[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 86 (Friday, June 26, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S7239-S7240]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         CHESTER TRENT LOTT III

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, Romulus was the legendary first King of 
Rome. It was said that he went up to Heaven during a storm. Others have 
drawn the conclusion that it was during an eclipse of the Sun. In any 
case, it was a historic event.
  When Joshua had his men march around the walls of Jericho, they blew 
their trumpets at a given signal and the walls came tumbling down. We 
are told in the Scriptures that it was a long day, a long day, a 
significant event, perhaps a scientific event, one about which there 
has been some debate.
  I have been informed of a truly significant recent event. I wouldn't 
say that it is Earth shaking, but who knows? It could eventually be 
looked back upon as an earthshaking event.
  Now, what is this all about? The Senator from Maryland, Mr. Sarbanes, 
is watching and listening with great interest, and so are others. This 
event, I want to say in the Record and for all those who are watching 
through that electronic eye, this event was about the coming of Chester 
Trent Lott III, the first grandchild of our distinguished majority 
leader, and the baby came with the angels on last Saturday evening.
  He weighed 7 pounds and 7 ounces--so, you see, those are mystic 
numbers, 7/7--7 pounds, 7 ounces. He was 19.5 inches in length. Now, 
these weights and measures are important. They were even important to 
the barons who forced King John on the meadow at Runnymede on June 15, 
1215, to sign the great charter, the Magna Carta, which required that 
there be a system of weights and measures in the Kingdom. And our 
illustrious forebears who wrote the Constitution of the United States 
said that Congress would have the power to fix the standard of weights 
and measures.

  So here to live by that system of weights and measures is a new man, 
a nova Homo sapiens named Chester Trent Lott III. That is a matter of 
great significance in the life of our leader.
  I congratulate Senator Lott on this most felicitous happening, this 
most felicitous occasion. Mr. President, there is nothing, may I say to 
the distinguished Senator from Massachusetts, Mr. Kennedy, so wonderful 
as cradling in your arms--oh, many times I have done it--cradling in 
your arms a swaddled baby. It awakens in one such an amazing range of 
emotions. There is nothing like it. It is an experience sui generis--
one of a kind. Upon the birth of one's own child, the tremendous joy 
and relief felt in meeting for the first time this tiny, new person is 
tempered by a measure of fear. You gaze down at this fragile baby and 
realize what an awesome responsibility you have assumed. Your baby is 
small, maybe 7 pounds 7 ounces--and there are smaller babies. They are 
all small and so fragile, so helpless, and so dependent upon you for 
their survival. His skin is as soft as a butterfly's wing, his 
fingernails as translucent as scraps of rice paper; yet those minute, 
perfect little fingers grasp yours with such fierce determination! I 
can feel those little fingers closing around my fingers with such 
fierce determination--although that experience of having my own 
daughters do that is now 60 years gone. But the memory is fresh in my 
mind.
  But to become a grandfather--now, that is a higher plateau. Mr. 
Leader, you are walking a higher plateau of immortality. It is not your 
first taste of mortality--that came with your son or daughter--but now 
a more inspiring, promising taste of immortality. To become a 
grandfather is a completely different experience. There is none of that 
fear, but all of the joy. That joy is heightened by a deep conviction--
a deep conviction that ``this is in my image'' and in its grandmother's 
image, too. But it has my genes, it has my chromosomes, it is part of 
me. I can see it going on into the future and carrying on through life. 
Robert Byrd will never die, I would say. I can say that in more ways 
than one, but in this situation, my grandchild is part of me.
  Tennyson said, ``I am a part of all that I have met.'' But this was 
known before Tennyson. A grandfather, when he looks upon that child, 
can say with joy: ``This is a part of me; it will never, never die.''
  That joy is heightened by a deep connection that you feel to the long 
continuum of countless generations, stretching all the way back from 
Adam and Eve to you and through you to your child, and now to your 
child's child. And you can feel the pull of the ancient echoes from the 
dim and distant past as your arms adjust to the weight of this little, 
new life in your arms. And you can see into the hazy unknown and murky 
distant future of continuing, endless generations, when this child of 
your child will have children who will carry a part of you and a part 
of everyone in this chain before you into the next century, and beyond.
  There is a sense of connectedness and timelessness that allows you to 
understand your place in the long, slow march of generations that is as 
difficult to express as it is wonderful to experience.
  That political treatise, The Policraticus, was written by John of 
Salisbury in the early part of the 12th century. It told of 
Prothaonius, who said it was glory enough for him that he had lived a 
life, of which his ``grandson need not be ashamed.'' It was glory 
enough for him that he had lived a life of which his grandson need not 
be ashamed. We grandfathers should try to emulate Prothaonius.
  Well, I offer my sincere congratulations to Senator Lott and best 
wishes to his new grandson; and, of course, I congratulate Mrs. Lott, 
about her new grandson, and my wife joins me. I hope the duties of the 
``grandfather's office'' will not prevent the Senator from Mississippi 
from spending many happy

[[Page S7240]]

hours with the newest member of the ``House of Lott.''
  We read about the House of David. This is the ``House of Lott.'' And, 
as the days and months go by, when this grandfather holds his new 
grandson, I hope that Senator Lott will appreciate the emotion that is 
expressed by these few lines of verse, which I did not write, but which 
I dedicate to Chester Trent Lott III.

     First, in thy grandfather's arms, a newborn child
     thou didst weep, while those around thee smiled;
     so live, that in thy lasting sleep
     thou mayst smile while those around thee weep.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I am truly honored and awed by the 
beautiful, flowing, wonderful remarks of the distinguished Senator from 
West Virginia. I can assure him that the ``House of Lott'' will forever 
treasure his remarks here today.
  I actually was not sure that the Senator was going to do this today. 
But by accident, coincidence, I had suggested to my wife earlier this 
morning about 10:30 that she might want to look in on the Senate's 
activities this morning. I hope that she and my son and daughter-in-law 
and young grandson have been able to watch this magnificent 
presentation.
  I could never match, nor would I even attempt to respond in kind to 
the magnificent statement that has just been given by the Senator from 
West Virginia.
  The American people have seen once again here this morning what an 
important and incomparable role that the Senator from West Virginia 
plays in this body. He is our historian. He is our conscience. He is 
the one that guarantees that we honor this institution, respect each 
other, that we are honest and fair with each other, that we think about 
our country, and that we have moments of great oratory and moments 
where we reach for that power star in this country and in the world. 
But only Senator Byrd would take the floor and take the time to talk 
about the importance of family, fatherhood, grandchildren, and 
generations yet to come.
  He brings us back to Earth. He makes us appreciate, once again, how 
really humbled we should be to be here, and that we should always keep 
our priorities in order.
  History gives us something we can look back toward as we move in the 
future--great events, great moments, crowning of kings, and war 
treaties. But in most lives nothing is more important than the birth of 
your children, your daughter, and your son, and your grandson.
  So I thank him for what he had to say here today, not just for my 
grandson and me, but what it says about this institution, what it says 
about our relationship, and what is says about America and the 
importance of family.
  I am very proud. I am a very proud grandfather. I have a wonderful 
wife and two wonderful children, and now our grandchild.
  You are right. I have held him in my arms already. I was reduced to a 
puddle of tears and excitement about this occasion. It really is one of 
the magic moments in your life.
  But the most wonderful experience I had over the past week was when I 
took my son to lunch last Sunday to give him a break because it had 
been a long time through the delivery. And his wife did wonderfully 
well. And I was talking to him. I said, ``Now, son, don't feel like you 
have to pass the family name on. You know, call him whatever you 
want.'' He said, ``Dad, I want to name my son after my best friend.''
  I couldn't say anything more, because I was so proud of him and what 
he had to say.
  So this is a great event. I am really appreciative of what you had to 
say, and I am appreciative of being able to serve in this great body.
  Thank you.
  Mr. WARNER addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. WARNER. Mr. President, I wish to add my hearty congratulations to 
our distinguished leader.
  And how much I enjoyed listening to Senator Byrd. I had the privilege 
of having a long conversation with your granddaughter the other day. 
She has a certain interest in my State. I am not even going to let you 
know what we were talking about.
  Someday, Senator Lott, we will put in the Record the great story 
about Senator Murkowski and his grandchildren. That is a wonderful 
story. It should be in the Record.
  But these are moments in the life of the Senate--to look at these 
two, the greatest of leaders, exchange heartfelt thoughts. It enriches 
us all. And I thank you.
  Mr. SARBANES. Mr. President, I want to join with all my other 
colleagues in congratulating the majority leader, Senator Lott, on the 
birth of his grandson, and also to express my very deep appreciation to 
Senator Byrd for his wonderful statement just a few minutes ago on the 
floor of the Senate.
  There is no one who brings us back to our sense of the Senate as an 
institution any more than Senator Byrd. And it is always a delight to 
have the opportunity to hear him.

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