The Wisdom of Washington

NY Post ^ | June 30, 2012 | Maureen Callahan

[Pharmboy]

His annotated Constitution was worth $9.8 million at auction — but was priceless to a nation

When George Washington’s personal, annotated copy of the Constitution sold last week for $9.8 million at auction in New York, it didn’t just set a record. It allowed us to see, for the first time, how cautiously our first president assumed the office, his eyes not toward history but the future.

“This shows that he let the presidency define him, rather than for him to define the presidency,” says Edward Lengel, military historian and author of two books on Washington. “He was a man who thought scrupulously, and he was very concerned with precedent. He understood that his own approach would define how his successors approached the presidency.”

Though the markings are scant — it is next to but a few paragraphs that Washington has made notations — they are telling: He is more concerned with the limits of the office than its powers.

[Pharmboy]

Yes...wise, courageous, generous, humble, of great character, and, a terrific athlete. He was also an extraodinary dancer.

Worth a click-through folks.

[Psycho_Bunny]

The title is complete nonsense until you realize the article’s about the man, not the place.

[afraidfortherepublic]

He was a man who thought scrupulously, and he was very concerned with precedent

Justice Roberts, take heed.

[Pharmboy]

We always speak of his battlefield courage, his perseverance, his walking away from great power--twice. But here the focus is on the pure wisdom of the man who gave us--more than any other single individual--this great country. We must re-take it this November and restore it the the Founders' ideals.

The RevWar/Colonial History/General Washington ping list.

[Pharmboy]

Indeed. It never dawned on me since I saw the column whole online this morning. But, I should have noted that it was about the man...good comment; thanks.

[Pharmboy]

Well done.

[afraidfortherepublic]

Yes, it is articles like this that remind me of that hippy, bippy 2nd grade teacher of my daughter’s who got me so riled in Berkeley in 1968 when she handed out the work sheet to the 2nd graders on Washington’s birthday that proclaimed that Washington “was poorly educated and couldn’t spell!” I took her apart at the time, and I hope she has had a miserable lifetime to regret her remarks. Fie on you, Ms X.

[jeffc]

We need another Washington.

Badly!

[rusureitflies?]

G, Washington was God’s servant to help create the United States of America. George “sat before the Lord” many, many times for “we the people.” Today’s WH has removed the Lord’s throne...woe be unto US...

[RobinOfKingston]

Yes...wise, courageous, generous, humble, of great character, and, a terrific athlete.

One wonders if Washington could even be elected today.

[Jacquerie]

Great post.

There was no question George Washington would be our first President and he would serve honorably and in accordance with the Constitution.

Check out Article II Section 2. Our Framers and public alike knew the nation needed a vigorous executive but recoiled at the thought of an American monarch.

The reason our President had to obtain Senatorial, i.e. State consent to his judicial, ambassadorial, secretarial nominations as well as treaties, was that when these powers were once wholly within the British Crown, they were used to oppress us, as itemized in our Declaration.

No, our President would never have the power to make war by his will alone, or make treaties, or appoint anyone to high ministerial office without the consent of the States as expressed in the Senate.

FUBO.

[SunkenCiv]

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[OldNavyVet]

The brilliance of George Washington is reflected in what I'd call the brilliance of Justice Roberts.

You can read about it at

http://www.ocregister.com/opinion/commerce-361220-mandate-court.html

[loveliberty2]

From the 8-Volume Six Thousand Years of History, Vol. III - "Famous American Statesmen", (Sanderson, Lamberton, McGovern), 1899, E. R. DuMont Publisher, comes a telling story about an encounter with the then former great President known as the "Father of his Country." The story begins on P. 37:

"Yet it cannot be amiss to look in on him once with the eyes of the actor Bernard.

"Bernard, on horseback, riding ner Alexandria, came on an overturned chaise which had carried a man and woman; she was unconscious; the man was unhurt; at the same time another horseman rode up. 'The horse was now on his legs, but the vehicle still prostrate, heavy in its frame, and laden with at least half a ton of luggage. My fellow-helper set me an example of activity in relieving it of the internal weight; and when all was clear we grasped the wheel between us, and to the peril of our spinal columns, righted the conveyance. The horse was then put in and we lent a hand to help up the luggage. All this helping hauling, and lifting occupied at least half an hour under a meridian sun, in the middle of July, which fairly boiled the perspiration out of our foreheads.' The chaise went on, after the usual Virginian proffer of civilities.
'Then my companion offered very courteously to dust my coat, a favor the return of which enabled me to take deliberate survey of hihs person. He was a tall, erect, well-made man, evidently advanced in years, but who appeared to have retained all teh vigor and elasticity resulting from a life of temperance and exercise. His dress was a blue coat buttoned to his chin, and buckskin breeches. Though the instant he took off his hat I could not avoid the recognition of familiar lineaments, which, indeed, I was in the habit of seeing on every sign-post and over every fireplace, still I failed to identify him, and to my surprise I found that I was an object of equal speculation in his eyes. "Mr. Bernard, I believe," and asked Bernard to go on to his house, now in sight. "Mt. Vernon!" I exclaimed; and then drawing back with a stare of wonder, "Have I the honor of addressing General Washington?"
With a smile whose expression of benevolence I have rarely seen equaled, he offered his hand and replied. "An odd sort of introduction, Mr. Bernard; but I am pleased to find you can play so active a part in private, and without a prompter"

"General Washington had seen Bernard act. . . . They went on, and had a pleasant chat. 'His eyes burned with a steady fire" - they looked "glorious" to Bernard, who seems to have been a man not easily dazzled."

From the "Introduction" to Volume VIII, come the following words:

"It is hard to believe any other nation ever produced a line of men so noble, generous and patriotic as that here catalogued. Of Washington we shall write with awe and admiration; of Samuel Adams and Patrick Henry with exultation that two specimen freemen came from two representative sections; of Franklin, Jefferson and Jackson with profound gratitude that men so nearly ideal have lived; of Lincoln, with the love of son to kind father, for he made us all who saw him feel that way, if we thought politically as he did.

"Government of the people, by the people, for the people, however ideal and impracticable it may be, we hold to be the only honorable aim of statesmanship. . . . In the body of the people lies the safety of the State."

(Underlining added)

[afraidfortherepublic]

I do not believe that the function of the Supreme court is to perform mental and verbal gymnastics with the law. Their purpose should be to CLARIFY our law. What happened to the Justice who (in testimony before the Senate) declared himself akin to an “umpire calling balls and strikes”?

[onedoug]

Like garlic to vampires.

[Jack Hammer]

Back in the day, the Founders were honorable men who naturally assumed that those to follow would also be honorable men.

The wonderful system of government they designed was structured to appeal to honorable men who would cherish and preserve it.

Turns out, it was a mistake.

As recent history has proved beyon a reasonable doubt, there is quite simply no system of government which can ensure that its subversion by Machiavellian and self-serving power brokers lusting after personal gain - the existence of whom is a constant throughout history - will not triumph.

[Pharmboy]

Thank you so much for posting this; with all the biographies of the General that I have read, I never heard this story. It is totally consonant with his personality and history of doing for others.

For example, he often loaned money to neighbors when they came on hard times, usually never expecting repayment. Another example is an Irishwoman who came over and married a Continental Soldier, was left as a widow after a battle. She came to the General distraught; "I need to return to Ireland and my family--I have no one here." General Washington paid here fare back to Ireland and gave her some cushion money.

[Pharmboy]

Excellent point; the only thing I would add is that I think the system was designed to deal with less than ideal people who would surface from time to time, just not the volume that we now have.

[huldah1776]

Will God provide another Washington. There was only one Abraham,Joseph, Moses, Joshua, etc., etc.

The ticket is teaching the young their history. Pagan, God is dead, existentialism wiped that out here.