George Washington, Soldier and Statesman
Feb 22, 1732 saw the birth of George Washington, commonly considered ‘the father of our country’.
He played a leading role in the War of Independence and was the Commander in Chief of the Continental Army (a position he resigned at the end of the conflict), he presided over the constitutional convention that was responsible for writing the Constitution in 1787, and was unanimously elected as the nation’s first president, serving from 1789 – 1797.
He died on December 14, 1799. In the years since then, he has consistently been ranked as one of the nation’s greatest presidents (usually Lincoln is placed first).
If you’d like to read a treasure trove of sage advice, his Farewell Address at the end of his Presidency makes for at times heavy going, but very illuminating reading.
Here’s a Wikipedia article that summarizes/explains it plus gives links to the full text original source.
However, to compress his sage wisdom, and taken from various published utterances, here are some shorter quotes to remember him by :
On Freedom of Speech
- If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter
- When one side only of a story is heard and often repeated, the human mind becomes impressed with it insensibly.
On Firearms
- When firearms go, all goes. We need them every hour.
- Firearms are second only to the Constitution in importance; they are the peoples’ liberty’s teeth.
- The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference – they deserve a place of honor with all that’s good.
- There is nothing so likely to produce peace as to be well prepared to meet an enemy.
On Personal Success
- Ninety-nine percent of the failures come from people who have the habit of making excuses.
- Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company.
- I hold the maxim no less applicable to public than to private affairs, that honesty is the best policy.
On Government
- The administration of justice is the firmest pillar of government
- Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action
- However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.
- It is important … that the habits of thinking in a free country should inspire caution in those entrusted with its administration, to confine themselves within their respective constitutional spheres; avoiding in the exercise of the powers of one department to encroach upon another. The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of government, a real despotism.