Cord Byrd: “Plato thanked the gods for having been born a man, and he thanked them for the good fortune of having been born a Greek.…”

“Plato thanked the gods for having been born a man, and he thanked them for the good fortune of having been born a Greek. He thanked them for having permitted him to live in the age of Sophocles. Mr. President, I am very thankful for many things. I am thankful for the respect of my colleagues. My colleagues upon more than one occasion--undoubtedly many of them--have been angered by things that I have said. I am sure they have been frustrated with me from time to time over the many years. But they have always been forgiving, understanding, and most considerate. And I thank them. I thank, of course, the Supreme Governor of the World for having let me live to serve for 50 years the people of West Virginia. The psalmist tells us, ``the days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.'' I thank God for his mercy and his kindness and his love, for having let me live to serve the people of West Virginia 50 years. I thank the people of West Virginia for having demonstrated the faith and confidence in me to reelect me these many times over a period of a half century.”