West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1908-04-30
JOHNSON AT SHILOH.
Minnesota Executive Makes Not
able Address.
QUESTION OF STATE RIGHTS
Does Not Approve Of Commonwealth
Being Made subservient to Inferior
Federal courts-Would Uphold Con-
stitution.

pe'ng MADE Subservient to Inferior
Federal courts-Would Uphold Con-
stitution.
Governor John A. Johnson OF Mime.
sofa delivered at the dedication OF the
Minnesota monument on Shiloh battle.
field an address that Will rank as one
OF the ablest public deliverances OF re-
cent times. Spoken on battlefield
that may be taken as the symbol OF the
great war for the Union. the governor
took occasion 20 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 aud North Carolina.
which practically makes the state gov.
ernments subservient to the inferior
federal courts. The Significance OF
these decisions is widely understood,
and they have given rise 10 general
discussion OF the question OF the rights
or the states, and Governor Johnson's
speech Will rank as an important con.
tribution TO that discussion. The dedi.
catory address In part follows:
Representing the people OF the com.
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 who
here yielded up their lives that this
might continue to be united nation.
Their sacrifice was not for personal
gain, but was In response TO duty and
n contribution to the civilization OF the
age and for the purpose OF perpetual.
ing the institution of human liberty.
l appreciate that nothing which |
can say Will add to or detract from
the glory OF their achievement, which
In Itself is an enduring monument to
the patriotism and heroism OF the
American soldier. Their sacrifice, how
ever, was not different from that which
has been made throughout all OF the
ages by those lovers of liberty who be-
lieve In 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 o.
ours. 1t was Graded along the Danube
and about the shores of the Baltic,
even when Rome had reached the limit
of her imperial grandeur. Increasing
In Intensity with the passing of the
centuries, IL found its highest express
sion In the older countries I'm the great
English charter of civil rights. which
forever guaranteed to the people OF
that land immunity from the despotism
of those who claimed to rule 10y virtue
of Divine 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 lsola-
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
written law the aspirations OF the pa.
triots of all the ages. The men who
built the foundations OF this govern.
ment were those who had submitted
to 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 of Il writ
ten constitution is to define govern.
mental powers and to limit govern.
mental departments, the overwhelming
necessity for such an instrument Is to
prevent insidlOus encroa chments upon
the rights OF the individual citizen.
both from those In office and from
those who by reason OF their wealth
and power have an influence far great
er than that possessed by the average
citizen. And so the constitution 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 people them.
selves, In whom all ultimate power Is
vested, and then only after the fullest
discussion and widest publicity.
Under the benehcent government so
established the nation has prospered
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 were In
conflict with each other The heroes
who rest here gave their lives that this
nation might be maintained as II came
from our forefathers. On another bat.
tleheid Of that war Abraham Lincoln
said: ut Is for Us, the living, rather to
DO dedicated 10 the unfinished work
they have thus far so nobly carried on
IL is rather for us 20 be here dedicate
TO the great task remaining before US;
that from these honored dead we take
Increased devotion for that cause for
which they here gave the last full
measure Of DEVOTION that we highly re-
solve that these dead shall not have
died In vain; that the nation shall IN.
der God have q new birth OF freedom.
and that the government Of the people.
by the people and for the people shall
not perish from the earth"
Our concern IS not Of the past nor
wholly with the present. but much
with the future. n tho destiny Of the
republic IS In the hands Of the Ameri.
can Of today, then IL becomes him 10
be guided and governed only by patri.
otlc Impulse and the desire 10 do that
which viii most largely contribute 20
the pcrmanency Of republican instltu.
tons. Advancing our civilization so
mat We will not by recognizing the
false claims OF selfish Interest," and for.