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7340891
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Remarks of Vice President Rockefeller at Opening of the United States Bicentennial Exhibition at the British Museum in London, England [Speeches by Others]
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7340891
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Remarks of Vice President Rockefeller at Opening of the United States Bicentennial Exhibition at the British Museum in London, England [Speeches by Others]
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White House Press Releases (Ford Administration)
Press Releases
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15
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1975-09-15
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1975
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Digitized from Box 15 of the White House Press Releases at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
FOR RELEASE UPON DELIVERY
SEPTEMBER 15, 1975
Office of the Vice President
London, England
FOLLOWING ARE REMARKS OF
VICE PRESIDENT NELSON A. ROCKEFELLER
AT THE BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON, ENGLAND
AT THE OPENING OF
THE UNITED STATES BICENTENNIAL EXHIBITION,
"THE WORLD OF FRANKLIN AND JEFFERSON"
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 1975 AT 7:30 PM (GMT)
Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Ambassador, Lord Trevelyan, distinguished
guests: It is my high honor to head a delegation of American
citizens who are here to present "The World of Franklin and Jefferson"
to the people of Great Britain.
This exhibition is the centerpiece of our Bicentennial celebration
overseas. Her Majesty's visit to America next summer will be the
capstone of our joint commemoration. Your participation in the
opening of this exhibition, Mr. Prime Minister, further strengthens
one of the closest and most important relationships between nations
in the history of mankind.
Thus we come to you today in reaffirmation of the principles that
underlie our common heritage: Recognition of the spiritual nature
of man, human liberty and self-government, the dignity of work, and
the humane necessity of equal opportunity and freedom of enterprise.
Down through the years, our dedication to common principles --
principles which we importantly inherited from you -- has bound us
together in fair weather and storm. And so we mark today, not a
parting of two peoples, 200 years ago, but renewal of a common faith
in freedom and the rights of man that has endured for 200 years.
The roots of the American Republic lie deep in British soil.
Franklin and Jefferson, each in his own way, was a direct product of
English concepts: Franklin the man of science, rational discourse
and cosmopolitan wit; Jefferson, the apostle of natural law, a
leader of political idealism. Both were identifiably American --
and yet, the character of each, in particular ways, was shaped by
their ties with England.
Franklin was no stranger to London. As a Fellow of the Royal Society,
and the Society of Arts, as the holder of honorary doctorates from
Oxford and Aberdeen, Franklin thrived intellectually and socially
in the most important circles here. "Upon the whole," Franklin
wrote, "I have lived so great a part of my life in Britain, and have
formed so many friendships in it, that I love it, and sincerely wish
it prosperity
While Jefferson was more a man of the Continent, a familiar face in
France, he was steeped in English political philosophy. Thus he was
influenced by John Locke, as well as by Montesquieu and Rosseau, as
he shaped the framework of the Declaration of Independence and its
affirmation of human rights.
Franklin and Jefferson are representatives of that group of remarkable
men who pledged their lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor
to the American cause -- mindful of their English heritage and the
principles of English liberty, but determined to build a new Nation
in which these principles of freedom and justice would be guaranteed
to all citizens.
- more -
Page 2
Through the years, we've stood by these principles. Twice in this
century, the American people were inspired by the courage and
tenacity of Great Britain's stand against totalitarian aggression.
In each case, our own devotion to democracy and freedom led us to
join you in the ultimate victory over the enemies of freedom.
Challenges to free peoples have continued during three decades of
profound postwar changes. Today, all free nations are involved to
varying degrees in events that dramatically illustrate the new
dimensions of our national security. National security is no longer
a military question alone.
Now, due to growing interdependence in the world, our national
security is also profoundly affected by fundamental economic
factors, and because of the deological divisions in the world, it is
subject to psychological and political subversion.
In this complex and competitive environment, we must restore the
strength and health of our economies and develop a common defense
against attempts at economic manipulation; we must work to achieve
the energy independence of the free world through innovative and
dedicated efforts we must recognize that detente is a vital factor
in reducing the risks of confrontation; however a quest for detente
without strength could be disasterous; we must recognize that the NAT(
alliance remains the cornerstone of that military strength, and we
must insure its solidity, and find solutions to the strains on its
southern flank. we must renew our faith in the fundamental concepts
that have brought our countries to the highest fulfillment of human
aspirations of any society in history: freedom, human dignity,
individual responsibility, the dynamism of democratic free enterprise
and the steady growth of individual opportunity for all.
We need to recapture our confidence and faith in ourselves -- in our
ability --- and in our national purposes. The basic test is whether
we as free peoples can achieve the self-discipline necessary to take
the actions and make the sacrifices essential to the preservation
of that freedom. I'm optimistic that we can and that we will.
As Thomas Paine said, "Those who expect to reap the blessings of
freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."
WE believe that the American Bicentennial is relevant and timely
and holds a deep meaning for the world at this particular moment
in history. For the Anglo-American ideals upon which the American
Nation was founded are not artifacts of a dead past. They are vital
components of a living present that give us meaning and direction
as we seek our common destiny in this time of turbulent transition.
And so, in commemorating the American Bicentennial, we reaffirm to
the world our fundamental and steadfast dedication to the propositions
set forth in that great American document -- so uniquely English
in its intellectual parentage -- the Declaration of Independence:
that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with
inalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness;
and, that government everywhere is made legitimate only by the
consent of the governed.
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