By Mr. McElhaney
The era of Trump is confusing to many of us. I imagine and hear from PL students that they are either partisan (left or right), they don’t know what Trump does or says, or they just don’t care. I identify with the kids that are not aware and don’t care. In high school I was not very aware of politics, but I took history and paid attention to the past. I believe it is important and I hope some will be interested in this brief discussion on George Washington. Of course, any learning or connection to Trump is purely coincidental. Some of the quotes you see are from Gordon Wood’s Revolutionary Characters (2007).
Yes, this quote is one sided and glorifies Washington. On the other side, there are many criticisms that should be noted of Washington. For example, he was a slave owner. Slavery is one of the worlds greatest evils. He also didn’t believe in full democracy. He believed that uneducated people are not equipped to make good decisions… he was a product of the era in which he lived. I believe these, and others, are justifiable and worthy criticisms. Setting them aside I would argue that George Washington has just as much in his conduct and values that serve as positive examples of a great president. I divide his most notable qualities into 3 main categories: achievements, personal characteristics, and leadership.
Washington’s achievements must be noted. To be sure, he made big mistakes and lost more battles than he won. Yet he was essential for the success of the Revolution; he held the army together when it should have disintegrated; he tried and failed and learned how to adapt to the realities of the battlefield. He also ensured the success of the Constitution; without his participation,the Constitution would not have been adopted. He had the trust and confidence of the people. He created the Presidency and executive branch and every successive president has been measured by his wisdom, values, successes, and cautious leadership. Lastly, he made the presidency the dominant branch of the new government. American historians widely accept these achievements.
Washington’s personal characteristics are admirable. Washington’s genius and greatness were in his character. “Washington became a great man and was acclaimed as a classical hero because of the way he conducted himself during times of temptation. It was his moral character that set him off from other men.” His behavior showed the highest moral standards of goodness, virtuousness, righteousness, integrity, dignity, rectitude, honor, decency, respectability, and nobility. He had great prestige and good judgement, he was dignified, had a gallant bearing, and a commanding figure. He was respectable. He believed that people should serve for the cause and not for personal gain. He symbolizes the antithesis of self-interest. He stood for service to country and fellow man. He believed in self-sacrifice. He believed in civility (formal politeness and courtesy in behavior or speech.) “Washington epitomized everything the revolutionary generation prized in its leaders.” “He took moral standards more seriously than did most of his contemporaries.” Washington cultivated his image from the highest ideal of a public servant… disinterestedness and the idea that you serve for the good of your fellow man and the community.
Lastly, Washington’s greatest quality was leadership, i.e. the ability to motivate people. This concept is straightforward, great leaders do great things, and they get other people to help them. He had these characteristics that encouraged a desire to serve. He listened to advice and then made rational and thoughtful decisions. He was a systematic and energetic administrator. He moved slowly and cautiously when he made judgements. He acted decisively… he never second guessed himself. He also surrounded himself with brilliant advisors such as James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and Thomas Jefferson. One of the biggest examples of Washington’s leadership was his retirement. After the Revolution, he quit. Because he had devotion of the American people, he had almost absolute power, and yet he willingly gave it up to retire to his plantation. At the time, people commented in England in 1784, his retirement “excites the astonishment and admiration of this part of the world. Tis a Conduct so novel, so inconceivable to people, who, far from giving powers they possess, are willing to convulse the empire to acquire more.” Further even “King George III supposedly predicted that if Washington retired from public life and returned to his farm, ‘he will be the greatest man in the world.’” He was later called to run for president, and later chose to retire from that too. He could have stayed on and died in office but chose to leave a legacy of temporary service. All these things and more show his outstanding leadership.
We live in troubled times. If you are confused and not sure what to believe, perhaps you can get insight from the great leaders of the past. But above all, be thoughtful and reject self-interested behavior, values, and leaders. “Washington never took the unity of the country for granted… he wanted nothing more than the United States to stay together… Washington promoted the sense of Union that Lincoln and others later upheld.”