Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1908-05-07
JOHNSON At SHILOH.
0lpnssota Executive Males Nst.
able Address.
QUESTION or STATE RIGHTS.

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Minnesota monument On shiioh battis-
fleld IN address that WIN rank @ one
of the abiest public deiivsrances Of 10
cent times. Spoken on q battlefield
that may be taken a. the symbol Of the
great war for the Union. the governor
took occasion 10 tell of the peril that
threatens our federal form Of govern
ment This peril was emphasized by
the recent decision Of the supreme
court In the railway cases going up
from Minnesota and North Carolina,
which practically makes the state GOV
subservient 10 the. inferior
federal eourtA The significance Of
these decisions IL widely understood,
and they have given rise 10 a general
discussion of the question OF the rights
Of the states. and Governor Johnson's
speech win rank a an important con-
tribution to that discussion. The dedi-
catory address in part follows:
b Representing the people Of the esn-
snonwealth Of. Minnesota, We are a.
ssmbled on enc Of the historic battle
6slds Of the civil war to pay our trib-
ute Of respect and affection 10 the
memory OF the sons Of Minnesota who
here yielded up their lives that this
might continue to be a united nation.
Their sacrifice was not for personal
gain. but was In response to duty and
contribution to the civilization Of the
age and for the purpose Of perpstuat-
Ing the institution Of human liberty.
I appreciate that nothing which I
can say win add to or detraet from
the glory Of their achievement. whieh
IN itself II an enduring monument b
s&SV P0a tVt&Su 1Ao kECkV18m Va &xA0
American soldier. Their sacrifice, how
evsFewas moi. different from that which
has -bsen made throughout aM of the
asss BY those lovers Of liberty VINO be-
heve In q government which might
give to oil the people the right 10 nfs.
liberty and property. The love Of
liberty was not born In this county Of
ours. 10 was Graded along the Danube
and about the shores Of che. Baltic,
even when Rome had reached tha limit
Of her. imperial grandeur. Increasing
in intensity with the passing Of ths
centuries. IL found its highest exprss-
sion In the older countries In the great
English charter Of civil rights. which
forever guaranteed to the peop,s u
that land immunity from the dsspotism
sf those who claimed to rule by virtus
ef Divine right
One hundred and thtrH-two ysass
ago The great contest Of humanity was
Transferred from the old weriA 10 tie
new. and here. because o( the isola-
tssn Of this country. because Of ~
high character Of the man who -
poused the cause Of liberty and b.
cause Of the signal victory achieved
by, thsm in that struggle. an oppostu-
nifty was afforded TO crystaliizs into
written law the aspirations Of the pa
triots Of al the ages. The men whe
built the foundations Of this govern
msnt were those who had submitted
10 the supreme test OF patriotism. for
those who inspired the constitution Of
the United States were the same who
had pledged their lives. their proper.
ties and their sacred honor to the cause
Of Independence.
While the primary object AZ q wris.
tan constitution Ii to define govern
: mental powers and to limit govern
mental departments. the Overwhelming
necessity for such an instrument N to
prevent insidious encroschmenss upon
the rights Of the individual eitisen.
both from those In office and from
those who by reason OF their wealth
and power have an influence far grsat-
sr than that possessed by the average
citizen And 30 the constitution Of the
United States was regarded by its
framers as an instrument Of the most
sacred import. an alteration Of which
could only b made BY the people them
selves. In whom al! ultimate power In
vested, and then only after the fullest
discussion and widest publicity.
Under the bene6csnt government %
established the nation has prpspsrsd
and the people are happy. One great
cloud came upon the nation In the
form Of an awful civil war, IN which
two sections Of the country wsge In
conflict with each other. The heroes
who rest here gave their lives that this
nation might be maintained as 10 came