[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 24411-24412]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          220TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION

  Mr. BYRD. Mr. President, today, September 17, in this year of Our 
Lord, 2007, marks the 220th anniversary of the signing of the 
Constitution of the United States. Praise God.
  Across the Nation, many students, teachers, and historians are 
spending at least part of their time today reviewing, learning about, 
and, most of all, appreciating the U.S. Constitution.
  Although not as flashy looking as the American flag on Flag Day, or 
as bedecked in sparklers and fireworks as the celebration of the 
Declaration of Independence on the Fourth of July, the workhorse that 
is our Constitution truly merits a day of appreciation by all citizens.
  The Constitution is a living, breathing document, still as full of 
passion, patriotism, jealousy, and intrigue after 220 years as the star 
of any long-running soap opera. Perhaps it is because the Constitution, 
similar to soap operas, deals with the relations between human beings 
in society.
  The Constitution, in its articles and amendments, lays out the roles 
for its actors: the executive, the legislature, the judiciary, the 
States, and the rights of individuals.
  The script is pretty basic: Run a country and ensure the welfare of 
its citizens. But being human, people never seem content with playing 
out their own roles as written. James Madison aptly observed that:

       [T]he essence of Government is power; and power, lodged as 
     it must be in human hands, will ever be liable to abuse.

  History is replete with examples of governmental actors who have 
improvised, seeking to expand their own role and put their name in 
bigger lights at the expense of the other players. Fortunately, history 
is also full of examples in which the grasping star's excesses are 
checked by the concerted actions of the rest of the cast. It is a 
fascinating read, and well worth one's time. Federal versus States 
rights, the freedoms of individuals versus the need for order in 
society, protection from tyranny pitted against a strong executive, 
declarations of war and peaceful diplomacy--these are some of the great 
themes, the high dramas written into the Constitution and played out 
over the course of our Nation's history. Our Founding Fathers truly 
knew what they were doing when they crafted a document that hoped for 
the best, most noble instincts in men but guarded against the worst.
  As James Madison famously observed, ``If men were angels, no 
government would be necessary.'' At the same time, however, he also 
noted that ``All men having power ought to be mistrusted,'' so the 
foundation of all the checks and balances in the Constitution is the 
premise that ``ambition must be made to counteract ambition.'' As a 
result, the Constitution has found itself in a constantly shifting 
political landscape created by the ebb and flow of Executive power, 
legislative control, judicial counterbalancing, Federal expansion, and 
individualism. These great themes are all played out in many smaller 
scenes each year, from each nomination through each budget submission, 
authorization, and appropriations bill, and each Supreme Court case.
  I have always found this historical drama more stimulating and 
absorbing than any television reality show. Perhaps it is because the 
constitutional drama has played such a large role in my own long life. 
In the 220-year history of this Nation's Constitution, there have been 
only 1,896 individuals fortunate enough to serve as Senators. I am 
number 1,579 out of 1,896. I have served in the Senate for one-quarter 
of the Senate's history--not quite an original cast member but pretty 
close. Amen. You better believe it.
  But whether each citizen has an active role in our Constitution drama 
or is merely a spectator, the Constitution plays a large role in the 
life of every citizen. I encourage everyone, every citizen to read the 
Constitution--read the Constitution--read the Constitution and to read 
the Federalist Papers as well as other writings by our Founding 
Fathers. Read deeply in history; with all thy volumes vast hath but one 
page. Read deeply in history and biography, and read the newspapers and 
follow what is happening in Washington.
  Do not believe everything you see, do not believe everything you 
hear, but view it through the prism of the Constitution--the 
Constitution--the Constitution. Be your own Supreme Court and decide if 
the arguments put forth by the White House, the Congress, the press, 
and the pundits are in accordance with the Constitution and with the 
intent of the immortal Framers. Then and only then will you become the 
most valuable of all things: a true defender of liberty, an informed 
citizen.

[[Page 24412]]

  Mr. President, I close with a poem--a great poem--by Henry Wadsworth 
Longfellow entitled ``O Ship of State.'' Our Constitution is our ship, 
the heart and soul of our Nation, and the stalwart vessel that will 
carry our Nation's liberty into the future. Long, long, long may it 
live.

     O Ship of State,
     Thou, too, sail on, O Ship of State!
     Sail on, O Union, strong and great!
     Humanity with all its fears,
     With all the hopes of future years,
     Is hanging breathless on thy fate!
     We know what Master laid thy keel,
     What Workmen wrought thy ribs of steel,
     Who made each mast, and sail, and rope,
     What anvils rang, what hammers beat,
     In what a forge and what a heat
     Were shared the anchors of thy hope!
     Fear not each sudden sound and shock,
     'Tis of the wave and not the rock,
     'Tis but the flapping of the sail,
     And not a rent made by the gale!
     In spite of rock and tempest's roar,
     In spite of false lights on the shore,
     Sail on, nor fear to breast the sea!
     Our hearts, our hopes are all with thee.
     Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our tears,
     Our faith triumphant o'er our fears,
     Are all with thee--are all with thee!

  Mr. President, I note the absence of a quorum.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. Without objection, it is so 
ordered.

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