Date: 1981-01-21
Speaker: ROBERT C. BYRD (democrat)
Chamber: S

Mr. President. I join with the distinguished majority leader in welcoming the Vice President as he assumes his duties under the Constitution as President of the Senate of the United States. The Senate is a unique institution. Gladstone referred to it as "that remarkable body. the most remarkable of all the inventions of modern politics." Others have referred to it as a citadel of commonsense. Webster referred to it as a "Senate of equals. of men of individual honor and personal character. and absolute independence." In 1805. when Vice President Aaron Burr bade a formal farewell to the Senate over which he had presided for 4 years. we are told by at least one writer that Burrs statement cast such a spell over the Senate that. following his address. Senators were so in tears that It required a half hour before order could be restored and they could elect a Presi. dent pro tempore and adjourn. In his closing remarks. Burr referred to the Senate in this way: This House Is a sanctuary. a citadel of law. of order. and of liberty. It is here in this exalted refuge. here If anywhere. will resistance be made to the storms of political frenzy and the silent arts of corruption. And if the Constitution be destined ever to perish by the sacrilegious hands of the demagog or the usurper. which God avert. its expiring agonies will be witnessed on this floor. Burr had spoken the day after the Senate had reached one of its most critical decisions in American history. Through 3 months. Samuel Chase. an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. had been on trial upon Impeachment charges brought by a House of Representatives controlled by President Jefferson and his followers. Even though the Senate had within it2. majority of Jefferson supporters. the President of the United States was unablewith all of the pressures that he sought to besr. and with all of the pressure of the passionate apncals of thi House managers and counssl. Nicholsoi. and Randolphto secure a twothirds majority In the Senate to even sustain ore single article of Impeachment. Tensions had been great and excitement had been high because it was felt that if Chase could be ousted. then the Jefferson administration would move quickly to launch Impeachment proceedIngs against Chief Justice Marshall. So the Senate exercised in that fine moment of drama the kind of Independence. impartiality. fairness. and courage that from time to time over the years the Senate has brought to bear upon the history of our country. I. in my own time. have seen this kind of courage and Independence. I saw It in the enactment of the Civil Rights Act in 1964. which I voted against and which I have come later to regret. But I voted as I did by my own lights as I saw them. I saw It In the context of the Constitution. and I supported that great constitutional scholar Sam Ervin and that great patrician. Richard B. Russell. in the constitutional case they made against that legislation. I saw this kind of courage and independence in the approval of the Panama Canal treaties. where it would have been politically popular back home in every State to vote against the treaties but the Senate by a vote of twothirds plus one. rose to the needs of that moment and approved the treaties in the best interests of our country. So. Mr. President. you have come to a unique institutionin my judgment the greatest institution of all under our constitutional system. and you are the link between these two equal and coordinate branches created by the Constitution. the legislative and the executive. You bring to this task some very special talents. You were a Member of the other bod.. for two terms. I believe you had a distinguished military record during World War II. Your services to your country as we began to normalize our relations with the Peoples Republic of China were eminent and worthy of our admiration and respect. Your father was a distinguished U.S. Senator. and we all respected him and held him In the highest regard on both sides of the aisle. So. in a way. you are a chld of the Senate. I think that through you. one who has served in the legislative branch. we can hope to see the kind of cooperation and understanding between these two branches of Government. the executive and the legislative. that will be in the best interests of our country. Those of us on my side of the aisle welcome you. and we wish you well. May I say in closing that if you ever have any problems from a parliamentary standpoint. Just call on the minority leader. We look forward to serving with you.