The greatest privilege an individual can have is to serve in a cause bigger than himself.  We have such a cause.

How we seize the opportunities I have described today will determine not only our future, but the future of peace and freedom in this world in the last third of the century.

May God give us the wisdom, the strength and, above all, the idealism to be worthy of that challenge, so that America can fulfill its destiny of being the world’s best hope for liberty, for opportunity, for progress and peace for all peoples.

***

State of the Union Address
Richard Nixon
January 22, 1971

Mr. Speaker, Mr. President, my colleagues in the Congress, our distinguished guests, my fellow Americans: 

As this 92d Congress begins its session, America has lost a great Senator, and all of us who had the privilege to know him have lost a loyal friend.  I had the privilege of visiting Senator Russell in the hospital just a few days before he died.  He never spoke about himself.  He only spoke eloquently about the need for a strong national defense.  In tribute to one of the most magnificent Americans of all time, I respectfully ask that all those here will rise in silent prayer for Senator Russell.

Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, before I begin my formal address, I want to use this opportunity to congratulate all of those who were winners in the rather spirited contest for leadership positions in the House and the Senate and, also, to express my condolences to the losers.  I know how both of you feel.

And I particularly want to join with all of the Members of the House and the Senate as well in congratulating the new Speaker of the United States Congress.

To those new Members of this House who may have some doubts about the possibilities for advancement in the years ahead, I would remind you that the Speaker and I met just 24 years ago in this Chamber as freshmen Members of the 80th Congress.  As you see, we both have come up in the world a bit since then.

Mr. Speaker, this 92d Congress has a chance to be recorded as the greatest Congress in America’s history.

In these troubled years just past, America has been going through a long nightmare of war and division, of crime and inflation.  Even more deeply, we have gone through a long, dark night of the American spirit.  But now that night is ending.  Now we must let our spirits soar again.  Now we are ready for the lift of a driving dream.

The people of this Nation are eager to get on with the quest for new greatness.  They see challenges, and they are prepared to meet those challenges.  It is for us here to open the doors that will set free again the real greatness of this Nation—­the genius of the American people.

How shall we meet this challenge?  How can we truly open the doors, and set free the full genius of our people?

The way in which the 92d Congress answers these questions will determine its place in history.  More importantly, it can determine this Nation’s place in history as we enter the third century of our independence.