Tag Archives: George Washington

Presidents: “his character”

ABIGAIL ADAMS, on George Washington (lifting a quote from Shakespeare): “Take his character all together, and we shall not look upon his like again.”

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“submitting to it without a murmur”

GEORGE WASHINGTON, on the self-sacrifice of his soldiers during the hard winter of 1777: To see men without clothes to cover their nakedness, without blankets to lay on, without shoes, by which their marches might be traced by the blood … Continue reading

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“Methought I heard him think”

John Adams later wrote about the day of his inauguration as the second President of the United States: A solemn scene it was indeed. Washington’s face remained as serene and unclouded as the day. Methought I heard him think, ‘Ay! … Continue reading

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Presidents: “we are always working up hill”

GEORGE WASHINGTON, letter of May 31, 1780 Certain I am unless Congress speak in a more decisive tone, unless they are invested with powers by the several States competent to the great purposes of the war, or assume them as … Continue reading

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Presidents: “a kind of destiny”

George Washington, writing to Martha on June 18, 1775, following his nomination as commander in chief: My Dearest: I now sit down to write to you on a subject which fills me with inexpressible concern, and this concern is greatly … Continue reading

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Presidents: “a single character”

THOMAS JEFFERSON, on George Washington: The moderation and virtue of a single character probably prevented this Revolution from being closed, as most others have been, by a subversion of that liberty it was intended to establish.

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Presidents: “it will not endure unassisted by Interest”

GEORGE WASHINGTON: Men may speculate as they will, they may talk of patriotism; they may draw a few examples from current story – but whoever builds upon it as a sufficient basis for conducting a long and bloody war will … Continue reading

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Presidents: “ill-clad and weather-beaten”

November 25, 1783: George Washington “took back” New York. The peace treaty had been signed a year before, France had pledged support and recognition of the new United States, but the redcoats remained in New York, waiting for their written … Continue reading

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Presidents: “the crowds along his route were the largest ever seen”

David McCullough describes, in John Adams, Washington’s inauguration day: On the day of his inauguration, Thursday, April 30 1789, Washington rode to Federal Hall in a canary-yellow carriage pulled by six white horses and followed by a long column of … Continue reading

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You know you’re in trouble when …

… the Preface of a biography of George Washington makes you cry. All this just in time for Presidents Day. As those of you have stuck around my little corner of the Net for more than a year, you know … Continue reading

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