I saw this poster on a thread covering one of the Tea Parties and was just appalled. George Washington would never have used language like that. That is incredibly insulting to a man of honor, principle and integrity. From “The 5000 Year Leap”, George Washington praised the American Constitution as the “palladium of human rights,” but pointed out that it could survive only “so long as there shall remain any virtue in the body of the people.”
In his farewell address, George Washington said, “Of all the dispositions and habits, which lead to political prosperity, Religion and Morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of Patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of Men and Citizens. The mere Politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connexions with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths, which are the instruments of investigation in Courts of Justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” I agree with the other poster who said, this isn’t funny.
You may be right about the language and you probably are, it was a more genteel time. But you cannot deny that he would have had the same reaction indicated by "WTF", if he'd seen what his beloved Republic had degenerated into.
BTW, I don't think by "virtue" he meant *only* civil language and a concern for "proper" behavior. He meant things like public spirit, patriotism, and a willingness to defend the rights of man.