Bill Clinton: “Mr. President, Mr. Mayor, distinguished members of the Argentine Government, to the people of Argentina. It is a great…”

“Mr. President, Mr. Mayor, distinguished members of the Argentine Government, to the people of Argentina. It is a great honor for me, distinguished members of our Cabinet and the United States Congress, to stand on behalf of the American people before the tomb of a true hero of the Americas, General Jose Francisco de San Martin. I thank you, Mr. President, and all the people here for the warm welcome we have received. Mr. Mayor, I thank you for the key to the city. And I thank our friends in the press corps for showing me how to hold the key to the city. [Laughter] Before the monument to San Martin, it is well to remember that as we enter a new era and a new century, all our nations have become so far began with courageous visionaries, who dared to dream of independence at the dawn of our national histories. General San Martin often has been compared to George Washington, our first President and the commander of our forces in the Revolutionary War. Each man rose to the defense of his native land, though the risks were great and the odds of success were long. Both inspired confidence with their simple manners, modesty, and quiet but unbending determination. Both fought for liberty, not conquest. And after their victories breathed life into our fragile new nations, they refused the temptation of despotic rule, preferring instead to embrace the role of citizen.…”