Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-10-17
Address Of Senator Edmunds on the
United States Senate Con-
cord Of Difference,
4 Legislative Body Unlike Any Other
in the World--0ur English
Cousins After Model.

ANrRlcA's aRrAr nrIMN nk.

Core spondcnCe OF the Gazette.
WASHINGTON, Oct. l8.-The reunion in
| Montpelier of the survivors of those who
have composed the legislature of Yer
mont during the last half century was
ended by banquet Thursday evening
last, at which Senator Edmunds re-
Sponded rs follows to the toast, "The
/ United States Senators of Vermont"
Mr.. President, ladies and gentlemen:
I Until came here this evening supposed
was to speak in response to toast adj
dressed to the senator's of the
United States and not simply to
the senator's from Vermont: SO in the
short time at my disposal had been eN-
ertlng myself to frame a few observations
upon the relations of the senate of the
United States to the people of the several
states, and particularly TO the
people of the smaller states, and
as it is not amiss to the toast which has
just been read shall say something upon
that topic. In the first place wish to
remind all this great company, all the
great gentlemen and ladies', who are as
much the rulers of this world MS the men
far more so, may say, as they ought
to be-that it is matter of the greatest
possible importance for every citizen of
every one of the thirty-eight states of this
Union to remember that the foundation,
the sheet anchor, as John Adams called
1t, of the unity, and freedom, and progress
of this republic is in the nature of the or
ganiZation of the senate of the United
States, which every town, great
or small, has an equality of repre-
scutation. The representation in the
United States senate depends on the in
dividual entity, the individual independ-
ence, the individual equality of the state,
whether itcontains many inhabitants or
few, whether 1t contains many thousands
of miles of territory or only Il few,
whether il contains ambitious men or
men Of the plainest and most uuobuusive
kind, whether II contains men who earn
their living by the sweat of their brow
filling their farms or working in their
shops, or whether it be built up of great
institutions, great corporations and
gigantic monopoles. Whatever may be
It's circumstances, in the senate of the
United States each stands in its indiyid-
uality as state, the absolute equal OF
the rest
We may imagine very easily in mo.
ment's reflection what would have been
the condition of this country at this mo-
mcnt had the senate of the United States
been constituted on a different principle
if the size aud populations of the several
! states had been the test of representation
in the senate of the United States.
think it is not too much to say in sober
, minded truth that this republic would
( not have endured until now. Many anl
many have been the times when If tn,
right OF the senators of each state {,
resist and defeat the current of popu
lar passion and prejudice whicl
arises sometimes in the action O
! the popular body, the house q
representatives had failed to exert itsel
ms II would have failed If the senate Ia,
been constituted as the national house o
representatives, discord and revolution
would almost certainly have caused til
diSmcmbermcn OF this union. am surr
to say that there are some people in tn
United States, thinking citizens of Tn
great states, who in recent years hay
said that the time was beginning to dra,
near when the composition of the scnat
must be changed and the states must b
represented according to their population
but have confidence that this will neve
be done. ! feel sure that there is suh
cient patriotism, sufficient sense q
justice in the citizens of the great state
TO say that the small states shall kec
tutAl tluiiihs VI representation anu " It
fuse to consent to such an invasion Il
their rights. Applause.
The things that touch us most as WI
look over the years that come and tn
years that 20 are personal recollection
which cluster round the men who hav
gone before us. In the time that | hay
been in the senate | have seen ever
member from the other thirty.
states of this union come into the senat
and 90 out of It. The great men of tn
:. states of this country have marched upo
Il the stage Of their great duties In process
H sion and disappeared. There is only on
n senator who was member when | en-
!! tered the senate in $3.50, and he has no
4 been u continuous lnember-Mr. SheI
4 man. All the rest have gone, new mel
h have taken their places with equal pow
4 ers, equal splendor of intellect, equa
patriotism, of all parties am
Il crceds. one cannot in sue
4 q case help feeling that he stand
almost alone IN the years that 20 by 81
fast. There have been in the senate with
IN my recollection many men who woul
have adorned any station, however great
ii there can be greater than that OF scuu
tor of the United States. There have bceI
men of opposite political views, OF differ
. tut Itli-lDuS AlEttNi 81 bIpp0itN flEN = -
social conditions and progrcss-m short
different from each other in every poss
Bile way, as far AZ opinions go. And yc
there have always been the greatest han
mony and good win between the member
OF that body. We have always bee
friends. They WERE as a rule, almos
universally kind and courteous even
the heat OF debate. So, from year t
, year, as time spins on, and great event
! have come and had their day, there ha
, been continuously present a concord {
. difference, if | may use such II parade,
Z on which tolerance OF opinion, believe
, rests the safety of the government. IAi
plaUse.
0 There is one thing more which ! wis
70 say, although il Is out OF the line OF
/, festive address. Il IS in regard to III
value, the coordinate value, to the pr,
gress Of government OF this arrangemei
OF the senate OF the United States. II
different, greatly different, from any SIN
, lar body in existence IN any governmcl
III . B. q -.