The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-01-24
The HOUSE PASSES
VthY MANY BILLS
Continued from First Page.)


however subtle, and almost every emo
ton of the human heart however sensi-
tive 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 feel
ings that move and swell and sway a
heart filled to overlooking with gratitude.
No being that ever walked the face of
this Garth, save the Master alone could
have done that, and it was not His to eX-
press gratitude to man, but to receive
gratitude from man. All that a poor NOR
tai situated as | am today can do is
to uncover and say simply: / am CRATE
full sincerely. profoundly, unfeignedly
grateful.
And so it has come to me, gentlemen
of the Assembly, that l stand before you
today, as since the 9Th of November last
/ have stood before the Democratic hosts
Of North Carolina, with a heart full of
appreciation and gratitude, and yet, by
reason of the limitation of my language,
helpless to convey TO you the plentitude
and power of that feeling.
What you have done yesterday and to-
day in the matter Of electing me to the
United States Senate is but a ratification
of the will of the people expressed at
the polls yet it was a necessary pro-
ceading; a necessary act to give validity
and effectiveness TO that Will. We may
nominate Senator as we did in North
Carolina last year by popular vote, but,
under our system, he can be elected only
by the Legislature.
Fer the part which you have taken in
elevating me to this great office. an
At.
acme, and which l greatly fear will for
many years to come have to remain the
acme, of Southern mans ambition /
wish to make to you my sincere acknowl-
edgments, and as / cannot speak to the
people and thank them as | am speaking
to you and thanking you / entreat you
when you go to your homes that you will
convey to your constituents my profound
acknowledgements.
Il have said that the human language
was unequal to adequately express the
feelings of a grateful heart, but while
we cannot fully express this feeling in
words, We can embody it, we can express
it, we can illustrate it in our acts and
in our lives. We can live IT, 1t is my
most earnest desire, and fervently and
reyerently pray the great good Father
wisdom to so discharge the high duties
and responsibilities of this office, that
when my term shall have expired and
shall have been retired to private life,
the whole people of North Carolina, ir-
respective of party, will with one voice
say: "by his strenuous efforts to serve
and promote our interest and do his
duty the man has al least shown his APP
probation Of the confidence and trust we
have reposed in him. 1t is my equally
earnest wish and prayer that it, perad-
venture, | shall he so unhappy as to fall
below the just expectations of the peoples
that they will ascribe my delinquency
to no fault of mine, but to the lmita-
tions which nature has imposed upon my
humble capacities.
Gentlemen of the Assembly, | do not
regard term in the United States Sen
ate as implying six years of ease, leisure
and luxury To my mind according TO
my conception of duty as | see 1t, II
will mean to me at least six years OF
study. of work and of watchfulness; six
years of study that ! may better under
stand and better advocate and defend the
interest of the people; six years OF work
and watchfulness that / may the better
promote and advance that interest. II
understand myself, if / know the impulses
of my own heart from my earliest youth
TO this coed day and hour, ] have known
no higher ambition than the desire to
well and truly serve my country and my
fellow men, The thing which Expresses
me- at this moment is sincere diffidence
in my ability to rise 10 the require