Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-06-09
GsssS County 9rrala.
ISLAND PoND. June 9.
4 Constitution Disregarded is
Worse than no Constitution
ut all.

n AMERICAN hfl'Ahllt was ii'a'A '"i
its integrity a. much as for it, patriot
ism. aud its fighting its mother ami it,
brethren only vindicated its integrity.
Besides. such things are incidental Ia
social beginnings. Either ia Mythology
or fact RomuluS slew Remus anal Cain
slew Abel, and if the world, created in
infinite wisdom, began in such mtortu-
nate frictions it cannot h. expected that
human organizations will rise from
heterogeneous elements aud miugle in
uninterrupted harmony. The fact that
the people of this country in the begin
ming was composed OF strong, almost
stubborn and virile elements and indi-
vidual characteristics rendered it inn
probable that all would readily harmo-
llize and be blended tremendously with
out being subjected TO severe friction.
But when those different elements aud
ingredients had become balanced and
compromised, it made them rs strong
collectively as they had been separately.
When that compromise had been formu-
lated in fundamental laws the very
strength of its constituent and individual
elements went into the solidarity of the
foundations of government thus estab-
lished.
History has demonstrated that a king
dom and even monarchy possessed
more stability and less integrity and free
dom than a republic. But what above
all things else made this last experiment
of self government more stable than any
that had preceded it was the respect of
its people for law and especially the all
solutism of its constitutional limitations
An age of iron rule of constitutional law
such as the world had never before seen
prevailed through our first century. SO
imperious was that rule that mems
consciences were subjected to it, and
quite a majority of the people sub
jected their conscienceS to ii ; to instance
the passage and execution of the fugi-
tive slave law. Many time would the
conscience of the country have asserted
itself but for the respect the people had
for law; law as the absolute sovereignty
of the country. 1t was submitted to not
because of the consequence of resisting
or disregarding it in amy given instance,
but because of its effect or influence in
impairing generally the irrefragible ma
ture and condition of those fundamental
laws so essential to the stability of the
foundation of the government is i'm
paired it matters not in what instance
or on what preteXt. If it loosens its hold
on the people in a single instance it
loses its power to restrain them in any
other instance. 1t ceases to be irrefragi-
BILE and let's the people loose from its
hold and restraints upon them.
A dangerous proposition now faces u.s.
which is not an amendment to the con-
stitution to conform to the new depart
ure, but to depart III disregard of con-
stitutional restraints. Now in the first
I place nobody will be hardy enough to
assert that the constitution contemplate
ed that there would he any territory or
possessions belonging to the United
States for any purpose whatever except
to prepare it for statehood. The last
thing that anybody in the beginning
would have thought of would have been
constitutional provision authorizing
this government to pose as monarch,
institute military government over
China on the ground that the latter was
less capable, enact a code of laws which
would be obligatory on the people of
China until such time as the monarch
should decide that they We're capable of
creating as good a government as the
one imposed on them. And if not in
China such thing would not be au-
thorized in any other part of the globe.
1t is declared, and that is probably the
prevailing sentiment of the country,
that 1t is not the purpose to prepare these
islands in the sea for American State
hood, but to hold them, dictate to them
form Of government, enforce it by ex-
traneous military power, and so continue
1t until it shall please the impostor to
release them from such control and per-
NIT them to construct a government of
their own. That this is entirely incon-
sistent with the whole theory of our gov
eminent is too evident to admit of areu-
ment. 1t is also equally evident that it
would lead directly to vindication of
the right of the government to purchase
any territory inhabited by inferior peo-
pie and rule and control them at will.
This right or claim is based upon the
declaration in the constitution that
Congress shall have power to dispose of
and make all needful rules and regula.
tions respecting the territory or other
property belonging to the United States. "
This proposition pre-assumes that the
constitution contemplated the buying
and selling of territory and the people
thereof. 1t may be that this country
has grown so powerful and rich that it
can make money in buying and selling
foreign countries, but that is business
that its trainers never contemplated. AS
we as individuals enter into the great
compact we solemnly swear to support
that constitution on which it is founded
a judicial department. was constructed
to interpret it and we are equally bound
to support its Interpretation. Now the
judicial department of this country have
said that the proposed policy to which
we have above referred is not warranted
and it has said it as plain as words can
in dnclarino that GITbnra 10 oarto;pl,, ;, r