The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-01-31
HON. F. M. SIMMONS.
FORMALLY ELECTED UNITED STATES SEN
ATOR FOR TERM OF SIX YEARS.

ATOR FOR TERM OF SIX YEARS.
Speech of Acceptance Delivered Be-
fore the North Carolina General AS
sembIy Last Week-Profoundiy APP
preciative of the High Honor Con-
ferred Upon Him nr. Simmons
Speaks With Deep Feeling and
Earnestness Realizing the Duties
and Responsibilities Which it Carries
Following is the speech delivered
by Hon. Furnfold Nj. Simmons on
the occasion of his formal election as
United States Senator by the General
Assem- bly, of North Carolina last weeks
at has been said, and truthfully
said, think, that the art Of success
full public speaking consists in saying
what is necessary and appropriate,
and no more.
This rule, if correct, is simple
enough in itself; the difficulty arises
in successfully applying and follow
ing it, and happy is the man who can
do it.
"Whatever may be proper to be
said on the occasion which has called
me before you, there is one propo-
sition about which l am sure we all
will agree, and that is that this is
neither the time nor the occasion for
the discussion of governmental
measures or questions of party poll
tics and policies. | will, therefore,
be excused, | am sure, for refusing
to talk war in the presence OF Hanni-
bal, or politics and craftsmanship in
the presence of Talleyrand.
You have just conferred great
and distinguished honor upon one of
your fellow citizens; an honor ac-
counted by many, if not by ali, the
greatest honor which State can con-
fer upon one of its citizens; and you
have invited that fortunate citizen to
, appear before you that be may have
an opportunity to express his graft
tude to you and to the people, and
give his solemn pledge of fidelity;
fidelity on the one hand to the State,
its people and it's laws, and on the
other hand to the general Govern
ment, its Republican institutions and
our Christian civilization.
"1n the whole course of a mans
life there comes to him but few occas-
ions when it is proper and tit that in
public speech he speaks almost ex-
clusively Of himself-his feelings, his
emotions, his motives, his purposes,
and his resolves. That occasion has
come to me today. If should attempt
to epitomize and condense into a
single sentence all that | want to say
to you today, would say: l want
to express, but l have not the gift of
language to adequately express my
gratitude for the high honor that has
been conferred upon me, and my
earnest. yearning wish, is to we'll and
truly discharge the duties of the office
to which you have elected me.
1T has been said that of all the
emotions of the human heart, that of
gratitude is the most difficult to ex-
press in words. The corsummate,
and all but universal genius of Shake
speare enabled that great master OF
the English tongue to express with
precision almost every thought of
the human mind, however subtle,
and almost every emotion of the
human heart, however sensitive and
delicate. But neither the genius of
Shakespeare, nor that of any other
mere man, has ever yet been equal to
the task of adequately expressing the
feelings that move and swell and
sway heart filled to overlooking with
gratitude. No being that ever walked
the face of this earth, save the Master
alone, could have done that, and it
was not His to express gratitude to
man, but to receive gratitude from
man. All that poor mortal stu
ated as am today can do is to un-
cover and say simply: am grateful,
sincerely, profoundly, unfeignedly
grateful.
"And soft has come to me, gentle
men of the Assemb oily. that / stand
before you today. as since the 9th oil
November last, | have stood before
the Democratic hosts Of North Caro-
lima, with a heart full of appreciation
and gratitude, and yet, by reason o.
the limitation of my language, help
less to convey to you the plentitude
and power of that feeling.
What you have done yesterday
and today in the matter of electing
me to the United States Senate is but
ratification of the will of the people
expressed at the polls; yet it was {
necessary proceeding; necessary act
to give validity and effectiveness tC
that will. We may nominate a Sena
tor as we did in North Carolina last
year by popular vote, but. under oul
system, he can be elected only by the
Legislature.
For the part which you have taker
in elevating me to this great office
an office which for thirty years ha
been the acme, aud which | greatly
have to remain the acme Of Southern
man ambition. | wish to make &
you my sincere acknowledg
and as | cannot speak to the people
and thank them as | am speaking Il
you and thanking you, entreat YOU
when you go to your homes that YOU
will convey to your constituents M
profound acknowledgements.
Il have said that the human lang
mage was unequal to adequately ex
press the feelings OF a grateful heart
but, while we cannot fully expires
this feeling in words. we can EN- bod,
; it, we can express it, we can illustrat
it by our acts and in our lives. W
can live it. 1t is my most earnes
desire, and | fervently and reverent
!. ly pray the great good Father to Civ
l me strength and courage and wisdom
|, to so discharge the high duties an
i responsibilities of this Office, tina
q when my term shall have expired an
I shall have been retired TO privat
life. the whole people of North Caro-