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View Full Version : Today is the anniversary of the birth of George Washington.



OklahomaTuba
2/22/2007, 09:09 AM
http://img530.imageshack.us/img530/5018/georgewashingtonbdayog3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
I thought this was a very fitting tribute...

Today is the anniversary of the birth of George Washington. Of all the great men of the revolutionary era to whom we owe our freedom, Washington's greatness was the rarest, the most necessary, and, at this remove in time, the hardest to understand.

Take, for example, Washington's contribution to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Washington's mere presence lent the undertaking and its handiwork the legitimacy that resulted in success. The convention's first order of business was the election of a presiding officer. Washington was of course the delegates' unanimous choice.

Presiding over the convention during that fateful summer, Washington said virtually nothing. In his wonderful book on Washington, Richard Brookhiser notes: "The esteem in which Washinton was held affected his fellow delegates first of all...Washington did not wield the power he possessed by speaking. Apart from his lecture on secrecy, Washington did not address the Convention between the first day and the last."

The esteem in which he was held by his fellow citizens was similarly crucial to the implementation of the Constitution during his presidency. In 1790 Rhode Island became the thirteenth state to ratify the Constitution and complete the Union. To mark the occasion, President Washington made a ceremonial visit to Newport when Congress recessed in August. Newport welcomed Washington with open arms. In Newport on August 18, according to James Thomas Flexner, Washington "completely fatigued the company" by briskly walking, fortified by the wine and punch served in four different houses along his route, from nine in the morning until one in the afternoon.

In anticipation of Washington's visit to Newport, the members of America's oldest Jewish congregation prepared a letter welcoming Washington for presentation to him at a public event on the morning of August 18. The letter was authorized by the congregation's board and signed by its president, Moses Seixas. It is Washington's magnificent letter responding to Seixas's that is known as a testament to religious freedom and that has become famous as one of the classic statements of religious toleration in America.

The congregation's letter to Washington is not so well known. Ironically, however, the most famous line in Washington's letter is an echo of the congregation's letter to Washington. By far the most striking feature of the congregation's letter is its expression of sheer gratitude both to Washington himself and to America for the religious freedom it afforded. Here is the congregation's letter:

Permit the children of the stock of Abraham to approach you with the most cordial affection and esteem for your person and merits ~~ and to join with our fellow citizens in welcoming you to NewPort.

With pleasure we reflect on those days ~~ those days of difficulty, and danger, when the God of Israel, who delivered David from the peril of the sword, ~~ shielded Your head in the day of battle: ~~ and we rejoice to think, that the same Spirit, who rested in the Bosom of the greatly beloved Daniel enabling him to preside over the Provinces of the Babylonish Empire, rests and ever will rest, upon you, enabling you to discharge the arduous duties of Chief Magistrate in these States.

Deprived as we heretofore have been of the invaluable rights of free Citizens, we now with a deep sense of gratitude to the Almighty disposer of all events behold a Government, erected by the Majesty of the People ~~ a Government, which to bigotry gives no sanction, to persecution no assistance ~~ but generously affording to all Liberty of conscience, and immunities of Citizenship: ~~

deeming every one, of whatever Nation, tongue, or language equal parts of the great governmental Machine: ~~ This so ample and extensive Federal Union whose basis is Philanthropy, Mutual confidence and Public Virtue, we cannot but acknowledge to be the work of the Great God, who ruleth in the Armies of Heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the Earth, doing whatever seemeth him good.

For all these Blessings of civil and religious liberty which we enjoy under an equal benign administration, we desire to send up our thanks to the Ancient of Days, the great preserver of Men ~~beseeching him, that the Angel who conducted our forefathers through the wilderness into the promised Land, may graciously conduct you through all the difficulties and dangers of this mortal life: ~~ And, when, like Joshua full of days and full of honour, you are gathered to your Fathers, may you be admitted into the Heavenly Paradise to partake of the water of life, and the tree of immortality.

Done and Signed by order of the Hebrew Congregation in NewPort, Rhode Island August 17th 1790.
Moses Seixas, Warden

Today, as we fight the contemporary equivalent of "the Babylonish empire," let us send up our thanks to the Ancient of Days for this indispensable man.

FaninAma
2/22/2007, 10:01 AM
Happy Birthday, George.

BTW, Abe Lincoln couldn't hold your jock strap. You da' man!

TUSooner
2/22/2007, 11:16 AM
George IS the Father of Our Country. It's a shame that he is so often reduced to a cartoonish figure when he was a truly great man and indispensable to our Nation.

I'm sure he'd be thrilled to know we honor him each year with a furniture sale. :rolleyes:

Scott D
2/22/2007, 08:33 PM
It was best put in regards to George Washington's military career, upon his being captured by the French, when they released him almost immediately after with the suggestion that he not be in charge of building any other fortifications.

Happy Birthday to one of the most inept military commanders to ever exist in the history of the world.

royalfan5
2/22/2007, 08:56 PM
Washington is to blame for the destruction of the South because he was the first President of the Union that replaced the perfection of the articles of confederation. This centralization of power attracted Abraham Lincoln to politics, and from what I learned from reading the SO, Lincoln is Lenin, Mao, Hitler, Stalin, Franco, and Salazar rolled into one, and kicked puppies while basketball with kittens.


That being said Washington set the tone for great nation.

King Crimson
2/22/2007, 09:10 PM
at least he didn't slaughter thousands of native americans like Andrew Jackson.

who is on the 20$.

i'm part Cheyenne and Choctaw i don't see any need to worship yankees, the Union Army, or whatever.

SicEmBaylor
2/22/2007, 09:20 PM
It was best put in regards to George Washington's military career, upon his being captured by the French, when they released him almost immediately after with the suggestion that he not be in charge of building any other fortifications.

Happy Birthday to one of the most inept military commanders to ever exist in the history of the world.

I don't think anyone has ever claimed that he was a tactical or strategic genius.

FaninAma
2/22/2007, 11:24 PM
It was best put in regards to George Washington's military career, upon his being captured by the French, when they released him almost immediately after with the suggestion that he not be in charge of building any other fortifications.

Happy Birthday to one of the most inept military commanders to ever exist in the history of the world.

Yeah, I guess his ineptness was why the United States defeated the preeminent military power of that period(Great Britain) despite being out-manned, out-gunned, out-navied, and out-financed. You must be reading the King George's version of the Revolutionary War.

http://www.ushistory.org/valleyforge/washington/george2.html

Washington was out in the field leading his troops and risking his life. The only bullet that Lincoln was ever near was the one that entered his brain at the Ford Theatre courtesy of John Wilkes Booth.

SicEmBaylor
2/22/2007, 11:31 PM
Washington wasn't the strategic/tactical genius that say Lee was but then again neither was Eisenhower.

Washington was an exceptional staff general whose sum was greater than its parts. No other man could have won that war and given up his national supremacy the way Washington did.

There are men who hoard power and those who give it up or deny it. Unfortunately, the birth of the former tyrant has been coupled with the
latter man of honor.

FaninAma
2/22/2007, 11:40 PM
Washington wasn't the strategic/tactical genius that say Lee was but then again neither was Eisenhower.

Washington was an exceptional staff general whose sum was greater than its parts. No other man could have won that war and given up his national supremacy the way Washington did.

There are men who hoard power and those who give it up or deny it. Unfortunately, the birth of the former tyrant has been coupled with the
latter man of honor.

The way the Continental Army fought the Revoulutionary War in terms of military tactics was a sea change from the way wars had been fought before. I agree that Washington was no Lee or Stonewall Jackson but hey, West Point hadn't been created yet to teach future generals the fine art of waging war. BTW, that little creation(West Point) was Washington's idea, too. Washington's developed his own military tactics on the fly. He adapted strategies, methods of discipline and a leadership style that helped his troops persevere through daunting obstacles.

Contrast that style to the the Union Army's treatment of soldier's lives as expendable canon fooder as Sherman and Grant waged a war of attrition with the South.

SicEmBaylor
2/22/2007, 11:41 PM
The way the Continental Army fought the Revoulutionary War in terms of military tactics was a sea change from the way wars had been fought before. I agree that Washington was no Lee or Stonewall Jackson but hey, West Point hadn't been created yet to teach future generals the fine art of waging war. BTW, that little creation(West Point) was Washington's idea, too. Washington's developed his own military tactics on the fly. He adapted strategies, methods of discipline and a leadership style that helped his troops persevere through daunting obstacles.

Contrast that style to the way the Union Army's treatment of soldier's lives as expendable as Sherman and Grant waged a war of attrition with the South.

Very true.

OklahomaTuba
2/22/2007, 11:47 PM
Calling Washington inept as a general is one of the most idiotic things I have ever heard.

What he accomplished against the British in the seige of Boston with the guns from ticonderoga is perhaps one of the greatest victories in history.

I challenge anyone to find a General that did more with less, and against an enemy that was the most powerful on Earth, all the while fighting a divided government that was trying to undermine and second guess him nearly every step of the way.

He was fighting with soldiers he couldn't pay, dress, arm or even feed for crying out loud.

The dude was much more than a General, MUCH MUCH more. Without him, their would not be a USA.

TUSooner
2/23/2007, 06:54 AM
Calling Washington inept as a general is one of the most idiotic things I have ever heard.

What he accomplished against the British in the seige of Boston with the guns from ticonderoga is perhaps one of the greatest victories in history.

I challenge anyone to find a General that did more with less, and against an enemy that was the most powerful on Earth, all the while fighting a divided government that was trying to undermine and second guess him nearly every step of the way.

He was fighting with soldiers he couldn't pay, dress, arm or even feed for crying out loud.

The dude was much more than a General, MUCH MUCH more. Without him, their would not be a USA.
HEAR HIM!

jk the sooner fan
2/23/2007, 07:32 AM
some of you need to read "His Excellency, George Washington", by Joseph Ellis

George had his share of military blunders prior to the Revolutionary War

Partial Qualifier
2/23/2007, 07:46 AM
Any decent GW bio describes his early shortcomings. Calling him inept for what amounts to sidenotes of a brilliant military career is just about the dumbest thing I've ever read on this board, and that's saying something :)

Okla-homey
2/23/2007, 08:13 AM
Washington owned people. Literally.

Just saying.;)

TUSooner
2/23/2007, 09:05 AM
some of you need to read "His Excellency, George Washington", by Joseph Ellis

George had his share of military blunders prior to the Revolutionary War
That's only because THEN he was British. :)

His greatness was much more than military, though. I think that's understood.

OklahomaTuba
2/23/2007, 09:20 AM
Washington owned people. Literally.

Just saying.;)

Heh. He owned the British at Boston, that was for sure.

The British massed their invasion force in Boston. Even had their fleet in the bay.

And with all that might behind the British at Boston, George Washington made them flee the city.

If only the British knew he had no little to no gun powder.

Washington was a master of deception. He pulled off the unthinkable with what amounted to smoke and mirrors.

jk the sooner fan
2/23/2007, 12:10 PM
i'd have to go back and read the book but i swear i remember that Washington commanded a troop that slaughtered a bunch of indians.....including a bunch of non combatants

Partial Qualifier
2/23/2007, 12:36 PM
idunno bout that. Maybe that was something Braddock's men did? dunno but speaking of Gen. Braddock and George Washington's miscues early in his career - one could always throw in the argunemt that GW's suggestion to Braddock of a 'quick-strike party' directly led to Braddock's death at the hand of the French, along with most of his men.

You know, to emphasize GW's ineptness ;)

It's kinda like saying Michael Jordan was an inept NBA player because at 13 years old he fouled out of a jr. high game.

TUSooner
2/23/2007, 01:46 PM
i'd have to go back and read the book but i swear i remember that Washington commanded a troop that slaughtered a bunch of indians.....including a bunch of non combatants
I dunno.
But the local Indians called his father (or grandfather?) "Town-taker"

SoonerStud615
2/23/2007, 05:24 PM
Best tribute to Washington ever, right here:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=IZCNrf0IH_U

TUSooner
2/23/2007, 05:51 PM
Best tribute to Washington ever, right here:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=IZCNrf0IH_U
I'm not sure that's really accurate.

Kinda funny though.:)