Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1913-03-06
Brief inaugural Speech by the
New Vice-President On
Inauguration.
HIS LANGUAGE IS VIGOROUS
Declares Upper House, as guardian o,
Peoples Honor, Must lnVestgat.
Alleged injustice TO Weaker Ma.
ton and Make Preparation.

Vice-President Marshall:
Senators: The proprieties OF this &C.
casion probably require few words
from one who is grateful to the Amer.
ican people for the honor heretofore
done him and this day consummated
No senator has, | trust, a kogner
appreciation of the necessitics 10 the
way of tact and courtesy now dyyoy
ing upon me than | myself, / offer no
surety as to my discharge OF duties
other than personal pledge that |
will seek to familiarize myself with
them and will endeavor always 10 ey.A
ercise that complaisance and forebear
unce which are essential to him who
ably presides over great debates upon
great public questions by great men
Divergent views relative to this
body would be less divergent II the
American people would come to real
lie that on all sides of real question:
much may truthfully be said. Such an
attitude OF the public mind would
eliminate the view that this body 10
distinctively deliberative and not
thoroughly patTlOuc.
No Substitute for the Senate,
Charges of bad faith based upon an
attitude of mind or upon conduct
should never be made until it is clear
| ly established that the resultant &c
zion is the outcome of personal inter
est or improper and dishonorable bus
! mess or social relations.
Your action has not always met
with universal approval, but up TO
this good hour no workable substitute
! for the exercise of the function Of
this body has been proposed. T. is
not needful for me here and nov 20
| accept a brief in your defense. This
body will continue to stand not be
cause of it's presiding officer, bu, be
cause of the patriotism and iu-glli-
| gence Of its constituent members and
their devotion to our system OF gov.
| ernment
Guards the Peoples Honor.
With neither right nor desire 90 in
fringe upon the prerogatives OF the
president soon to be, beg the eN-
| preston of the opinion that what.
| ever diverse views may be held rela-
tive to the work of this body all per.
sons are agreed that under the Con
stitution the senate of the United
States is singularly the guardian OF
more, as righteousness is exalted
among this people, the idea Is becom.
ing more firmly fixed that it Is no.
| 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 for
nation was the inherent right of men
to rule themselves, that nov she can
| Ill afford 70 announce this doctrine
In her own land and rNnounce IL for
an instrument of oppression in other
| lands.
| Unfortunately there is no fixed
standard " honor outside tho die.
tionary. The gambler may hold It to
consist in paying his gaming debts;
the member of the smart set, in di.
vorcing his neighbours wife before
taking her unto himself; the senator,
in eliminating personalities.
Must Observe Treaties.
But when we enter the chancelleres
of the world and submit to their
| judgments not only our right TO be
but our right to be respected, we can
hope to be measured in but one way;
and we must be able to show that the
solemn treaty obligations OF this re.
| public will be kept with the sane
scrupulous honesty, both of spirit ant
letter. whether made with. the hat
blest people of this continent strug
Cling 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 and battleships furnish no sub
stitute for 1t. These are valuable, but
the people never intended that author
| ity should use them as accessories to
a burglars kit.
Duty to ReetIfy Wrong.
| II any one in the name OF the
American people. either in violation
| OF treaty obligations or the manifest
| purpose OF the Monroe doctrine, has
taken aught willis this body was de
liberating, it is your duty to ascertain
all the facts thereto. And II wrong oi
| injustice has been done, even 10 the
humblest republic, let this people oe
brave enough and sufficiently honest
| to make reparation. The real gTe3..
ness OF this republic rests upon ITS Nm.
sullied honor. and it is the duty OF UNI,
body to search down rumors OF ''"
faith and dishonesty and to re
wrong wherever wrong is disco'
Here in this most sacred spot
war has been made and pea'
clared. here In the presence
distinguished representative
governments Of the civiliz"d
here within the hearing OF Pee
culture and ripened statecTa'
own land, may one humble
express the hope before ha
! upon a,four years silence tAa
diplomacy may spell peace