Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-01-10
P R OSP E G TUS
Of TIKI
WASHINGTON SENTINEL, ],

wv II Ets.'
Il PROPOSE 10 publish in the city Of Washing
j ton, in September, a political newspaper, I'M
der the name of the WASHINGTON SENTI.
MEL
In doing so, il is proper | should make known
the principles il will maintain, and the policy it
| will advocate.
| IL will support cordially and earnestly the prin
cipies OF the Democratic party of the United States
il does not propose 10 be the organ of any Depart
| ment OF the Government, except in so far 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. 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 condemna-
/ ton of all such as may conflict with them, from
| whatever quarter they may come. IL will seek to
be tand il will endeavor to deserve the iite) the
| organ of the Democratic party of the United
States
/ The SENTINEL will maintain as a Fundamental
truth of that great party, that the States formed the
| Union between them by the ratification OF the Con
stituton as compact; by which also, they created
the Federal Government, and delegated 10 il,
as their common agent, the powers expressly
specified in II, with an explicit reservation OF all
others TO the States or 10 their separate govern
ments. The exercise Of any powers beyond these
thus delegated is, therefore, an nsurpaton of the
reserved authority Of the States by the agent oil
| 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 seduousy guarding
/ the latter il will the more efectuay strengthen
and perpetuate the former
With regard 10 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 power which has not been delegated by
the c. institution, according 10 strict and fair in
terpre, ton of its language and spirit; and that il
shall nt seek 10 attain indirectly an oblectthrough
the exeI Use of constitutional po1ccr; for the direct
attainme of which it has deLeg0ttOn of pozoer.
| 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 10 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 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 ooncerns-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 exigencies
and correspond with the expanding interests of the
country. That policy should be energetic and de-
cided but should temper irmness with liberality,
and make its highest ends consist with the strctes
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, com
mon motive to colonial extension has developed
| self
| Our settled determination tc repe interference
| from abroad with our domestic concerns, will
prompt 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, our interests invaded For wha6 the
selfish interests of other nations prompt a foreign
or colonial policy which iniringes upon our rights,
and places in the pathway of our commerce
dangerous and unfriendly rival, such policy must
be resisted by remonstrance, and, II need be, by
war.
Our foreign policy should, indeed, be defensive,
but TO be pTopeyiq dete,asive 4 must sometimes be
| apparentiv aggresSUe. Our administration should
| be vigant, 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 ii we would. We have larger interests, and
greater stake in the world and its destiny, than
/ other
| Of continent with neighbors but colony, and
a 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 To
human progress-our mineral and manufacturing
/ resources more vast-our facilities and capacyfo for
| internal and foreign commerce more extended
than those of any other people living under one
government. continent, 10 great extent, un-
i 4 I10n anlt
is nj our 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 TO us the rising power, through the
| agency Of whose example, and ever widening and
| extending, though peaceful influences, the bless
| ings of liberty, civilization, and religion are des-
tined 10 triumph over the barbarism and superstl-
| ton of the millions of the world And shall such
a people refuse 10 lay hold upon their destiny, and
act upon the high mission TO which II is called?
| A mission so full Of hope, though so laden with
responsibility which, if properly directed, must
make our confederacy the harbnger of peace 10
the world, as well the peaceful arbiter of its
destiny.
The SENTINEL will, therefore, advocate a bold
and earnest foreign 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 spotless honor
| and unimpeachable good faith OF the country. To
be respectable at home and abroad, and to be great
in the eyes of the world it 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 lmmoveable in
| insisting on its own. II must, in fine, be true 10
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 endeavor
TO be honest and truthful. The true friends OF
democratic principles we shall cordially support
and defend. Its enemies 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 is own party-thc personal
enemy of none Of the other.
The present Democratic Administration has our
best 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 II
will find the SENTINEL its friend and coadIutor.
. /