The Washington herald., 1908-05-31
FOR STATES RIGHTS
Knox Against Capitalization
OF Federal Power.
HE SPEAKS AT GETTYSBURG
Pennsylvania Senator Declares Talk
of More Strength in Washington
Threatens to Seriously Disturb the
just Relations Between State
and National Governments.

Gettysburg. Pa. May Ex-senator Knox
delivered the Memorial Day address on
the Gettysburg battlefield to-day.
He spoke at length OF the principles for
which the civil war was fought, and dis
cussed problems that confront the Ameri-
can people to-day. referring specially to
the conservation OF the rights OF the
States. He spoke. In part. as follows:
Ny Friends and Fellow Citizens Of the Republic:
In the last days of June. 1858. the Confederate
forces rnidns on tho north and cast and edYancing
from the west recalled and concentrated toward
this spot under the pressure oi the Union forces
coming up from the south. On the afternoon of
June 20 the weary and dusty troopers of Buford's
vanguard rode through the village and threw out
their picket lines in readiness TO touch the advance
frOul the west Of the Army Of Northern Virginia.
On tho morning Of July l. az 2 O'Clock an officer
Of another star came Gathering up 10 Buiord and
was sharply questioned and ordered % return i'm
mediatcly 10 bis command. Just he protested
Why. what's the matter general f''-the far-of
sound Of a single cannon shot was heard Bufords
signal % his skirmishers TO open on the enemy and
Buford said: That's tho matter.' The battle of
Gettysburg had begun. AZ the close q that pitless
ard terrible July day. the Union toro5e repuised:
but not beaten. fell back 20 Cemetery Ridge and
the brave antagonists waited FOR the morrow and
fought, and again waited FOR the morrow and fought
With the result that all The world knows
Seeks Chuse of War.
Let us leave the battle now leave the recital Of
rs details Of ulor to the tongues Of those whose
proud memories Of their past achievements qualify
and entue them % spoak Let MS rather seek 70
find the real for Gettysburg; discover. II pos-
sible. its fundamental cause; find what indeed was
the matter; why II was necessary that Getty sblrg
sho.ld be- what Law had The American people broken
that they should receive this baptism Of fraternal
blood and how such cises IN national life are %
be AYerted
II may seem al times that the overthrow q some
particularly vicious manifestation of evil Threatening
the national life marks the ultimate victory.
Sometimes portion Of the people strong By rea-
son of their number or by Of their zeal and
activity and interested IN the accomplishment a
laudabe AIMS, become impatient and restiye under
the checks and balances and boundaries which
control and harmonic system. and may. there
fore, oppose what they want through the methods
they purpose
Recently this tendency seems % me 20 have
threatened seriously % disturb the lust relations
between the State and Federal governments. I'm
patient of the difficulties and delays which must
attend the action Of separate States in the
plishent of their objects some n the people have
seemed 20 feel that by an assumption of Federal
power, or By Ignoring state power, their aims
could be speedily and fully obtained
But the genius Of cur Constitution the supreme
equity q our form q government, the balance
wheel Of our system IS that each of The dual gov-
D.
trammeled and uncontrolled b. The other
Let us guard against dangerous encruachments
upon this system. let rs stand O1unEUUuSy. pr
sistcntly. and eterually by our ancient rights
In this way shall We show gratitude 10 those
who pershed here and preserve the principles for
which they died.
Must Retain Old Idea.
II this Union Is 10 survive. IL must be maintained
as constituted or as modified IN the way provided
by those who constituted Il
II II is 10 survive. it is just as Necessary, now
and always, that wisdom, vigilance. and courage
should abide In the halls Of legislation the cham
bers Of judicial decision the ceniers Of executive
power. and with the dominating mass Of the people
that the sons of the Union should have bathed
With their blood these fertile fields
The strength and power Of this nation does not
rest upon the fact that it Is federntion Of States
but that Il IS Union Of States. based upon q
Constitution formulated BY the people, adopted by
the people decnded and preserved here by the peo-
pie. No object Is 50 important that we should
sacrifice the very nature and gory Of system 20
accomplish il.
Il cost Ms nearly a million lives. untold millions
Of treasure. and uuspeakable anguish to prevent the
States from destroying the Union created By the
Constitution.
H. unfortunately, It should ever be necessary Il
Is not to be presumed that the people would not
at equal cost prevent the Union from destroying
the States Such q crisis can only be avoided by
the people themselves. and by them only, by sterny
rebuking and dsnissing public servants Who through
motives Of cowardly e1pediency weakness Of moral
or mental fiber or other cause, fail 70 stand
cOurageOusly for the maintenance in their integrity
of our essential rights Wise men establish govern
ments; brave men defend and die for them; weak.
corrupt and ambitious men destroy them.
This government Is not seriously threatened by
anarchy which Is the cause espoused by the wicked
malicious. and enTious. and by ignorance and per
Verted degeneracy.
acluiescence by our public servants In specous de-
mands for inroads upon the established and tried
institutions Of cur country sometimes made I'm the
name of reform, sometimes masquerading justice