Interesting article. Thanks for posting.
My father lamented just the other day that what this country really needs is another Washington.
I don’t think he’d be able to get elected in the current atmosphere, though. Hopefully we return to the roots of our country, but we’ve got to stop the descent before we can right the ship.
This morning’s NPR (If I remember correctly) had a brief story on George Washington in which they claimed that Washington’s teeth were damaged and lost because of his habit of cracking Brazil nuts with his teeth. Unfortunately, I cannot find the story on their Morning Edition website. It’s pretty sad if I got the day wrong and it’s from a very recent day. Perhaps it was just embedded in another story and I didn’t notice the context.
Respect is perhaps the most sublime and irresistible worldly power of them all.
“The following account, often
published, appeared in the Alexandria Gazette, August 25, 1874:”In 1754, when
WASHINGTON, in command of the Virginia Rangers, was waiting at Alexandria the
arrival of Braddock’s forces, an exciting election contest occurred between
Mr. Fairfax and Mr. Payne for the House of Burgesses. WASHINGTON supported
Fairfax with much zeal, and high words passing between him and Payne in the
market-square at Alexandria, Payne struck WASHINGTON a blow which brought him to
the earth. The troops rushed from their barracks, and would have made short
work of Payne had not WASHINGTON pacified them, assuring them that he knew the
proper course to take in the premises. Duels were not then under the ban of
public opinion.
Page 19
19”All supposed that a fight was imminent. Next morning, however, WASHINGTON
sent for Payne, and when the latter entered the room he saw on the table,
not pistols, but a decanter of wine and two glasses. ‘Mr. Payne,’ said
WASHINGTON, ‘to err is human. I was wrong yesterday, but if you have had sufficient
satisfaction, let us be friends.’ Weems relates that from that day WASHINGTON
was Payne’s idea of true man-hood. The magnanimity of WASHINGTON will be
better appreciated when it is recollected that at that time there was a cloud
upon his military prowess, as he had been a few months before compelled by the
French to capitulate at Fort Necessity, and had as yet done nothing to redeem
his fame.”
http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/VAFAIRFA/2006-04/1146145170
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