Carta. We remember, of course, this institutions good fortune to have been called upon to safeguard the lincoln magna carta during world war ii. But as a repository of the accumulated knowledge of human civilization, the library of Congress Must also be acknowledged to be one of the best assets the United States possesses for participation in magna cartas greatest legacy, the preservation of the rule of law. The library began over two centuries ago as the principle reference collection for legal research, both for the congress and the United States supreme cou court. It continues to offer unparalleled Legal Resources to all three branches of the United States government as well as to the governments of foreign states. This mission, the preservation of the rule of law is inscribed in the very walls of the building in which we are standing, the Thomas Jefferson building, in paintings, mosaics in the ceiling, statues in the reading room. Theres a wonderful quote by the englishman richard hooker. Of law there can be no less acknowledged than that her voice is the harmony of the world. Todays program embodies the spirit i think embodies that quotation. Well hear from not only our law librarian of congress, but voices from the field of law, from our guests from the united keng dom and from voices that will sing appropriately enough about the law. Beautiful voices such as we have just heard. Its my great honor to recognize our special guests on the stage. Id like to recognize her Royal Highness, the princess royal. I would like to acknowledge also and recognize vice admiral sir tim lawrence, my wife marjory, the most honorably, the marcus of lothian, the right honorable hooper, together they represent legislative and judicial branches of the yund kingdom, also Phillip Butler, dean of lincoln cathedral, mr. David mao, the law librarian of congress and peter was miss ka, British Ambassador to the United States. Also with us here today is sir robert worcester, chairman of the magna carta 800th anniversary celebration committee, the Group Responsible for coordinating the 800th sen teenry celebrations of the ceiling of magna carta. That delegation from the inner and middle temples is here to represent two of the professional associations of the barristers of england and whales, lord egor judge, lord justice tomlinson, sir Anthony Hooper and the reverend Robin Griffith jones. So i welcome you all, and im grateful for your participation in todays ceremony. This exhibition was organized by the library of congress in partnership with lincoln cathedral bringing magna carter to the usa. We are immensely grateful to dean Phillip Butler pour the loan of lincoln cathedrals 12 15 magna carta to the exhibition. The lincoln magna carta returns to lincoln next year, it will be reunited for a brief commemorative event with the three other copies of magna carta that survived from 1215, two of which are kept by the British Library, one of which is kept by salisbury cathedral. The British Library will display the four surviving manuscripts for one historic day. It will be the first time theyve ever been exhibited together. The lincoln magna carta will then be moved to its permanent residence in a dedicated vault specially constructed this year as part of the Lincoln Castle revealed project. You may have noticed that the magna carta has come to the United States a full year ahead of the 800th anniversary. We are thrilled to be able to stage this exhibit leading up to the magna carta commemorations that are already in the works throughout the United Kingdom and indeed the world. Our exhibition complements the major magna carta exhibit exhibitions planned in the uk for 2015 as it tells the story from a unique american historical point of view. Our exhibition focuses on the impact of the interpreted principles of magna carta had of our Founding Fathers and the founding documents. It explores magna cartas Strong Influence on the constitutional law of the United States, and when legal scholars and historians look back on this milestone grand jury, its the hope that the content of our exhibition will show how one of englands most venerated exports, the magna carta, forged the u. S. British bond of law. I thank you all for joining us today and encourage you to visit the exhibition between now and january 19th. Now, if you would please rise for the playing of the national anthems. God save our gracious queen, got save our queen god save the queen oh, say can you see by the dawns early light what so proud we hail at the twilights last gleaming whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight o efrmtsr the ramparts we watch were so gallantly streaming and the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there o, say does that star spangled banner yet wave or the land of the free and the home of the brave the law library here at the library of congress is custodian to the Worlds Largest legal collection of legal materials, now at over 2. 8 mill vun volume. That collection continues to grow every year and includes materials from all jurisdictions all around the world. The exhibition which were opening to the public today, magna carta, news and mentor, draws many things in the law Library Construction including medieval manuscripts, early printed works, judicial kigss. The law library is just one of the many collections whose items are represented in the exhibition. The 77 objects in the exhibit are from the variety of Library Congress divisions including manuscripts, prints and photographs, music, rare books, geography and maps. Theyve all been brought together to count the narrative of the magna cartas contributions on the constitution of the United States. The items face magna cartas path on the barons rebellion in england which gave rise to the charter. Through the tumultuous era of the english civil war across the Atlantic Ocean to the new col y colonies in america and the United States constitution. The lincoln cathedral magna carta which were extremely fortunate to on loan from england stands on the focus of this exhibition. It occupies a Central Location that the head of the gallery and is visible as visitors enter the galler galleria, walk through and when they exhibit before they commit they will see it once again. This intentional design allows the document to have a double impact on the viewer. The first time set against a backdrop of interpretive materials about medieval england and the conflict between king john and the barons. And the second time illuminated by the subsequent history of magna cartas interpretation over time and its role in the rise of Constitutional Government in england and the United States. The exhibition highlights legal principles that find their roots in the 17th century interpretations of magna carta, principles that still resonate very much again with us here today. These include the representative the right of representative government, the right to due process of law, right to trial by jury, protection from unlawful imprisonment or the privilege is the writ of habeas corpus and the theory of limited government. To convey a sense of our presentation and the story of magna cartas influence on american liberties to a broader audience, we partner the library of congress partnered with the American Bar Association to put together a traveling exhibit of some of the items were showing in the exbags today. That traveling exhibit will visit Many American cities and be displayed at law schools, libraries, courthouses and legal conferences. It will even make a special appearance next year in london in june. Next month on december 9th the library will hold a similymposi on the endearing legacy of the great charter. At that time well bring together legal scholars, practitioners of law, members of congress in United StatesSupreme Court to talk about magna cartas continuing impact on political thought. Its our thought that symposium will encourage new ideas and avenues of research on the ideas that emerge from magna carta and the tradition that interprets it. I would be very remiss if i did not mention that we are here today because of the initial conversations between my predecessor, robert ter schaeffer and sir robert worcester. Three years ago they had a conversation about perhaps bringing magna carta to the library of congress and how the library of Congress Might be part of the worldwide celebrations of the iconic anniversary. That took hold and blossomed into what we have today. I want to recognize the person that has been most responsible for managing all of the magna carta commemorative events at the library of commerce, my colleague, robert nuland, thank you for agreeing to take on this task three years ago for your work and dedication in bringing this major project to fruition. I also need to thank my law library colleague nathan dorn standing in the back, spent numerous hours selecting the items, creating the narrative and scripting the content for the exhibit upstairs. This exhibition and events have come together as a cultivation of efforts from multiple divisions across the library of congress and our partners in the United Kingdom. The product of many hands, too many to name, but all deserving our gratitude. Today the library of congress has once again the honor of being entrusted with the charter that in many ways shaped our modern Constitutional Government. This exhibitions opening remarks are very significant and miningful anniversary for the library because 75 years ago this month, the great hall at the thom 45s Jefferson Building where we are right now, was the site of an interesting episode in the long story of the lincoln cathedral magna carta. I will invite the marcus of lothian to speak about it followed by the very reverent Phillip Butler, dean of the lincoln cathedral. Your Royal Highness, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, 75 years ago in this building, my predecessor phillip lord lothian as British Ambassador handed over to library of Congress Forward time safe keeping the same version of lincoln magna carta that we now welcome here once again. Im honored to be asked to recall that his tore occasion in todays entrusting ceremony. Swirling around that hand over 75 years ago were the storm clouds of a second world war. The event was about much more than finding this historic document wartime sanctuary. It uniquely underscored the importance of magna carta to the American People. In lothians words, and i quote, to lie alongside its own descendants, the declaration of american independence and the american constitution. Lothian was a strong friend of america and of its president. Winston churchill described him to fdr after his death if late 1940 as a high interpreter. He was also a great friend of the librarian archibald macleish. Indeed, after lothians untimely death, macleish accepted on behalf of the library and at the request of his sisters phillips death mask as a mark of his deep respect and affection for the library. On that occasion the new British Ambassador, lord halifax, spoke of lothians, and i quote, lifelong association with america and his unshakeable trust in the common sense and judgment of our two peoples. Halifax believed that the choice of the library as the permanent resting place for this memorial to lothian was, and i quote again, symbolic of the community of thought that belongs to those who have inherited free institutions and find in these the expression of their own love of freedom. Supreme court judge frankfurter, also a close friend spoke, too, of lothians courage through the dark days of 1914. But its phillip lothians own speech at the handover on 28th november, 1939 that best conveys his deep felt sentiments. He began almost mischievously, why all this fuss and trouble about what he described as a med eve relic. Then he gave his answer. The almost selfevident truths it pronounced have echoed through the payables of history, century after century, by individual citizens and subjects, by rebels and conservatives, by parliaments and congresses, as the sufficient ground on which to base their claim for liberty and responsibility. He continued. In its immortal words, we see the nucleus of most of our liberties, the supremacy of law over arbitrary power, the inspiration in which nerved the hands of those who struck the freedom and who built the institutions which secured it. He went on mott the findings of philosophers, but a victory in the grim struggle of National Life for the principles of freedom from which we draw our big. The years from 1939 these words reilluminate the core of the relationship between the peoples of Great Britain and the unit streets. Too often we speak glibly of our shared values, but phillip lothians simple description enshrines more concisely than anything else, the beating heart of the real bond between us. So in our time, as the dark shadows of violence and oppression is thrust yet again upon our world, may this magna carta once more light in each of us the inspiration to reach for the sun lit uplands of peace, liberty and justice which must surely be our common goal. Thank you very much. [ applause ] your Royal Highness, mr. Librarian, mr. Ambassador, distinguished guests, it is my pleasure to be able to bring lincoln cathedrals magna carta to washington for this magnificent exhibition. This document has been in the possession of lincoln cathedral since late june 1215. And in recent times theres been exhibited at home and abroad to inspire debate and reflection upon both our history and our future. Todays exhibition is doing just that, and im grateful to the law library of congress for such an opportunity. But i do want also to express further gratitude to the library and to the American People for looking after our magna carta during those dark years of the second world war. Today it returns in happier times though the threat of terrorism and fanaticism means it still has work to do in reminding us of the principles of freedom and justice that lie at the heart of our two nations. So it is with great delight that i echo the words first spoken in this hall 75 years ago. Mr. Librarian, i have the greatest pleasure in entrusting magna carta to your benevolent care. And now i have a key symbolizing the cabinet in which magna carta is held, and i would invite lord lothian, our ambassador, and the librarian to come, and i will hand over this key as a symbol of todays event. [ applause ] your Royal Highness, distinguished guests, in the center of london on the bank of the river thames lies the 12th isntry Temple Church. She sits within the precincts of two of the four ends of court, the middle temple and the inner temple. The ins play a vital role in the promotion of the independent bar. In 1214 to 1215 the area now occupied by the two ins was the headquarters of king john who on june the 15th 2015 1215 agreed very reluctantly to the terms of the magna carta. At the heart of the life of the temple is the Temple Church choir. The choir will now sing both in latin and english clauses 39 to 40 of magna carta. These clauses, together with others, guarantee what we today call the rule of law. Central to the rule of law is the fundamental principle that no one is above the law. This principle depends for its effectiveness upon an independent Legal Profession and an independent and impartial judiciary. In clause 39, the king promised not to take coercive measures against a person, quote, except by the lawful judgment of his peers or by the law of the land. In clause 40, the king promised that, quote, to no one will we sell, to no one will we refuse or delay right or justice. The words of the anthem that you are about to hear have been set to music by the american composer niko mieuli. The Temple Church commissioned him to write this music to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the ceiling of magna carta. You will now hear the fourth and last movement, but if you wish to hear all four movements, which im sure you all do, then please come to the Temple Church on december 18th this year to a concert which will be broadcast by the bbc as part of the Temple Church winter festival. As we listen to the music in these so beautiful and historic surroundings, please let us remember that there are all over the world many modern king johns who deny or would deny us the rule of law. And let us also remember in this period of remembrance those who died so that we could live under the rule of law. The choir. [ applause ] thank you. That was beautiful. We are very honored to welcome her Royal Highness for the opening of