Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-03-04
MARSHALL'S ADDRESS

ably require a few words from one who
is grateful to the American people for
the honor heretofore done him and this
day consumated.
No senator has, / trust, q keencr ap-
probation of the necessities in the way
of tact and courtesy now deyolving upon
me than / myself. / offer no surety as
TO my discharge of duties other than a
personal pledge that | will seek to fam.
wiliarize myself with them and will Ell
deavor always to exercise that complais.
ance and forbcarancc which are essential
to him who ably presides over great de-
bates upon great public questions by
great men.
Divergent views relative to this body
would be less divergent if the American
people would come TO realize that III all
sides of real questions much may be
%truthfully said. Such an. attitude of the
public mind would eliminate the view
that this body is distinctively deliberate
and not thoroughly patriotic.
Charges Of bad faith based upon an
attitude Of mind or upon conduct should
never be made until it is clearly estab-
lishcd that the resultant action is the
outcome of personal interest or improp-
er and dishonorabIc business or social
relations.
Your action has not always met with
universal approval but up to this good
hour no workable substitute for the eX-
ercise of the functions of this body has
been proposed. 1t is not needful for me
here and now to accept a brief in your
defense. This body VIII continue to
stand not because of its presiding Of
ficer, but because of the patriotism and
intelligence of its constituent members
and their devotion to our system of gov
ernment.
ITO my mind, government is the har-
ness with which a people draws its load
of civilization. If the harness be prop
.crly adjusted the load, though heavy,
will be drawn with ease and no part of
the people will be CALLED. The senate is
the binders, intended to keep the people
from shying at imaginary dangers and
topping into the ditch our system of
government. SO long as the binders
serve this purpose they are Il most val
liable part of the harness, but if they
be drawn 50 closely to the eyes as to pre-
vent the seeing of real dangers, then
tIey should either be spread or done
away entirely. | am one of those who
think that we can 50 adjust our binders
as TO meet new conditions and render us
sanely responsive to every reasonable
demand of the people without disturbing
any of the checks and balances of our
system of government and preserving
with loyalty and fidelity the ancient
ideals of the republic.
With neither right nor desire to in
fringe upon the p~rerOgativcs of the pres
ldent so soon to be, | beg the expression
of the opinion hat whatever diverse
views may be held relative to the work
of this body all persons are agreed that
under the constitution the senate of the
United States is Singularly the guardian
OF the peoples honor; that more and
more, as righteousness is exalted among
this people, the idea is becoming more
hrmly liked that it is not vast territory.
great wealth nor large learning which
mark the real status of America: that
America is to be measured by the golden
mete wand of honor; and. as the idea in
her formation was the inherent right of
men to rule themselves, that now she
Ill afford to announce this doctrine
in her own land and renOunce it for an
instrument of oppression in other lands.
Unfortunately there is no fixed stand
ard of honor outside the dictionary. The
gambler may hold it to consist in paving
his gaming debts; the member of the
smart set, i'll divOrcing his neighbours
wife before taking her unto himself: the
senator, in eliminating personalities.
But when we enter the chancelleries of
the world and submit to their judgments
only our right to be but our right
to be respected we can hope to be meas
ured III but one way; and we must be
able to show that the Snemn treaty OBJ
legations of this republic will be kept
with the same scrupulOus honesty, both
Of spirit and letter, whether made with
the humblest people of this continent
struggling for self government or with
the mightiest monarch of the old world.
This high sense of honor constitutes the
panoply of the American people. Armies
md battleshipS furnish no substitute
for 1t. These are valuable but the peo-
pie never intended that authority shuld
use them as accessories to a burglars