The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-29
SENATOR PETTUS ELECTED
 AND SPOKE TO LEGISLATURE

of the House be called. Reading Clerk Brandon. after the call, announced that l02 members of the House were present. The Votes Compared. Upon the direction of the presiding off, ficers, the journals of both the House and the Senate were called. The journal of
 the Senate showed that thirty-two Sena- tors had cast their ballots for Senator Pettus and the House journal showed that in the House he had received ninety
 three votes
 Lieutenant-G Governor Cunningham an-
 nounced that Edmund W. Pettus had re-
 ceived a majority of the votes cast, and
 he declared him legally and constitution
 ally elected Senator for the term of six years, beginning March 4, 1903.
 Senator Goldsby moved that commit tee of three be appointed to notify Sena- tor Pettus of the action of the Legisla- ture and invite him to address the joint
 session. The motion was adopted unani- mously. The Lieutenant-Governor named on that committed Senator Goldsby, Judge R. w. Walker of Madison and Represen- tative E. s. Starr of Dallas. The cem- mittee retired to find Senator Pettus, who was in the Capitol. The distinguished Senator was present. ed to the Senators and Representatives by Lieutenant-Governor Cunningham as one who needed no introduction. He was warmly and cordially received, and dur ing his address the applause broke forth several times.
 Speech of Senator Pettus. Senator Pettus spoke in full as follows:
 MT President, Mir. Speaker and Gentle men of the Alabama Legislature: You. the chosen representatives of the people of a great State, have conferred 0T rla n of xuhi inh haS citizen could not fail to be proud. And you have imposed great trust, to fully | discharge the duties of which no man, however large his self-esteem, could have perfect confidence in his ability. But
 when such an honor, and such a trust
 are given by the people, to a plain old
 man of blunt speech he can only bow
 his head In profound gratitude and say: I will try and discharge the duties i'm posed.
 "I know that, in addition to the good will of the people of Alabama generally,
 have had most efficient assistance My
 comrades in the civil war, whose cour-
 age and endurance made my name to be
 mentioned as a soldier. and I am bound
 together by mutual devotion. And my friends of other years, coming with me
 from former generations. are here to en- courage and assist But the friendship of 1 the strong young men of this day, many
 oF them are now in sight, came to me by inheritance from my dead son. And. gentlemen of the House of Rep
 resentatives, I read with gratified tears
 what you said concerning your late | Speaker.
 Tt may be that the old Grecian max
 i'm, Know thyself,' was never intended | to mean that you should tell all you know fay but | under the present circumstances may
 he pardoned for saying few words con- corning my personal experiences as one | of the representatives of the State of
 Alabama in the United States Senate. Experience in the Senate. "Six years ago when the Legislature l ignoring my failings and magnifying my | services and my virtues, elected me to the | high office, I had never served in any
 legislative body; I was simply a lawyer
 For nearly fifty years I had held no of flee whatever.
 But when l went into the Senate good
 fortune still befriended me. I was put
 on the Judiciary Committee, where my | fifty years of work at the bar was really
 useful, and on other important commit tees.
 And from the beginning of my work
 in the Senate I have had the considerate
 good will of the Senators generally; but
 to the senior Senator from Alabama 1 particularly desire to acknowledge my
 many obliRations. He. no doubt, by fa- vorable statements as to my experience | and working capacity as a lawyer se- l cured for me good positions on the Com
 rnittees, and during all of our joint la
 bors as your representatives in the Sem ate, have had his earnest assistance wi h experience and unceasing labor made of
 great bepefit to me. He assisted. but he l never undertook to direct. We have sometimes separated on questions of pol- icy, but such differences created no dis cord. A man of strong will himself, he
 respected the opinions of his colleague. Tn past years, and even at the time entered the Senate, some Senators had a
 habit of making injurious reflections on particular States-especially on the States | in our part of the Union. But 1 am glad
 to inform you that there has been de- l cided change in that regard. Such re-
 tections are now generally considered to be in very bad taste. And during last
 session. at the instance of MT. Hoar. the
 great senior Senator from Massachusetts,
 the Senate amended it's rules by adding
 thereto the following ." That no Senator in debate shall refer ohensively to any State of tho Union.'
 This wise rule, representing the opin-
 Ion of the Senator's generally, has had a beneficial effect, and has been generally | obeyed, though not by all.
 You can readily understand that
 Senator. slow to anger at anything mere ly personal. might be made to boil with
 angry indignation, by an assault upon
 the people of his State.
 So the Senate has greatly improved
 in manner and orderly debate. But the
 evil of rude speech is not entirely sup | pressed.
 Personally. by diligent respect for
 tile rights of others. secured the good will of the Senators generally and their
 patient consideration of whatever might
 propose (unless party question was in
 volved)
 States to Govern Affairs. 1 And I have observed another import
 ant change There is a growing disposi-
 tion to allow the States to govern their ! local affairs. under the Constitution. In
 their own way.
 Tt will not be considered an intrusion
 on your legislative functions to call your l attention to the mode of electing Senators
 There was a great anxiety in the first and the only constitutional convention | of the United States. to secure to each | State equal representation in the Federal Senate. After much debate. it was at last declared in the constitution formed by that convention in Section 3. The | Senate of the United States shall be com | posed of two Senators from each State,
 choser by the legislature thereof; and l each Ganato gbaIIt "a