Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-07-14
PROSP E G I u S
OF THE
:. w ASuNGTON ssNTI -

/ E
| der the name of the WASHINGTON SENTl.
/ MEL
In doing so, il is proper | should make known
| tho principles il will maintain, and the policy II
| will advocate.
| Ii will support cordially and earnestly the prn
ciples the Democratic party Of tde United States
| il does not propose 10 be the organ of any Depart
ment ofthe Cove rnment, except IN so far as an IN
| dependent maintenance of the doctrines OF that
| party may represent its opinions and express lis
| views
| II will not be ambitious 10 commend itselfto the
| people by blind iattery Of their rulers. Il will
| seek public .pport by the bold avowal OF the
| sentiments which common 10 the genuine
Democracy of the Union, and by the condemna
| ion of all such as may conflict with them, from
whatever quarter they may come. Il will seek 10
! be land il will endeavor 10 deserve the nte) the
| organ Of the Democratic party Of the United
| States.
| The SENTINEL will maintain, fundamental
truth of thai great party that the States formed the
tnlon between them by the ratihcaIion OF me Ton
stitution u compact; by which ALSO they creatt,.
| the Federal Government, and delegated 20 !,
as their common agent, the powers expressly
specified in IT, with an exphcit reservation OF ali
others to the States 10 their separate govern
| ments The exercise Of any powers beyond these
thus delegated is, therefore, usurpatien oi the
| reserved authority Of the States by the agent -
| their own creation.
| The SENTINEL VIII uphold and defend the Union
1
| the Constitution-and thus by sedu!ously guarding
| the latter, it will the edectualy strengthen
| and perpetuate the former.
With regard 10 the exercise Of the powers ofthe
Fec eral Government, the SENTINEL will take as
the rinciples of its action, that Congress shall
ercis no power which has not been delegated by
the O. institution, according 10 strict aud fair IN
terprel ton of lis language and spirit aud thai II
shall nc seek to attain indirectly object through
the exer Use of constitutional yoUeT for the attea
fpfIJ has m yJ
In other words, all powers exercised must he
clearly gra ted, and all granted powers must he
used for no ,urpose except such a J. clearly in
tended by til Consultation.
In respect to the internal administration OF the
Government, The SENTINEL Will sustain the settled
policy of the Democratic party Ii will labor 10
inculcate this cardinal doctrine OF Democratic IN
ternal policy that tins Government viii besi
promote the freedom and prosperity OF The people
of the States by being less ambitious 10 exercise
power and more anxious to preserve liberty; and
by leaving To the individual States the manage
ment OF all their domestic eoncernS-while 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 L.
The SENTINEL will advocate such Il progressive
foreign policy will suit itself 10 the exgencies,
and correspond with the expanding interests OF the
country. That policy should be energetic and de-
and make its highest ends consist with the sriotest
principles of Justice. The real interests of the
country, upon each occasion demanding attention
will be lis guide in the course the SENTINEL vii
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 restlrssness OF Others CON
mon motive colonial extension has developed
self
Ii na,ir, arfa
| from abroad with our domestic concerns, vii
prompt us 10 avoid il in the affairs of other coun
tries, unless 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
colonial policy which infringes upon our rights,
and places in the pathway OF our commerce a
dangerous and unfTiendly rival, such policy must
be resisted by remonstrance, and, II need be, ~
war.
Our foreign policy should, indeed, be defensive,
but TO be property detenSiUe, must sometimes be
apparently aggressive. Our administration should
be viglant, 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 il. We cannot
avoid il if we would We have larger interests, and
a greater stake in the world and lis destiny, than
every other people. We occupy the best portion
of continent with no neighbors but a colony, and
q worn-out, anarchcal despotism We 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 Ia
human progress-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, 10 great extent, un-
explored and exhauslless n lis yet hidden wealth
is feet. European trade seeks the great East
through avenues which are at our doors, or must
be made through own limits. Europe, Asia,
Africa, and the isles of the sea, lying all around
| us, look 10 us 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, 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, and
act upon the high mission 10 which II is called?
A mission full of hope, though so laden with
responsibility, which, if properly directed, must
make confederacy the harbinger of peace 10
the world, as well as the peaceful arbiter Of It's
| destiny,
The SENTINEL will. therefore, advocate bold
and earnest foreign policy, such the condition Of
| the country demands but il will advocate Il under
| the flag ofthe country-nowhere else Its foreign
policy must be consistent with the spoiless honor
4 and unimpeachable good faith OF the country. To
be respectable At 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. Ii must be liberal aud magnanimous TO
the rights OF others, and firm and mmoveable in
/ insisting on It's own. Il must, in fine, be true 10
It's own interests, rights and honorIt cannot then
/ be false To those Of other nations,
Such, then, is the chart by which we shall be
| guided. Independent and free, shall endeayor
/ to be honest and truthful. The true friends OF
democratic principles 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 is the
rival of no press OF its own party--ihe personal
enemy OF none Of the other
The present Democratic Administration has our
hest 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 II
| viii find the SENTINEL its friend and coadJutor.
II ATER YEARS, by the Author OF : the
IA Old House by the Rver.n
MIR Rutherfordis Oh tldrpn sappud voiun,A