Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. We're told that that evidence is insufficient. What, if any, Word Gaps did you identify that helped you answer this question?In Marti So today we are not being petty. "The subjects of its jurisdiction are those offenses which proceed from the misconduct of public men." Common sense would be revolted if we engaged upon this process for petty reasons. Transcripts & captions for a better media workflow. It is designed to "bridle" the Executive if he engages in excesses. Mr. Chairman, I join my colleague Mr. Rangel in thanking you for giving the junior members of this committee the glorious opportunity of sharing the pain of this inquiry. The government must remove them, seek to remove them. We know the nature of impeachment. Even as I stand here and admit that we have made mistakes, I still believe that as the people of America sit in judgment on each party, they will recognize that our mistakes were mistakes of the heart. So today we are not being petty. "Prosecutions of impeachments will seldom fail to agitate the passions of the whole community," said Hamilton in the Federalist Papers, number 65. It limited impeachment to high crimes and misdemeanors and discounted and opposed the term "maladministration." Although they were a large part of Jordan's audience, the public and their opinions surrounding the idea of impeachment were barriers to Jordan's purpose. I could list the many problems which Americans have. Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia, My faith in the Constitution is whole; it is complete; it is total., Notice of Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity. Discover why Rev is the #1 speech-to-text service in the world. The framers confided in the Congress the power if need be to remove the President in order to strike a delicate balance between a president swollen with power and grown tyrannical, and preservation of the independence of the Executive. "So I said: 'Well, I'll just start with that. (LBJ Presidential Library, National Archives) . Problems which include, lack of integrity in government, the feeling that the individual no longer counts, the reality of material and spiritual poverty, the feeling that the grand American experiment is failing or has failed. Barbara Jordan: (14:23) "It is designed as a method of national inquest into the conduct of public men." 7. e baby pictures, in photo albums that usually remained on a shelf. That is not sufficient reason for the majority of the people of this country to decide to vote Democratic. Excerpts taken from a copy of arguably the most famous and important speech of Barbara Jordan's career. Beginning shortly after the Watergate break-in and continuing to the present time, the President has engaged in a series of public statements and actions designed to, James Madison, again at the constitutional convention: A President is impeachable if he attempts to subvert the Constitution.. Barbara Jordan: (15:27) More senior committee members had already made their statements, and Jordan was struck by how they all seemed to start by quoting the preamble to the Constitution, "We the people " "It occurred to me that not one of them had mentioned that back then the preamble was not talking about all the people," Jordan wrote. An analysis of Barbara Jordan's 1976 keynote address. "No one need be afraid," the North Carolina ratification convention: "No one need be afraid that officers who commit oppression will pass with immunity." It's a very eloquent beginning. They did not make the accusers and the judges the same person. It is designed to "bridle" the executive if he engages in excesses. It was a speech she did not initially want to make. "We divide into parties more or less friendly or inimical to the accused." According to Jordan, how did President Nixon subvert the Constitution? As one of the first African Americans elected from the Deep South since 1898 and the first Black Congresswoman ever from that region, Jordan lent added weight to her message by her very presence on the House . I have confidence that the Democratic Party can lead the way. I recognize the gentle lady from Texas, Miss Jordan, for the purpose of general debate, not to exceed a period of 15 minutes. At this point, I would like to juxtapose a few of the impeachment criteria with some of the actions the President has engaged in. The fact is that on yesterday, the American people waited with great anxiety for eight hours, not knowing whether their President would obey an order of the Supreme Court of the United States. In her autobiography, Jordan said she thought the committee should stick to fact-finding instead of speechmaking. I, Barbara Jordan, am a keynote speaker. Telegrams and letters poured into Jordan's office in the days following her speech. Impeachment criteria: James Madison, from the Virginia ratification convention. Well, I am going to close my speech by quoting a Republican president. Figures of Speech and Thought Alliteration: Figure of emphasis that occurs through the repetition of initial consonant letters (or sounds) in two or more different words across successive sentences, clauses, or phrases. In a perfect storm of unlikely circumstances, Barbara Jordan, a junior congresswoman from Houston, Texas, who grew up in segregation, landed a primetime spot to deliver an opening statement on. We believe that the government, which represents the authority of all the people, not just one interest group, but all the people, has an obligation to actively underscore, actively seek to remove those obstacles, which would block individual achievement. Following graduation (magna cum laude in 1956), she attended Boston University Law School, where she was one of only two womenboth African Americans from Houstonto graduate. Mr. Chairman, you are a strong man, and it has not been easy but we have tried as best we can to give you as much assistance as possible. And if we do it as individuals, there is no president of United States who can veto that decision. Barbara Jordan: (17:30) Congress has a lot to do: The Constitution charges the President with the task of taking care that the laws be faithfully executed, and yet the President has counseled his aides to commit, Nixon Tapes: The Smoking Gun Tape, 1972, http://watergate.info/1974/07/25/barbara-jordan-speech-on-impeachment.html, Barbara Jordan, Speech on Impeachment, July 25, 1974, Earlier today, we heard the beginning of the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States, We, the people. It is a very eloquent beginning. We have heard time and time again that the evidence reflects payment to the defendants of money. In On July 25, 1974, Jordan delivered an inspiring speech to the House Judiciary Committee, on national television, calling for an impeachment trial of then-president Richard Nixon for his involvement in the Watergate scandal. "It is to be used only for great misdemeanors," so it was said in the North Carolina ratification convention. An hyperbole would not be fictional and would not overstate the solemnness that I feel right now. Its the news, without the news. Impeachment is intended for occasional and extraordinary cases, where a superior power acting for the whole people its put into operation to protect their rights and rescue their liberties from violations. I could recite these problems and then I could sit down and offer no solutions, but I dont choose to do that either. The subjects of its jurisdiction are those offenses which proceed from the misconduct of public men. Common sense would be revolted if we engaged upon this process for petty reasons. Barbara Jordan: (12:22) The Constitution doesn't say that. 2. Barbara Jordan: (00:15) Speech-to-Text API for pre-recorded audio, powered by the worlds leading speech recognition engine. ", James Madison again at the Constitutional Convention: "A President is impeachable if he attempts to subvert the Constitution.". The division between the two branches of the Legislature, the House and the Senate, assigning to the one the right to accuse and to the other the right to judge, the Framers of this Constitution were very astute. "Prosecutions of impeachments will seldom fail to agitate the passions of the whole community," said Hamilton in the Federalist Papers, no. Barbara Jordan: (01:20) When Barbara Jordan was born in Houston . Despite her absence from Washington, D.C., she remained influential in political affairs. Which is true of Barbara Jordan's "Statement before the House Judiciary Committee on the Articles of Impeachment": 1) Jordan spends much of the speech accusing Republicans of a cover-up. "Protect their rights." In the House, Jordan advocated legislation to improve the lives of minorities, the poor, and the disenfranchised and sponsored bills that expanded workers compensation and strengthened the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to cover Mexican Americans in the Southwest. On July 25, 1974, Representative Barbara Jordan delivered a powerful speech at the Richard Nixon Impeachment Hearings. At this point, I would like to juxtapose a few of the impeachment criteria with some of the actions the President has engaged in. Not only was Jordan one of the younger members of the Judiciary Committee, she was also one of the few women. As a high school student, she became a skilled public speaker, winning a national debate contest in 1952. Section 107, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. 2, pp. If the impeachment provision in the Constitution of the United States will not reach the offenses charged here, then perhaps that eighteenth century Constitution should be abandoned to a twentieth century paper shredder. . We know about the break-in of the psychiatrist's office. A government is invigorated when each one of us is willing to participate in shaping the future of this nation. Its tough, difficult, not easy, but a spirit of harmony will survive in America only if each of us remembers that we share a common destiny. Section 107, allowance is made for "fair use" for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Who can so properly be the inquisitors for the nation as the representatives of the nation themselves? What role do think this speech had in influencing the House Judiciary Committees decision to recommend impeachment? "It is chiefly designed for the president and his high ministers" to somehow be called into account. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Explanation: Barbara Jordan was a famous American lawyer. Industry-leading accurate legal transcription to ensure you dont miss a statement. This is a belief that each American, regardless of background, has equal standing in the public forum, all of us. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of . , Look back at paragraph 8. What is it? The President had knowledge that these funds were being paid and these were funds collected for the 1972 presidential campaign. We know that there was absolute complete direction on September 3rd when the President indicated that a surreptitious entry had been made in Dr. Ann Richards and also was chairman for the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform. Were told that that evidence is insufficient. Barbara Jordan: (03:08) The Constitution charges the President with the task of taking care that the laws be faithfully executed, and yet the President has counseled his aides to commit perjury, willfully disregard the secrecy of grand jury proceedings, conceal surreptitious entry, attempt to compromise a federal judge, while publicly displaying his cooperation with the processes of criminal justice. They did not make the accusers and the judges the same person. This site is using cookies under cookie policy . The speech is considered to be one of the greatest speeches in . Before the invention of social media apps, parents could not engage in sharenting and, therefore, did not have the opportunity to globally embarrass their children.C.A 14-year-old girl was surprised when she discovered that her mother had been posting photos of her on social media without her even knowing about it.D.Parents with an abundance of pride in their kids often post their children's photos on social media even though such postings can cause their children great embarrassment.l tmi, What is this Article mainly about? And that's what we are talking about. Now I began this speech by commenting to you on the uniqueness of a Barbara Jordan making a keynote address. The words are: "If the President is connected in any suspicious manner with any person and there be grounds to believe that he will shelter that person, he may be impeached. The words are, If the President be connected in any suspicious manner with any person and there be grounds to believe that he will shelter that person, he may be impeached. . There is no way to improve upon that. (AP Photo), Barbara Jordan marked history in a number of ways, using the power of her speech and the clarity of her mind to break down barriers of race and gender. ", We have heard time and time again that the evidence reflects the payment to defendants money. Barbara Jordan: (19:10) I felt somehow for many years that George Washington and Alexander Hamilton just left me out by mistake. Barbara Jordan served in the U.S. House of Representatives from the 18th district of Texas between 1973 and 1979. 6. But when the document was completed on the seventeenth of September 1787 I was not included in that We, the people. I felt somehow for many years that George Washington and Alexander Hamilton just left me out by mistake. Now, that I have this grand distinction, what in the world am I supposed to say? . *Barbara wanted to have freedom for everyone. Rep. Barbara Jordan 1976 Democratic National Convention Keynote Speech Transcript, Congressional Testimony & Hearing Transcripts. Watch Barbara Jordan's 1976 Democratic National Convention speech on YouTube: TOPICS: History TAGS: 2016 election , barbara jordan , democratic national convention , michelle obama We know about the break-in of the psychiatrist's office. My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total, and I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution. We equip students and teachers to live the ideals of a free and just society. The Federal Convention of 1787 said that. The constitutionis the body of doctrines and practices that form the fundamental organizing principle of a political state. If the impeachment provision in the Constitution of the United States will not reach the offenses charged here, then perhaps that 18th-century Constitution should be abandoned to a 20th-century paper shredder! Industry-leading accurate legal transcription to ensure you dont miss a statement. The answer is C "To explain the reason for an inquiry", This site is using cookies under cookie policy . Explore our upcoming webinars, events and programs. In some cases, such as the United States, the constitution is a specific written document. It is a concept deeply rooted in a set of beliefs firmly etched in the national conscience of all of us. We are trying to be big, because the task we have before us is a big one. Whatever differs from this, to the extent of the difference, is no democracy. 4. We know about the Huston plan. But when that document was completed, on the seventeenth of September in 1787, I was not included in that "We, the people." Mr. Chairman, I join my colleague, Mr. Wrangell, in thanking you for giving the junior members of this committee the glorious opportunity of sharing the pain of this inquiry. ", Statement at the U.S. House Judiciary Committee Impeachment Hearings, Support American RadioWorks with your Amazon.com purchases. Thank you, ladies and gentleman for a very warm reception. Barbara Jordan: (09:21) But through the process of amendment, interpretation, and court decision, I have finally been included in We the people.. There is no executive order. No one need be afraid, the Northwest Carolina Ratification Convention, No one need to be afraid that officers who commit oppression will pass with immunity. Prosecution of impeachments will seldom fail to agitate the passions of the whole community, said Hamilton in the Federalist papers number 65, We divided the part is more or less friendly or inimical to the accused. Achieving National Stature. She was the first African-American as well as the first woman to deliver a keynote address at a partys convention. Her statement appears below: "If the President be connected in any suspicious manner with any person and there be grounds to believe that he will shelter him, he may be impeached. We are a party of innovation. My faith in the Constitution is whole; it is complete; it is total. The drawing of political lines goes to the motivation behind impeachment; but impeachment must proceed within the confines of the constitutional term "high crime[s] and misdemeanors." . Get a weekly digest of the weeks most important transcripts in your inbox. What stood out about Jordan's speech was how she used the Constitution to support her claim for articles of impeachment against Nixon, as opposed to making it a partisan affair. And I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction, of the Constitution. Full text and audio of Barbara Jordan - 1974 House Judiciary Statement on the Nixon Impeachment Proceedings And immediately thereafter met with the very persons who were implicated in the information Mr. Peterson was receiving. Transcribe your audio files to find high-impact insights in minutes. Today I am an inquisitor. An hyperbole would not be fictional and would not overstate the solemnness that I feel right now. Barbara Jordan: (06:01) The accusers and the judges the same person before us is willing to in! Of United States who can veto that decision stick to fact-finding instead of speechmaking grand,! In political affairs to close my speech by commenting to you on the uniqueness of political. A free and just society to deliver a keynote address to the.... Or inimical to the extent of the weeks most important Transcripts in your inbox as. So it was said in the world am I supposed to say by the worlds leading speech engine. 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