Posted by Samuel B. Hoff
Geoge Washington was busy fending off the British in New York during
the Summer of 1776. However, he wrote eloquently on the spirit of the
revolution for freedom from England. Below is one such contribution:
“..The value of liberty was thus enhanced in our estimation by the difficulty of its attainment,
and the worth of characters appreciated by the trial of adversity. The tempest of war having
at length been succeeded by the sunshine of peace; our citizen-soldiers impressed an useful
lesson of patriotism on mankind, by nobly returning with impaired constitutions and unsatified
claims, after such long sufferings and severe disappointments, to their former occupations.
Posterity as well as the present age will doubtless regard with admiration and gratitude the
patience, perseverance, and valour, which achieved our revolution they will cherish the
remembrance of virtues which had but few parallels in former times, and which will add
new lustre to the most spendid page of history.”
Source: Letter to the people of South Carolina, May 1790
Posted by: Dr. Sam Hoff, Delaware State University
Posted by Samuel B. Hoff
June 17, 1972 was the date of the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters
in the Watergate building in Washington, DC. The investigation into the botched
burglary revealed an attempt by CREEP, the Nixon reelection staff, to bug the DNC
offices. This in turn led to other revelations and eventually to the resignation of
President Richard Nixon on August 19, 1974. George Washington wrote about how
he felt about such behavior:
“I hate deception, even where the the imagination only is concerned.”
Source: Letter to Dr. John Cochran, August 16, 1779
Posted by: Dr. Sam Hoff, Delaware State University
Posted by Samuel B. Hoff
Flag Day is celebrated in the U.S. annually on June 14. The flag
evokes feelings of patriotism in Americans. George Washington
wrote often about patriotism; below is one such communication:
“…it is a maxim with me, that in times of imminent danger to a
Country, every true Patriot should occupy the Post in which he
can render them the most effectually.”
Source: Letter to Secretary of War, February 25, 1799
Posted by: Dr. Sam Hoff, Delaware State University
Posted by Samuel B. Hoff
Memorial Day 2008 arrives as the United States is involved in
a two-front war on terrorism, with a combined 180,000 troops
presently in Afghanistan and Iraq. George Washington, as
commander of American forces during the revolution against
Britain, knew the sacrifices of his troops all-too-well. The
observation below offers a perpetual reminder that freedom
isn’t free:
“To see men without cloathes [sic] to cover their nakedness, without
blankets to lay on, without shoes by which their marches might
be traced by the blood from their feet, and almost as often
without provisions as with; marching through frost and snow…
no history…can furnish an instance of an Army’s suffering such
uncommon hardships as ours have done, and beaing them with the same
patience and fortitude.”
Source: Letter to John Bannister, April 21, 1778
Posted by: Dr. Sam Hoff, Delaware State University
Posted by Samuel B. Hoff
Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the United States has increased
the visibility of organized religiion and its benefits. George
Washington wrote often about religious liberty and toleration; below is one of his writings on the topic:
“…It gives me the most sensible pleasure to find, that, in our nation, however different are the sentiments of citizens on
religious doctrines, they generally concur in one thing, for
their political professions and practices are almost universally
friendly to the order and happiness of our civil institutions.”
Source: Message to the Convention of the Universalist Church,
July 1790
Posted by: Dr. Sam Hoff, Delaware State University
Posted by Samuel B. Hoff
April 15 is the annual deadline for filing income taxes. Americans
have had to do that uniformly since the ratification of the 16th
Amendment in 1913. But during the revolutionary era of
American history, colonists complained about being taxed by
Britain without consent and representation. George Washington
eloquently captured the frustration of Americans on the tax issue
in the observation below:
“…I think the Parliament of Great Britain hath no more right to
put their hands into my pocket, without my consent, that I have
to put my hands into yours for money; and this being already
urged to them in a firm, but decent manner, by all the colonies,
what reason is there to expect any thing from their justice?”
Source: Letter to Bryan Fairfax, July 20, 1774
Posted by: Dr. Samuel B. Hoff, Delaware State University
Posted by Samuel B. Hoff
As President Bush and other leaders from North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO) nations meet in Romania
to consider expanding the number of nations comprising
the alliance, the topic of common defense is at issue.
George Washington is remembered for his Farewell
Address warning against entangling alliances. However,
that is not to say that Washington did not appreciate
a comprehensive plan for defense. His views on this
topic are aptly captured by the quotation below:
“…The safety of the United States, under Divine protection,
ought to rest on the basis of systemic and solid arrangements;
exposed as little as possible to the hazards of fortuitous
circumstances.”
Source: Message to the Senate and House of Representatives,
October 25, 1791
Posted by: Dr. Samuel B. Hoff, Delaware State University
Posted by Samuel B. Hoff
On this date in 1790, George Washington was starting his
second year as U.S. president under the Constitution.
This was also the date that year that John Tyler was born.
A fellow Virginian, Tyler would succeed William Henry Harrison
and become the nation’s 10th chief executive.
Source: A Book of Days in American History
Posted by: Dr. Sam Hoff, Delaware State University
Posted by Samuel B. Hoff
PARADE magazine recently published the annual list of the
world’s most despised dictators and despots. But for as
bad as these scoundraes are, they are wimps compared to
some of the mean, nasty, and brutish leaders who roamed
the Earth in Washington’s time. GW makes the following
observation about such tyrants:
“When a people shall have become incapable of governing themselves, and fit for a master, it is of little consequence from
what quarter he comes.”
Source: Letter to Marquis de Lafayette, April 28, 1788
Posted by: Dr. Samuel B. Hoff, Delaware State University
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Posted by Samuel B. Hoff
February 22, 1732 is the date of George Washington’s birth. Below are other interesting events or achievements which
occurred on that day in American history:
1630: Popcorn is invented by Quadequina within Massachusetts
Bay Colony
1631: First Thanksgiving is celebrated in Massachusetts Bay Colony
1819: Spain cedes its land in Florida to the United States
by signing the Florida Purchase Treaty
1856: Republican Party holds its first national meeting in
Pittsburgh, PA
1879: Frank Winfield Woolworth establishes the first variety
chain store in Utica, NY
1944: With U.S. Marines taking Parry Island, Allied control
of Marshall Islands during World War II is complete
1966: Over 1100 Communist troops are killed in Operation
White Wing during Vietnam War
Source: ON THIS DAY IN AMERICA, by John Wagman
Posted by: Dr. Samuel B. Hoff, Delaware State University