Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-01-12
PROSPECTUS s
.sW AsHINCTONS SENTIp

MEL.
| In doing SO, il is proper | should make known
the principles il will maintain, and the policy /,
| will advocate.
/ II will support cordially and earnestly The prin
ciples of the Democratic party Of tie 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 It's
views.
! Il 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
Dempcracy of the Union, and by the condemna-
1 ton of all such may conflict with them, from
whatever quarter they may como. II will seek TO
be (and il will endeavor to deserve the ttle) the
organ Of the Democratic party Of the United
| States. E
| 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 10 it,,
| as their common agent, the powers expressly
specified in it, with 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 latter, il will the more eectually strengthen
and perpetuate the former.
With regard to the exercise of the powers of the
Feceral Government, the SENTINEL will take
the rincpes Of its action, that Congress shall ex-
ercis no power which has not been delegated by
the G, Institution, according to strict and fair in
terpre, ton of its language and spirit and that il
shall seek to attain i,direcly an bjectthrough
the Use of constitutional poscer for the direct
attainme of which il has no delegation Of potoer
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 Democratic party. II will labor TO
incucate this cardinal doctrine of Democratic in
ternal policy:-lhat 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 eoncsrns-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 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 frmness with liberality,
and make its highest ends consist with the srlctest
principles of justice. The real interests of the
country, upon each occasion demanding attention
will be its guide in the course the SENTINEL will
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 &c repel interference
from abroad with our domestic concerns, will
prompt to avoid il in the affairs of other coun
tries, unless by their foreign 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 infrnges upon our rights
and places in the pathway Of our commerce a
dangerous and unfriendly rival, such policy must
be resisted by remonstranee, and, if need be, by
war.
Our foreign policy should, indeed, be defensive,
but to be properly defsnsivs, II must sometimes be
apparently aggressIrs. Our administration should
be viglani, watchful, and energetic. The world
is full of important movements, commercial and
political, deeply concernng American trade and
American power. II 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 continent with neghbors but colony, and
| a worn-out, anarchical despotsm. 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 essential to civilized life, and ta
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. continent, TO great extent, un-
explored and exhaustess In its yet hidden wealth
s at our feet. European trade seeks the great East
| through avenues which are al 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 as the rising power, through the
| agency of whose example, and ever widening and
| extending, though pesceful influences, the bless
/ ngs of liberty, civilization, and religion, are des-
tined to triumph 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 to which II Is called
| A mission so 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 its
/ destiny.
! The SENTINEL will, therefore, advocate bold
and earnest foreign policy, such as the condition OF
the country demands; but it will advocate il under
the flag ofthe country-nowhere else. Its foreign
| policy must be consistent with the spotess honor
| and unimpeachablc 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 1t must be liberal and magnanmous TO
the rights of others, and firm and immoveable in
insisting its own. II must, in fine, be true to
/ its own interests rights, and honor-it cannot then
be false to 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 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-the 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 cameinto power
and in its honest labors TO attain such end IL
will find the SENTINEL its friend and coadjutor.
r ATER YEARS, py the Author of :. the
L. Old House by the RlverSrs