He walked away from power

My Thoughts

Dr. Bill Atwood

(Updated: Thursday, February 18, 2010, 12:00 AM)

It was offered and he was begged by many to stay and yet he walked away from the trappings of his office. George Washington had served his country and served it well. He had fought for our liberty and led an army made up of volunteers who joined for a short term and then left. His was an army probably best described by the British as a group of rabble. The army was ill-equipped and under paid. They were underfed and poorly clothed and yet they trusted in George Washington.

He was a stern leader. He would have men punished for not following orders and he demanded adherence to protocols. While his troops held their own against the mightiest army on the face of the earth he proved to be a daring leader.

When the war was won and Cornwallis sent a second to surrender his sword to Washington our George had a second accept the sword. He returned to his family at Mt. Vernon to take up his life as a Gentleman Farmer.

The Country needed him when it came time to write the Constitution. James Madison, the Father of the American Constitution, knew that in order for the different states and the population in general to accept one Supreme Law of the land it would require representatives of each state and a statesmen of great renown to lend it the credibility needed to have people to at least give it a chance.

That man was George Washington. Clearly Madison knew that people all over the new nation so trusted and respected General George Washington that having his name attached to the Constitutional Convention would bring representatives to the Convention and respect for the document.

Once the document was written and ratified and it was time to elect the first President George Washington's name was placed on the ballot. His is the only election wherein all the Electoral College votes went to one individual.

After his second term Washington had grown tired of the bickering and the politics along with the separation from his family. He wanted to retire back to Mount Vernon. He set the precedence of two terms which only was violated by FDR. Only after FDR did the Constitution have a change to limit to two the number of terms a President may serve.

History tells us that Washington liked the phrase "Mr. President" as opposed to "His Excellency" or "His Highness." History shows that Washington turned down the offer of a monarchy when the revolution was complete.

Washington warned the United States to avoid entangling alliances as he was a student of history and had watched what those alliances did to Europe. Washington questioned the correctness of having slaves and while he realized the economic necessity of having slaves freed all of his upon his and Martha's deaths. We know that Washington had a lifelong friendship with Sally Fairfax, the wife of his good friend, Will, and when Will and Sally moved back to England over the issue of American Independence George and Sally exchanged letters. For all of the gossip there is zero evidence to suggest that there was ever any improper behavior between these two dear friends.

After Washington walked away from the power to return to Mount Vernon and farming he stayed out of politics and in the last days of 1799 while riding his horse he caught a cold that finally killed him in December of 1799.

It is sad that we have been so seduced by the need for three day vacations that our holiday tribute to George Washington now is celebrated on the third Monday in February and has become "President's Day." Washington was still alive when this nation saw people celebrate his birthday as a holiday.

What is really sad is that Washington's Birthday Holiday has turned into President's Day and that has turned into another reason for another "White Sale" at the shopping malls.

This coming Monday, February 22nd, is the day known as his actual birthday. Let's fly the flag for George Washington, the Father of our Country.

First in war, first in peace, first in the hearts of his countrymen.