Washington sentinel., 1855-03-16
PROSP EC TU s
"WAsHINCTON SENTINEL. -

i TT PROPOSE to publish in the city of Washing
il ton, in September, political newspaper, un
der the name of the WASHINGTON SENTI
MEL. .@sH
the principles il will maintain, and the policy il
/ will advocate.
II will support cordially and earnestly the prin
cpes Of the Democratic party of the United States
il does not propose to be the organ Of any Depart
| ment 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.
/ II will not be ambitious to commend itselfto the
people by blind fattery Of their rulers. It will
seek public support by the bold avowal of the
sentiments which are common to the genuine
Democracy of the Union, and by the condemna-
/ tion of all such as may conflict with them, from
| whatever quarter they may come. II will seek to
be (and it will endeavor to deserve the title) the
organ Of the Democratic party Of the United
| States.
The SKNrnxL will maintain, as Fundamental
truth Of that great party that the States formed the
Union between them by the ratification of the Con-
stitution a. compact; by which, also, they created
the Federal Government, and delegated TO II,
~ 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 s, therefore, an usurpation Of the
| 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 efectualy strengthen
and perpetuate the former.
With regard to the exercise Of the powers of the
Fec sral Government, the SENTINEL will take as
the rincipes ofits action, that Congress shall ex-
ercis no power which has not been delegated by
the c. Institution, according to strict and fair in
terpre, tion fits language and spirit; and that
shall seek to attain indirectly an objecthrough
the exeI Use Of constitutional po,cer, for the direa
attainme of which it has no delegation Of poscer.
In other words, all powers exercised must be
clearly gra ted, and all granted powers must be
used for no ,urpose, except such as is clearly In
tended by tn Constitution.
In respect to the internal administration of the
Government, The SENTINEL will sustain the settled
policy Of the L mocratic party 1t will labor to
incucate this c, dinal doctrine of Democratic in
ternal policy:-l at this Government will best
promote the freed IN 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 concerns-while 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 exgencies,
and correspond with the expanding interests of the
country. That policy should be energetic and de-
cided; but should temper frmness with lberality
and make its highest ends consist with the striotest
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 is
essentially aggressive. In tho growing sense OF
weakness of some Of the nations OF the Old World,
and the ambitious restlessncss of others, com
m extension QeyelOped
self
Our settled determination tc repel interference
from abroad with our domestic concerns, vii
prompt us TO avoid il in the affairs of other coun
fres unless by their foreign or colonial policy our
peace should be threatened, our security endan
gered our interests invaded. For when the
selfish interests of other nations prompt foreign
colonial policy which infringes upon our rights.
and places in the pathway Of our commerce a
dangerous and unriendly rival, such policy must
be resisted by remonstrance, and, if need be, by
war. s
Our foreign policy should, indeed, be defensive;
but to be properly defsns,ve IT must sometimes be
apparesflv ar Rgressive. Our administration should
be yQilant watchfu and energetic. The world
Is full of important movements, commercial and
political, deeply concerning American trade and
American power. 1t is time we had an American
foreign policy. We must have IT, We cannot
avoid il If 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 a 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 10
human progrcss--our mineral and manufacturing
resources more vastour facilities and capacity for
internal and foreign commerce more extended
than those of any other people living under one
government. contiuent 10 great extent, un-
explored and exbaustless IN its yet hidden wealth
lie at 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 10 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 rehgion, are oes-
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 TO which II is caiiedf
A mission full of hope, though so laden with
respon sibty 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 bold
and earnest f6rc,gn policy, such as the condition OF
the country demands; but it will advocate II under
the flag ofthe country-nowhere else. Its foreign
policy must be consistent with the spotless honor
and unimpeachsble good faith Of the country To
be respectable at home and abroad, and TO be great
in the eyes of the world, u must ask for nothing
but what is right, and submit TO nothing that is
wrong. II must be liberal and magnanimous TO
the rights Of others, and firm and immcveable in
insisting on its own. II must, in fine, be true TO
its own interests, rights, and honor-it 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 cndeavor
| 10 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 des
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
hest wishes for its success in the establishment OF
the great principles upon which itcame into power
and in its honest labors to attain such an end Il
| will find the SENTINEL its friendan coadJutor
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