His unwavering dedication to those who serve our nation with their lives earns the trust and devotion of the armed services. His career began early at william mary. Not many known that he drove the Williamsburg JamesCity School Bus when he was a student and he was assistant troop leader for our local boy scouts and that senator norman was one of his boy scouts as we discovered last night. After graduating from william mary in 1965, he joined the cia as an Intelligence Officer and was the first career officer to scale the agencys ranks to become its director. He served with president s of texas a m university from 20022006. When president bush called him back to washington to serve as secretary of defense. As secretary, he led our armed forces at a time when the country was in the midst of two wars and a global fight against terrorism. In 2009 he accepted president obamas request that he continue to lead in the cabinet, becoming the first secretary of defense to serve under president s of different political parties. Chancellor gates received the president ial medal of freedom for his steadfast commitment to the security of the American People and in 2012, william marys board of visitors vested him as chancellor, and were grateful he agreed to be invested in another sevenyear term just this february. And through his career, chancellor gates illuminates the meaning of duty in the 21st century. In his memoir titled duty, remarks on his duty in 2009, what was necessary to protect the troops and give them the equipment they needed to be successful in their mission and to return home safely. As he writes, mindful that were engaged in two wars and face other serious challenges at home and around the world, and with a profound sense of personal responsibility to and for our men and women in uniform and their families, i must do my duty as they do theirs. How could i do otherwise . That call to duty has profound importance now at a moment when so many young adults in this country are hungry to be called into service. As i know well from my time with students at william mary, this is a generation that is outwardly turned, dedicated to commitments beyond their own interest and their own success, dedicated to i am improving their communities, their workplaces, their businesses and their world. As ive often said, the most important obligation of educators today is to teach the young people of this nation how to fulfill that call to their greatest capacity. Chancellor gates recognizes the critical importance to our nation of that sense of responsibility in this generation. He knows that their belief in democracy will be our countrys most powerful asset if we cultivate it. Were so fortunate to have him as a teacher for this next generation, to call them into leadership and Public Service with the authority, insight and compassion that he brings. Please join me in welcoming chancellor robert gates. [applaus [applause]. Nig. Thank you, katherine for that overly generous introduction. Its a pleasure to be with you here at william mary at the campus. Of course, i have to tell you its a pleasure to be anywhere, but washington d. C. [laughter] were here to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the creation of Representative Government in america. Were also here to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of slaves on these shores. The glory of Representative Government and the shameful burden of slavery together have shaped the history of our country. We have spent more than two centuries making Representative Democracy more representative and eliminating slavery and overcoming its awful legacy. Weve made dramatic progress in both endeavors, but the paralysis in washington and signs of persistent racism demonstrate that four centuries after jamestown and 232 years after the constitution was signed, the United States of america remains very much a work in progress. So much that defines America First took root here in virginia along the banks. James river. That First Representative Assembly convened in the Jamestown Church on july 30th, 1619 in response to instructions from the Virginia Company to establish one equal and uniform government over all virginians and to provide just laws for the happy guiding and governing of the people theyre inhabiting. The First Assembly met from july 30th until august 4th and was compromised of the governor, four counsellors and 22 chosen by the free, white male inhabitants of every town, corporation and large plantation. In those tough early days getting the peoples Business Done was often a matter of sheer survival. Of course, that didnt stop the earliest american politicians from behaving like, well, like politicians. The historian wrote of jamestown, its leaders were always fighting. The typical 17th century account argues that everything would have gone well if everyone besides the author had not done wrong. Sounds like a lot of modern d. C. Memoirs. Just a few weeks after that First Assembly, the first africans arrived in tidewater. They were from angola, captured in wars between the portugese and african kingdoms. 350 africans were put on board a ship, the San Juan Bautista headed for mexico. It was taken by british privateers and arrived in jamestown. By march 1620, 30 africans were recorded living in virginia. They would be the first of hundreds of thousands of african slaves in british north america. 170 years later in the first u. S. Census, in 1790, nearly 20 of 4 million americans were africans, roughly 800,000 slaves. From the first Representation Assembly 400 years ago elected by free white men to universal suffrage has been a long and torturous past. During colonial times, Property Owners white male protestants. Just 6 of americans were eligible to vote for George Washington for president. Only in the 14th amendment to the constitution in 1868 granted citizenship to former slaves and in 1870 the 15th amendment stated explicitly that the right to vote could not be denied by the federal or state governments based on race. But africanamericans in many parts of the country would have to wait another 95 years until the Voting Rights act of 1965 for state level obstacles to voting to be removed. It took 301 years from that First Representative Assembly in jamestown for women to be granted the right to vote. And native americans would have to wait until 1947 for the right to vote. 333 years after the chiefs favorite daughter a pocahontas married john ross. Progress toward ensuring the Representative Government is truly representative of all the people has been agonizingly slow. And we know that there still lurk r strategies to suppress. And other than a convicted felon, who wants to vote can do so. After many long and painful struggles to expand Voting Rights, more is the pity so many choose not to exercise them. By rancor ain the meetings, and later in the Continental Congress and the progress of virginia and subsequently the United States would depend on finding ways to overcome differences. This balance, this calibration of principle and compromise was a feature of the early history of the commonwealth of virginia, and the key to founding and ultimately success of our republic. Bold and compelling statements of principle are found in documents such as virginias declaration of rights, which informed the americas declaration of independence. And pre figures the establishment clause of the First Amendment. But the Core Principles behind these declarations were turned into enduring infrastructures of governance largely through deliberation and compromise. The virginia plan, for example, the compromise presented at the Constitutional Convention sought to balance the interests of small and large states in a bicameral legislature. And the agreement to sol tolerate slavery even though it would be by 1808. Without that the Southern States would never have agreed to ratify the constitution and there would have been no United States of america. With the compromise, a great wrong was embedded in our foundational documents and the seeds of civil war were sewn. The founders, even slave holders among them, acknowledged that slavery was an abomination, and from the declaration theyd signed and most would disappear for economic reasons. For 80 years americans would live with the stark contradiction of the existence of slavery within its border and the first principle of the declaration, all men are created equal and endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights. That contradiction was resolved only by the blood of 600,000 americans. I recount this history not for its own sake, but because i believe the example of the Founding Fathers, who stood on principle whenever they could, yet compromised when necessary to create and then sustain the nati nation, has important lessons for today. It is a lesson im afraid too many of todays politicians, members of todays representative assemblies have failed to understand in an era of zerosum politics and scorched earth ideological warfare. Virtues such as civility, mutual respect, putting country before self, and country before party seem today to be quaint historical relics, to be put on display at the smithsonian, perhaps next to mr. Rogers sweater or julia childs kitchen. After 400 years of Representative Government we recognize that vitriol and nastiness in politics is nothing new. Nor is the failure of our sdim that deeply divides the country between ideological, cultural and regional lines. In more recent decades, crisis such as assassination, vietnam, watergate, irancontra, impeachment and a contested president ial election have involved the american political system, but in each case no matter how painful and divisive these episodes were, our governing institutions recovered their equilibrium and their ability to function. So what of the future of Representative Democracy . I do believe that we are in uncharted territory when it comes to the dysfunction in our political system. It appears as a result of several polarizing trends in american politics and culture we have lost the ability to execute even the basic functions of governor, much less effectively address the most difficult and divisive problems facing our country. Now politicians in congress do make easy targets. George washington in 1778 wrote of congress in terms that sound quite relevant to today, i quote, party tis pu disputes and quarrels are the great business of the day. While accumulated debt ruins finances and appreciated credit were postponed from daytoday, week to week as if our affairs werent the most promising aspect. James monroe wrote to jefferson in 1785, the majority of the u. S. And Congress Assembly only to the inferior duties of government. Mark twain once labeled members of congress of americas only native criminal class. Humorous will rogers riley noted, i dont make jokes, i just watch the government and report the facts. But our problems go much deeper than individual personalities. The predicament we are in today is a result of several structural changes over the last several decades. The first the highly gerrymandered system for drawing seats for incumbent both democratic and republicans. This means in all, but a few Congressional Districts the primaries are the real election, thus making most elected representatives in their parties beholden to their most hardened core base. And each party, each seize with the ideological zeal and the righteousness of its agenda and this makes it unable to have programs beyond one presidency or one congress and this at a time when addressing our very real and very deep problems here at home will require continuity over many years. Weve seen the transformation of our two big political parties, from big tent with people of widely differing ideas, to movements. From shunning and excommunication. A transformation from pragmatic flexibility to political conformity. Fourth, we confront a phenomenon our founders failed to forsee, career politician. Men and women who have spent decades in political informs until they die. And for too many, washington d. C. Has become their real home. Men and women for whom staying in office is their primary goal and getting reelected is more important than doing what is right for the country. The historian wrote that the revolutionary leaders did not conceive of politics as a profession and Office Holding as a career. He quoted jefferson that in a virtuous government public offices are what they should be, burdens to those appointed to them which it would be wrong to decline, so seeming to bring with them great private loss. Fifth, a 24 7 digital and media cable environment now provides a forum and wide dissemination for the most extreme and vitriolic views leading to a coarsening of dialog. These and other practices, the moderate center, ap the stability is not holding. Moderation is now equated with lacking principles. Compromise means selling out. Yet, our entire system of Representative Government since july 30th, 1619 has depended upon compromise. Not only is the constitution itself a bundle of huge compromises, it creates a system of governance, of checks and balances that can only work through compromise. C r critical ideas and progress in our history have often come with thinkers on the left and right and the policies that implemented the best of those identifies have come from the vital political center. So just at a time when this country, our Representative Democracy needs more bipartisan strategies and policies to deal with our most serious longterm problems, most of the trends are pointing in the opposite direction. I interred Public Service, 53 years next month. I worked for eight president s and i have known many many politicians over the last five decades. And i never met one who had a monopoly on revealed truth. At a time when our country faces deep problems at home and serious challenges abroad, we have too many leaders across the political spectrum whose outsized egos are coupled with undersized back bones. People who they think have the right answer and demonize those who think reasonably. Well plan to listen and and into account. Despite the problems that ive described, strangely enough, i remain an optimist for the future of the United States. From the beginning we americans have periodically gone into a funk believing our best days are behind us and we have no worthy leaders. One of our most esteemed statesmen says we are not fit for the time. I feel unutterable anxiety. That was john adams in 1774. In 1897 harpers weekly magazine editorialized, its a gloomy moment in the history of our country. Not in the lifetime of most men has there been so much grave and deep apprehension. Never has the future seemed so uncertain as it does at this time. The political caldron seethes and bubbles with uncertainty. Its a solemn moment for our troubles. No man can see the end. Or the historian James Mcgreggor byrnes who wrote in 1963 were at a critical stage of a somber cyclone of the Public Affairs of the nation. Mired in government deadlock we underestimate the extent to which our system was designed for deadlock and inaction. Looking at the future from a different angle, we should also take some comfort from the fact that from the convening of that First Assembly 400 years ago american politics has always been a contact sport and a fairly dirty one at that. Founding fathers we revere today tore each other apart in the press and behind closed doors. John adams was called a hideous character, neither the force or firmness of a man nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman. Jeffersons sex life was fodder for gossip and pamphleteers. Hamilton was killed in a duel following a dispute with the former vicepresident aaron burr and even George Washington wasnt immune to the slings and arrows of critics who among other things accused him of monarchical aspirations. Im optimistic for other reasons. Today more than any other time in the last 400 years all americans, all americans have the opportunity to participate in shaping our countrys future. To put their shoulder to the wheel to get america unstuck and moving forward again together. Our diversity today has deep roots in pain and prejudice. From african slaves, to the irish fleeing the potato famine, east european and russian jews fleeing, chinese coming to build our railroads, koreans and vietnamese fleeing war and oppression. Mexicans and other hispanics seeking opportunity and safety. And others who have come here from every continent, country, and island. The founders adopted as the countrys motto motto eplurabis. The motto applies in a different way today. It captures that many people have come here the last four centuries, some voluntarily, some as slaves. Today if were to pro prosper, its as one country. Eplu rar eplu eplurabis unum. As National President of the boy scouts and i have more claim interacting with more young people in life and they fill me with hope. Theyre involved with their communities, they care about issues, theyre willing to put their lives on the line for their country and commit today building a better american. Th