Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1855-02-22
PROSPECTUS U s
.wAsHINGToN SENTINEL.

i PhOPOSE 10 publish IN The city oil washing
i ton, in September, political newspaper, uI
MEL.
In doing so, il is proper should make knowr
tho 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 State.
il does not propose TO be the organ Of any Depart
ment of the Cove rnment, except in so far an In
dependent maintenance of the doctrines Of that
! party may represent its opinions and express its
| views.
people by blind fattery Of their rulers II Will
/ seek public support by the bold avowal Of the
| sentiments which are common to the genuine
| Democracy of the Union, and by the condemns
ton Of all such as may conflict with them, from
whatever quarter they may come. II VIII seek TO
be (and it will endeavor to deserve the title) 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-
stitution compact; by which, also they created
the Federal Government, and delegated to il,
as their common agent, the powers expressly
specified in it, with an explicit reservation of all
others to the States or to their separate govern
ments The exercise Of any powers beyond these
thus delegated is, therefore, 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 Constituton-and thus by sedulousy guarding
the latter it will the more efectually 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
terpretaton of its language and spirit; and that II
aLou otto f/1f n
the exercise Of constitutional po0sr for the direct
attainment Of which il has no delegation of pofOer.
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. II will labor TO
inculcate this cardinal doctrine of Democratic in
ternal policy that this 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 liberty; and
by leaving TO the individual States the manage.
ment of all their domestic concerns-while II 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 II.
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 liberality
and make its highest ends consist with the striotesi
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 the growing sense oi
weakness SIS 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 &c repel interference
from abroad with our domestic concerns, vii
prompt us TO avoid il in the affairs of other coun
tries u,ess 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 a
dangerous and unfriendly rival such policy must
| be resisted by remonstrance, and, II need be- 10y
| war,
Our foreign policy should, indeed, be defensive
but TO be properly defensive il must sometimes be
| apparently aggressive. Our administration shouid
| be yigilant, watchful, and energetic. The world
| Is fnlf of important movements, commercial and
politp.al, 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
i n
| every other people. We occupy the best portion
| of a continent with no neghbors but colony, and
| a worn-out,s 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 lfe and 10
| human progress--our mineral and manufacturing
resources more facilities and capacity Tor
! internal and foreign commerce more extended
l than those OF any other. people living under one
| n nv m m.
/ explored and exhaustless IN its yet hidden wealth
il al our feet European trade seeks the great East
| through avenues which are al our doors, or must
/ be made through our own limits. Europe, Asa,
| 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
i inQs of liberty civilization, and religion, are des-
tined TO triumph over the barbarism and supersti-
ton of the millions of the world. And shall such
people refuse TO lay hold upon their destiny, ano
| act upon the high mission 10 which II IS called
| A mission so full of hope, though so laden with
| responsibility which, IL properly directed, mus
make our confederacy the harbinger of peace &c
the world, as well the peaceful arbiter OF III
destiny.
The SENTINEL will, therefore, advocate 6ofd
aud earnest foretgn policy, such as the condition
the country demands; but il will advocate IL undei
the flag of the country--nowhere else Its foreigr
policy must be consistent with the sepotless homo
and unimpeachable good faith OF the country. if
be respectable at home and abroad, and TO be grea
ia the eyes Of the world, il must ask for nothing
but what is right, and submit TO nothing that y
wrong. II must be liberal and msgpanImous Z
| the rights of others, and firm and Immoveable II
insisting on its own. Il must, in fine, be true t'
,s own interests, rights, and honorit cannot ther
be false 10 those Of other nations.
Such, then, is the chart by which we shall b
Guided. Independent and free, we shall endcavo
to be honest and truthful. The true friends o
democratic principles we shall cordially supper
and defend Its snsmies IN the field or in ambusi
we shall oppose, and on ali proper occasions DE
nounce.
To our future brethren Of the press we exten'
the hand Of friendly greeting Ihe SenuneI Is tn'
rival of no press OF its own party--the persona
enemy Of none Of the other
The present Democratic Administrator has ou
rest wishes for its success in the establishment
the great principles upon which i came into power
| and In lis honest labors TO attain such an end
will find the SENTINEL is friend and coadjutor
TERMS: For the Daily paper, $40 year, IN 40
| Al. Tr,. 81 N to single