Remarks on the Floor of the Senate at a Gavel Presentation Ceremony for Vice President Barkley.

MR. PRESIDENT, I wish it were a fact that I was returning permanently to the scene of my former "crimes and misdemeanors," which have got me into more trouble than any man in the world has ever gotten into.

But I am here for a specific purpose today. On March 4, which is Sunday, your Presiding Officer, the President of the Senate, the Vice President of the United States, and the former Leader of the Majority, will have been here longer than any other man in the history of the Senate. He will have served 38 years in the Congress of the United States.

To commemorate that event, I had the White House carpenters make this gavel of wood that was put into the White House in 1817, after the fire, and removed in 1949 in the reconstruction.

And I have had this inscription put on the outside of the box. It says, "This box and gavel were made from wood used in rebuilding the White House about 1817, and removed in 1949."

And then I had this inscription put on the gavel. And I will leave it to the gentlemen of the Senate as to whether it is the truth or not. "To the Vice President of the United States, Alben W. Barkley, to commemorate 38 years of continuous service in the Congress of the United States." And I signed it as President, and dated it the White House, March 4, 1951.

Now, the President of the Senate and the Vice President of the United States has a record, when it comes to speech making, of no terminal facilities. In his position as Presiding Officer of the Senate, he never has the power or the right to exercise those "no terminal facilities."

Yet I am sure this morning that the Senate, by unanimous consent, is going to give him a chance to reply to me for presenting him with this gavel.

Mr. Vice President, I hope you will use this for the welfare of the Government of the United States.