**Previously recorded by Phyllis Schlafly // April 2003 **
President George Bush was sworn in as President in January, but in the early days of our country Presidents took office in April. Tomorrow is the anniversary of the inauguration of our first and greatest President, George Washington. While all men, as our great Declaration of Independence clearly states, are created equal, all presidents certainly are not. Some were not worthy of the office and some are simply not memorable.
But George Washington is the President we continue to admire because of his leadership, his character, and the fact that he was America’s indispensable man. Without Washington, our War for Independence might not have been won; it is likely that it would never have been fought.
It is fitting that Washington’s life and accomplishments are the subject of more honors and memorializations than any other American. The nation’s capital carries his name. The city’s tallest structure is his official monument. He is the only American for whom one of the 50 states is named. Streets, cities, counties and schools are named after him. His face is on our dollar bill. For much of our history his portrait hung in every public school classroom. He led the convention that wrote our United States Constitution.
George Washington’s contemporaries would have made him king, but he bade farewell to his troops, resigned his military commission and returned to Mount Vernon to become an ordinary citizen. The nation called him back to service. After two terms as president, he relinquished the power of the presidency, thereby confirming that our country will always have a peaceful succession from one head of state to another. Washington set the standard by which his successors are measured.
Congressman Roscoe Bartlett has proposed a bill to require federal agencies to refer to the third Monday in February as Washington’s Birthday. Tell your Members of Congress to co-sponsor Mr. Bartlett’s bill so that George Washington will be properly respected when next year’s calendars are printed.
This post originally appeared at https://www.phyllisschlafly.com/national-sovereignty/america-first/anniversary-of-george-washingtons-inauguration/
Ryan Hite