Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1919-06-26
CONSTITUTIONAL.

NOT even the supporters OF the
League of Nations venture to claim
that it is constitutional. To do that
would be to confess their ignorance
of the federal constitution or of the
provisions of the League of Nations
covenant. Some of them say that the
constitutional can be stretched to
meet the emergency Most of the
League supporters, however, say that
the constitution should be amended.
Neither course is open at the present
time The Constitution cannot be
amended by the Treaty of Peace and
the United States Senator who votes
to ratify the treaty while it contains
the League covenant will, by so doing
violate his oath of Office in which he
swears to support the Constitution of
the United States, and SO render him
self liable to impeachment.
"History repeats itself" We are
in way, faced by condition which
once before arose in our history. To
quote from statesman of that time:
"And finally the people of the
United States have at no time, in no
way, directly or indirectly authorized
any state legislature to construe or
interpret their instrument of govern
ment; much less to interfere, by their
own power, to arrest its cause and op-
Grafton.
of, sir, the people in these respects
had done otherwise then they have
done, their constitution could neither
have been preserved, nor would it
have been worth preserving. And if
its plain provision shall now be dis
reguared, and these new doctrines in
terpolated in it, it will become as
feeble and helpless being as enemies
wheather early or more recent, could
possibly desire
The people have preserved this, their
own chosen constitution, for forty
years, and have seen their happiness,
prosperity, and renown grow with its
growth and now, generally strongly
attached to it. Overthrow by
direct assault it cannot be; evaded,
undermined, nullified, it will not be,
| if we, and those who succeed US here
as conscientiously and vigilantly dis
charge the two great branches of our
one public trust faithfully to pre-
serve and wisely to administer it."
We might, perhaps with equal pro-
priety, quote a few more words of
this famos speech:
while the union lasts, we have
high, exciting, gratifying prospects,
spread out before US, for us and our
children. Beyond that / seek not to
penetrate the veil. God grant that,
in my last day at least, that curtain
may not rise. God grant that on my
vision nevery may be opened what
lies behind. When my eyes shall be
turned to behold, for the last time,
the sun in heaven, may not see him
shining on the broken and dishonored
fragments of once glorious Union"
Were the great Daniel Webster
living today, he might, with the
change of but few words repeat the
above words which he uttered in the
United States Senate on January &c,
1880, in his immortal reply to Hayne.
In our heart of hearts we believe that
he would, if he were living today and
member of the Senate, make use of
words of similar import and of equal
burning eloquence and patriotism in
opposing the ratification of the
League Of Nations Covenant. But
there are still left those who with
words of eloquence will oppose and
with patriotic votes defeat the Grown
ing infamy of the century," and so
preserve our GLORIOUS Union."'