Washingtons Glasses

I was as intrigued When I heard about this American revolution story for the first time and just as intrigued now.  The battle at Yorktown and all major fighting had been over for about two years. American Reps had been over seas trying to make a peace treaty in France.

Unpaid Officers in the army had grown tired of all the years of empty promises from congress. There had been talk about a possible coup against congress. Upon hearing this Washington had his officers gather on March 15, 1783 at a makeshift Church the soldiers had built. Washington gave a great speech and reminded them that he also did not get paid but it seemed that the Men were still unmoved.

It was then that Washington read a letter from a congressman explaining the difficulties that the new government faced. Washington started to read that letter but struggled to read it. He reached for a pair of spectacles which most of the Men had never seen him wear.

He then said “Gentlemen, you must pardon me, I have grown gray in your service, and now find myself growing blind”. It was not just those words, it was how he said those words which made tears in all the men’s eyes. It was only then did the men realize what they had all been through together and what a great man Washington really was. Washington left the room and the officers voted to give congress more time.

“In the beginning of a change the patriot is a scarce man, and brave, and hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a patriot.”
- Mark Twain

Thanks for starting this, Pete.  We can use all the inspiration we can find, so I am going to offer a couple of my favorites from Ronald Reagan!

______________________________

“Nations crumble from within when the citizenry asks of government those things which the citizenry might better provide for itself. ... I hope we have once again reminded people that man is not free unless government is limited. There’s a clear cause and effect here that is as neat and predictable as a law of physics: As government expands, liberty contracts.”

Ronald Reagan

______________________________

“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

Ronald Reagan

______________________________

“If you’re afraid of the future, then get out of the way, stand aside. The people of this country are ready to move again.”

Ronald Reagan

“Our obligations to our country never cease but with our lives”
    John Adams to Benjamin Rush, April 18, 1808

The man must be bad indeed who can look upon the events of the American revolution without feeling the warmest gratitude towards the great author of the Universe whose divine interposition was so frequently manifested in our behalf. And it is my earnest prayer that we may so conduct ourselves as to merit a continuance of those blessings with which we have hitherto been favored. I am etc.
             
        A letter from George Washington to Samuel Langdon, Sep 28, 1789

QUOTE OF THE CENTURY
Some people have the vocabulary to sum up things in a way you can understand them. This quote came from the Czech Republic. Someone over there has it figured out.

    “The danger to America is not Barack Obama but a citizenry capable of entrusting a man like him     with the Presidency. It will be far easier to limit and undo the follies of an Obama presidency than     to restore the necessary common sense and good judgment to a depraved electorate willing to have     such a man for their president. The problem is much deeper and far more serious than Mr. Obama,    who is a mere symptom of what ails America. Blaming the prince of the fools should not blind     anyone to the vast confederacy of fools that made him their prince. The Republic can survive a     Barack Obama, who is, after all, merely a fool. It is less likely to survive a multitude of fools such     as those who made him their president.”