Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-04-24
PROSP EC TU s
OF THE III" $1,000
..WAsHINGTON SENTINEL

4 III
/ IL ton, in September, a political newspaper, un
der the name OF the WASHINGTON lSENTI
/ MEL.
In doing so, it 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 tie United State,
il does not propose 10 be the organ of any Depart
| ment of 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.
/ people by blind fattery of their rulers. IL 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-
/ whatever quarter they may come. II will seek 10
be (and il will cndeavor deserve the title) the
| organ Of the Democratic party Of the United
/ States. t+t
! 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
| stituton compact; by which, ase, they created
| the Federal Government, and delegated 10 IL,
| as their common agent, the powers expressly
specified in il, 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, 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 Consttuton-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
| Fec eral Government, the SENTINEL will take as
the rnciples Of its 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 of its language and spirit; and that it
shall seek to attain indirectly an object through
the exel Use of constitutional po,cer for the
attainme Of which il has no deisgation Of poaoer.
| In other words, all powers exercised must be
| clearly gra ted and all granted powers must be
used for no ,nrpose, except such as is cearv in
| tended by th Constitution.
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:-ihat this Government will best
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 IL 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 IL.
The SENTINEL will advocate such progressive
foreign policy as will suit itself TO the exigences,
country. That policy should be energetic and de-
cided; but should temper frmness with hberahty,
and make its highest ends consist with the strctest
principles Of justice. The real interests of the
country, upon each occasion demanding attention
| will be its guide in the course the SENTINEL viii
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, a com
mon motive to colonial extension has developed
self.
Our settled determination &c repel interference
from abroad with our domestic concerns, viii
prompt TO avoid il in the affairs of other coun
tries, ass 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
or colonial policy which infringes upon our rights.
| and places in the pathway OF our commerce
dangerous and unfriendy rival, such policy must
be resisted by remonstranec, and, II need be, ny
war
Our foreign policy should, indeed, be defensive
but 10 be properly d,tensive, IL must sometimes be
apparentiy aggressive Our administration should
be vigiant, watchful, and energetic The world
is full of important movements, commercial and
political, deeply concerning American trade and
American power. IL is time we had an American
foreign policy. We must have H. We cannot
avoid il III we would. We have larger interests, and
greater stake in the world and It's destiny, than
| every other people. We occupy the best portion
| of contine Mt with no neghbors but colony and
| q worn-out, anarchical despotsm. We are the
| olny people whose own land without colonial de-
| tendencies is washed by the two great oceans oi
| the world. Our agricultural productions are more
varied and essential 10 civilized life, and 10
| human progress-our mineral and manufacturing
resources 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 exhaustless In its yet hidden wealth
s al our feet. Europea 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 TO 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, des-
tined TO triumph over the barbarism and supersti-
tion OF the millions of the world. And shall such
people refuse to lay hold upon their destiny, and
act upon the high mission TO which Il is calleda
| A mission so full Of hope, though so laden with
responsibility, which, il 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 foreign policy such as the condition OF
the country demands but il will advocate u under
| the flag ofthe country-nowhere else. Its foreign
policy must be consistent with the spotless honor
| and unimpeachabIe 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 10 nothing that is
| wrong IL must be liberal and magnanimous TO
| the rights of others, and firm and immoveable in
/ insisting on its own. II must, in fine, be true 10
It's 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 endeavor
to 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 dei
| nounce. H
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
Rest wishes for its success in the establishment OF
the great principles upon which il came into power;
and in its honest labors TO attain such an end IL
will find the SENTINEL its friend and coadjutor
Il ~ u A fbn AMI af q he