Today, Feb. 22, is the anniversary of the 1732 birth of the first and greatest U.S. president, the indispensable man in America’s Revolution, George Washington.
Born on his family’s Virginia plantation, George lost his father while still a young boy and had very little formal education, as his family went through a period of serious financial difficulties. As a young man, Washington found success first as a surveyor and then a soldier with the British during the French and Indian War. Later, he left his wife Martha, his family, and his beloved Mount Vernon estate to become commander-in-chief of the revolutionary army.
It must have seemed nigh impossible to defeat the mighty British empire, and indeed without Washington it would have been impossible. Of course, the army had their defeats, their hard winters, their dark days, and their retreats. But Washington led them to victory nonetheless, and America was free, free to found a new nation and begin an unprecedented political experiment. Washington headed up the Constitutional Convention, and when the Constitution was ratified he was unanimously elected the first president of the United States. But both as military commander and president, Washington voluntarily surrendered power to return to private life, nearly unprecedented in history for great and successful leaders. But Washington was a unique man, good as well as great.
He had, of course, his faults and failures like anyone. He owned slaves, but by the end of his life he hoped for abolition and ensured the freedom of his own slaves in his will; and his army was racially integrated. It was inevitable that he would sometimes make mistaken decisions as both military commander-in-chief and president, but he always tried to preserve justice and liberty. Today, on his birthday, let us read a few words of wisdom from the man who is called the father of our country:
“Truth will ultimately prevail where pains is taken to bring it to light.”
“Still I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain (what I consider the most enviable of all titles) the character of an honest man.”
“[E]very post is honorable in which a man can serve his country.”
“To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.”
“[A]rbitrary power is most easily established on the ruins of liberty abused to licentiousness.”
“Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.”
“A free people ought not only to be armed, but disciplined.”
“For if Men are to be precluded from offering their Sentiments on a matter, which may involve the most serious and alarming consequences, that can invite the consideration of Mankind, reason is of no use to us; the freedom of Speech may be taken away, and, dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep, to the slaughter.”
“For happily the Government of the United States, which gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance requires only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.”
“The power under the Constitution will always be in the people. It is entrusted for certain defined purposes, and for a certain limited period, to representatives of their own choosing; and whenever it is executed contrary to their interest, or not agreeable to their wishes, their servants can, and undoubtedly will, be recalled.”
Happy birthday to George Washington!