Oh, how I love the words of George Washington. Indeed he was the Indispensible Man in the creation of the United States of America. I so wish we would heed more of his words of caution and warning. His first inaugural address and his Farewell Address are especially full of great advice and even predictions.
It’s my opinion that these two public addresses should be studied in the public schools and heeded by Congress, not to mention the Courts. But, unfortunately that’s not likely to happen.
Early in his life, Benjamin Franklin planned for himself a project for becoming as nearly perfect as a man could become. He originally had 12 characteristics he wanted to improve upon but was soon compelled to add another.
“My list of virtues contained at first but twelve; but a Quaker friend having kindly informed me that I was generally thought proud; that my pride show’d itself frequently in conversation; that I was not content with being in the right when discussing any point but was overbearing, and rather insolent, of which he convinc’d me by mentioning several instances; I determined endeavoring to cure myself of this vice or folly among the rest, and I added humility to my list.”
You, of course, know of the speech Patrick Henry gave which ended with the words: “Give me liberty or give me death!” And then he pretended to plunge a dagger into his breast.
But have you heard these words which Patrick Henry spoke?
“Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined.”
Happy Thanksgiving. As I was writing my report yesterday about how thankful I am for learning about the Illegal Trial of Christ, it occurred to me that I wouldn’t have ever written that book if the distributor for my book “Founding Fathers—Uncommon Heroes” hadn’t known that I had given several presentations about that trial. The distributor knew me well.
When Mel Gibson’s movie “The Passion” came out and was so successful, my distributor called me and said they wanted me to put my material about the trial of Christ into a book. And because of current interest, they wanted it NOW!
Shortly after the Declaration of Independence was adopted by Congress, Adams was sent to France to join Benjamin Franklin as a minister to France. Congress didn’t invite him to return home, even after the Revolutionary War had ended, and he and Franklin had constructed a Peace Treat, very much in favor of the United States.
Instead they sent him to Great Britain to attempt to produce a treaty of commerce with England. Can you imagine that? To try to put together a new treaty with your most recent war enemy? Impossible. Well, at least terribly difficult.
George Washington learned much wisdom in his youth. While learning penmanship, he was instructed to write several (110) maxims from dictation, which maxims taught him not only good penmanship, but also good manners and behavior. Here’s one of those maxims:
“Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation for ‘tis better to be alone than in bad company.”
He kept that advice his whole life through.
As you know Benjamin Franklin was a great diplomat. He proved that over and over again. In the Continental Congress with the Declaration of Independence with Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, and others. In his victories with France in obtaining the funds and cooperation of the French in the Revolutionary War. In the Constitutional Convention when the arguments were starting to take over the discussions. And just generally in his life time habits and discourses.
Here’s an example of how he achieved so much:
It seems that we, as a nation, are just now learning some things that our Founding Fathers knew and tried to tell us. To warn us about.
Here’s just one small example from our first President, George Washington:
“Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like a fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action.”
–George Washington as quoted in “Give Me Liberty,”
by Steven W. Allen, JD.
One of the delights of John Adams’ old age was the satisfaction of having his son, John Quincy Adams, be sworn in as the 6th President of the United States of America. This took place in 1825, the year before the death of John Adams.
John’s son, John Quincy, won his election to the Presidency by only one vote when the evenly divided popular vote threw the election into the House of Representatives for a deciding vote.
The House was also evenly divided on the issue. When one final vote was taken, the Congressman from New York, in an answer to his prayer, picked up a crumpled ballot, and voted for the name on the ballot, esteeming it an answer to his prayer. The name on that crumpled up ballot was John Quincy Adams.
In the early days of our Nation, John Adams at first didn’t want to build up our Navy after the Revolutionary War. When Thomas Jefferson was elected to replace Adams, the nations of Europe and the United States were becoming more and more subject to the pirates of the Barbary coast.
When merchants wanted to sail through the Mediterranean Sea they were charged a bounty by the Barbary Pirates in order to pass Tripoli and other ports without being attacked. The Barbary Pirates were actually Muslims trying to extort benefits for not destroying the ships together with their cargoes. Most nations went along with this blackmail. It was just easier than fighting.