Happy 144th Birthday Grandpa!!!!

Today is the birthday of my paternal grandfather, George Washington. No, not that one. My grandfather was George Washington Troup. He was born on this day in 1864 in Maryland. He died in 1940 so I never did get to know him. Obviously, he was named after The United States 1st president under the Constitution.

But speaking of the other guy, the 1 that was 1 of America's Founding Fathers, here are some interesting thoughts taking from his farewell address that he wrote at the end of his 2nd term as president. It was never spoken. It was originally published in Philadelphia's American Daily Advertiser on 19 September 1796.

On the importance of religion playing a part in the public square:

"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. (emphasis mine, he now goes on to explain why.) In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness - these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."

On original intent:

"Toward the preservation of your government and the permanency of your present happy state, it is requisite not only that you steadily discountenance irregular oppositions to its acknowledged authority, but also that you resist with care the spirit of innovation upon its principles, however specious the pretexts. One method of assault may be to effect in the forms of the Constitution alterations which will impair the energy of the system, and thus to undermine what can not be directly overthrown. In all the changes to which you may be invited remember that time and habit are at least as necessary to fix the true character of governments as of other human institutions; that experience is the surest standard by which to test the real tendency of the existing constitution of a country; the facility in changes upon the credit of mere hypothesis and opinion exposes to perpetual change, from the endless variety of hypothesis and opinion; and remember especially that for the efficient management of your common interests in a country so extensive as ours a government of as much vigor as is consistent with the perfect security of liberty is indispensable. Liberty itself will find in such a government, with powers properly distributed and adjusted, its surest guardian. It is, indeed, little else than a name where the government is too feeble to withstand the enterprises of faction, to confine each member of the society within the limits prescribed by the laws, and to maintain all in the secure and tranquil enjoyment of the rights of persons and property." (Take that living Constitution moonbats.)

Public debt:
"As a very important source of strength and security, cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible, avoiding occasions of expense by cultivating peace, but remembering also that timely disbursements to prepare for danger frequently prevent much greater disbursements to repel it; avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt, not only by shunning occasions of expense, but by vigorous exertions in time of peace to discharge the debts which unavoidable wars have occasioned, not ungenerously throwing upon posterity the burden which we ourselves ought to bear." (He would be shocked by how poorly we ignored this & many other of his wise suggestions.)

If you need any proof on how much we need to go back & learn what really went on back then it is this. Washington was at the Constitutional Convention, Jefferson wasn't. Yet we take Jefferson's opinions as the proper interpretation & ignore Washington's statements.

Full address here.