The sun., 1919-09-17
The First President Of the United
States and the Twenty-eighth.

The First President Of the United
States and the Twenty-eighth.
Just one hundred and twenty-five
years ago GEORGE WASHINGTON was
engaged in quelling a rebellion Of riot
and violence in some of the counties
Of western Pennsylvania and an ad-
>joining region in Virginia. The first
President did the job with prompt
ness, energy and clear perception of
his duty to the Constitution which he
had sworn to preserve, protect and
defend. This uprising against the
Constitution and the laws is known
in American history as the Whiskey
Insurrection. In WAsHINGToN's own
words, spirit of defiance Of the law
and of Indifference to the Constitu-
ton had been "fostered and embit-
tered by the artifice of men who
labored for an ascendency over the
will Of others by the guidance of their
passions" In an address to Congress
reporting the incident and reciting the
circumstances of the suppression of
the rebellion, WASHINGTON said:
TT has demonstrated that our
prosperity rests on solid foundations.
by furnishing an additional proof
that my fellow citizens understand
the true principles of government
and liberty; that they feel their in
separable union; that notwithstand-
ing. all the devices which have been
used to sway them from their inter-
est and duty they are now as ready
to maintain the authority of the laws
against licentious invasions as they
were to defend their rights against
usurpation. 1t has been a spectacle
displaying to the highest advantage
the value of republican government
to behold the most and the least
wealthy OF our citizens standing in
the same ranks as private soldiers.
prominently distinguished by being
the Army of the Constitution"
And in words so peculiarly appro-
PIRATE to this day-Constitution Day
that we here italicize them, the first
President continued:
ITO every description of citizens,
indeed, let praise be given. But let
them perseuere in their n affection
ate vi0ildnce over that precious de-
pository Of American happiness. the
Constitution of the United states"
Precious depository, indeed, Of our
happiness and national prosperity!
In contrast with WAsHINGToN's af-
fectionate and vigilant attitude to-
ward the immortal instrument thus
by him described, what shall be said
of the spectacle now afforded by an
other President of the United States,
the twenty seventh after him in line
of succession, who has undertaken an
expedition to a much farther West
than that to which WASHINGTON sent
fifteen thousand Americans under
General WAYNE to preserve, protect
and defend the Constitution?
Has President WILSON in all his
voluminous writings about constitu-
tlOnal government in the United
States, in all his unnumbered speeches
on the genius Of our institutions, ever
manifested the least real sympathy
with the Constitution Of the United
States, the slightest understanding OF
Its significance in the aspect in which
1t was regarded by his great prede-
cessor, the first President?
Precious depository of American
happiness"
That precious depository he is al
this very time doing his utmost to
destroy by insldlous appeals to the
forces Of anarchy and disorder, just
as he is endeavoring to break down
the policy which WASHINGTON be,
queathed TO his fellow countrymen as
the safeguard of American indepen.
dence and national greatness. On this
Constitution Day 1t is well that the
true import Of President WILSON'S
two enterprises should be clearly KEPT
I in mind.
Are the people Of the United States
going to line up with GEORGE WASH
INGToN or with WOODROW WILSON?