I guess I knew it, but it was decidedly reinforced in the presentation about Abraham Lincoln which I attended at our Education Conference today. What was it? It was that not only was our Constitution hanging in the balance in Lincoln’s administration, but the Declaration of Independence was as well. It was totally repudiated and disavowed by the Southern States in the Civil War.
The written documents of the South firmly rejected the premise of the Declaration of Indpendence that “all men are created equal.” And they likewise discarded that idea along with the whole Declaration! I hadn’t realized that.
Some things have slipped through history with a little fiction attached or some important details omitted. One, of course, is Paul Revere’s ride. Despite that beautiful Longfellow poem, Paul Revere was captured by the British before he could reach Concord and sound the alarm. But it’s a wonderful way to teach history.
I am attending a week long education summit at BYU. One of the classes is about the Presidential election in 1844. It seems to have some similarities with our current election.
George Washington had the looks and stature of a President. He was tall, nearly 6’4” and strong of build. He was a great horseman and a victorious soldier. He had a strong moral compass and great character. Plus, he had been front and center in all the major events in the creation of the new nation.
George Washington was against political parties, Thomas Jefferson was against electioneering, and James Madison had to fight hard to figure out a method to elect a President that would appeal to the 55 men who were in the Constitutional Convention. Now, we can hardly understand how the Electoral College even works.
When James Madison was 43 and a Congressman, he met Dolley (Dorothy Payne), she was a 26 widow with two young sons, one a new born and one 18 months old. She was beautiful and vivacious and very popular. He was old and dreary of temperament. It didn’t seem like much of a match made in heaven.
When Ben and John were sent by Congress to try to talk reason with the British generals at the beginning of the Revolutionary War, travel wasn’t like it is today. No interstate highways, no automobiles, no large hotels to spend the night in. John and Ben had to spend the night at an inn with only one room and with one bed available.
I’m going to break with tradition a little bit tonite and quote a little bit from my upcoming book, “A Patriot in Prison.” I believe Patrick Henry will be proud of this book, since he was a great champion of the Grand Jury system—as it was in his day!
I believe that the Founding Fathers were all EXCEPTIONAL leaders. They were all at the right place at the right time in history. It’s pretty amazing if you think about it. How often can you get 55-56 well educated and experienced men in one room and have them agree on anything, let alone how to build a new nation?
One of my favorite historical novels was about John and Abigail Adams. The book was titled “A Love Story,” by Irving Stone. Most know of their marriage and how Abigail kept the home going while John was off being an attorney, a diplomat and a Founding Father.