The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-05-22
JOHNSON At SHILOH
MINNESOTA EXECUTIVE MAKES
NOTABLE ADDRESS.
QUESTION oFSTATE G n
Does Not Approve Of commonwealths
Being Made subserylant 10 In
fsrisf Federal courts-WouId
Uphold Constitution,

upheid Constitution.
Gov. John A. Johnson OF Minnesota
delivered at the dedication Of the Min.
nesota monument on Shiloh battle.
Geld, April 10, an address that will
rank as n Of the ablest public de-
hVeranees Of recent times. Spoken
on a battlefield that may be taken az
the symbol Of the great war for the
union, the governor toUk occasion TO
tell OF the peril that threatens fed.
eral form OF government. This peril
was emphasized by the recent deci.
sion OF the supreme court In the rsal.
way cases going up from Minnesota
and North Carolina, which practi-
cally makes the state governments
subserYtent 70 the inferior federal
courts. The significance Of these de-
cisIons IL widely understood. and they
have given rise TO a general discus
sion OF the question Of the rights Of
the states, and GOV. Johnson's speech
VIII rank as an important contribu.
ton to that discussion. The dedica,
tory address In part follows:
Representing the people Of the ON
monwealth OF Minnesota, we are as.
sembled on one Of the historic battle.
fields Of the civil war to pay our trib-
ute OF respect and affection to the
memory OF the sons OF Minnesota
vbp hara ufa1AaH mn fh1ir 1Iyan that
this might continue to be q united ma
ton. Their sacrifice was not for per-
sonal gain, but was In response to
duty, and a contribution to the civ
ilization OF the age. and for the pur-
pose Of pe~rpetuating the institution OF
human liberty.
| appreciate that nothing which /
a say will add to or detract from
the glory OF their achievement, which
In Itself IL an enduring monument to
the patriotism and heroism Of tho
American soldier. Their sacrifice,
however. was not different from that
which has been made throughout all
of the ages by those lovers Of liberty
who believe In a government which
might give to all the people the right
to life, liberty and property. The
love OF liberty was not born in this
country OF ours; 1t was Graded along
the Danube and about the shores Of
the Baltic, even when Rome had
reached the limit Of her imperial
gyania1r TpDrauajpu IN intangttu
with the passing Of the centuries, II
found Its highest expression in the
older countries In the great English
charter OF civil rights, which forever
immunity from the d~espotism Of those
who claimed to rule by virtue of d.
vine right.
One hundred and thirty-two years
ago the great contest Of humanity was
transferred from the old world to the
new, and here, because of the isola-
ton Of this country, because Of the
high character of the man who es-
poused the cause of liberty, and be-
cause OF the signal victory achieved
by them In that struggle, an opportu-
nifty was afforded to crystalline into
law the aspirations Of the pa.
triots Of all the ages. The men who
built the foundations of this govern.
were those who had submitted
10 the supreme test Of patriotism, for
hose who inspired the constitution OF
The United States we're the same who
had pledged their lives, their proper.
ties and their sacred honor to the
cause of independence,
While the primary object Of a writ.
ten constitution Is to define govern
powers, and to limit govern,
departments, the overwhelm.
Ing necessity for such In instrument
"a to prevent insidious Entertainments
upon the rights Of the individual Gill,
zen, both from those In Office and
from those who by reason OF their
wealth and power have an influence
'dr greater than that possessed by the
average citizen, And so the constitu'
ion OF the United States was regarded
BY its trainers as an instrument OF the
most sacred import. an alteration OF
which could only be made by the PEG
pie themselves in whom all ultimate
is vested, and then only after
he fullest discussion and widest pub
lefty.
Under the beneticent government so
established the nation has prospered
md the people are happy One great
loud anne upon the nation In the
'orm Of an awful civil war, in which
wo sections OF the country were in
with each other. The heroes
Who rest here gave their lives that
his nation might be maintained as Il
anne from u forefathers. On another
battlefield of that war, Abraham Lin
'oln said; 1T Is for us, the living,
ather, to be dedicated to the un.
work they have thus far SO
lobby carried on. 1t is rather for us
o be here dedicated to the great task
emaining before us; that from these
dead we take increased devo-
for that cause for which they here
the last full measure of devotion; l
hat we highly resolve that these dead [
hall not have died In vain; that the {
shall, rnder God. have a new !
firth Of freedom, and that the govern. I
nent OF the people, by the people, for I
he people, shall not perish from the I
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