[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 112 (Wednesday, September 20, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H7874]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 A REPUBLIC CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT MORALS

  (Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BARTLETT of Maryland. Mr. Speaker, yesterday was a very special 
day for the district I have the honor of representing. On that day, 263 
years ago, in 1737, Charles Carroll of Carrollton was born. Carroll 
County and Carroll Creek in my district was named for him.
  Charles Carroll has received special honor here at the Capitol. His 
portrait hangs on the third floor, and a statute of him stands near the 
memorial entrance to the Capitol. Charles Carroll was a member of the 
first Congress and a framer of the Bill of Rights. He was the only 
Catholic to sign the Declaration of Independence and he was the final 
surviving signer of the Declaration of Independence, dying in 1832 at 
the age of 95.
  Charles Carroll was outspoken about his faith and declared that his 
religious convictions had caused him to enter the American Revolution. 
In fact, his faith was so important in his life that he built and 
personally funded a house of worship.
  Charles Carroll, one of the very first Members of this body, reminded 
us, and I quote, ``Without morals a Republic cannot subsist for any 
length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion 
are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for 
the duration of free governments.''
  That is just as true today as it was then.

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