in
ternal policy that this Government will best
promote the freedom and prosperity Of the people
Of the States, by being less ambitious 70 exercise
power, and more anxious to preserve liberty; and
by leaving TO the individual States the manage
ment Of all their domestic concernswhile it 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 will suit itself to the exigencies,
and correspond with the expanding interests OF the
country. That policy should be energetic and de-
cided; but should temper firmness with liberahly
and make its highest ends consist with the stretes
principles of Justice. The real interests of the
country, upon each occasion demanding attention
will be its guide in the course the SENTINEL will
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, viii
prompt us to avoid il in the affairs OF other coun
tries, 8nless by their foreign or colonial policy our
peace should be threatened, our security endan
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 unfriendly rival, such policy must
be resisted by remonstrance, and, If need be, Wy
war.
Our foreign policy should, indeed, be defensive !;
but TO be properly d3essiue, it must sometimes be
apparently aggresssvs, Our administration should
be vigiant, watehfnl, and energetic. The world
| 10 full Of important movsments, commercial and
| polisieal, dssply conosrniag American trade and
American power. Il % tina ue had an American
foreign policy. We must have il. We cannot
IL we would. We have larger interests, and
greater stake in NE world and its destiny, than
| every other people. We occupy the best portion
Of continent, with NO neighbors but colony, and
o WORKOUT, anarchcal 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 10
human progrcss-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 A continent, TO great extent, I'M
explored and exhaustess in its yet hidden wealth
is at feet European trade seeks the great East
through avenues which are at our doors, or must
l 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
ngs of liberty, civilization, and religion, des-
| tined to triumph over the barbarism and supcrsti-
| ton of the millions Of the world. And shall such
people refuse TO lay hold upon their destiny, and
act upon the high mission 10 which 1t is calledf
A mission 30 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 the peaceful arbiter Of its
destiny. h
| The SENTINEL will, therefore, advocate bold
and earnest /oresgn policy, such the condition OF
the country demands; but il will advocate il under
| the flag ofthe country-nowhere else. It's foreign
policy must be consistent with the spoess 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 TO nothing that is
wrong. 1t must be liberal and magnanimous to
the rights of others, and firm and immoveable in
insisting on its own. 1t must, in fine, be true 10
its own interests rights, and honorit cannot then
be false 10 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
~ L. 80
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
rivHl Of no press OF It's own party--she personal
enemy Of none Of the other.
The present Democratic Administration has our
hest wishes for its success in the establishment OF