GEORGE WASHINGTON: A TRULY REMARKABLE MAN II
This STB is Part II on the life of George Washington We again would like
to thank the Mt. Vernon Ladies Association of the Union and Mr. James Rees,
Assoc. Director for its preparation and allowing MSA to reproduce the photo of
the "Texas Gate".
On December 12, 1799, following his usual routine, Washington rose at five in
the morning, long before the rest of the household, and went downstairs to the
study where he answered correspondence and took breakfast before starting out on
his horseback tour of the farms. It was a stormy day but Washington, always the
devoted farmer, was not about to delay his plan to clear away some underbrush
near the Potomac River shoreline. Washington's diary entry for the 12th reads:
"About I o'clock it began to snow--soon after to Hail and then turned to a
settled cold Rain. The mercury was 28 at night."
Washington rode out through the snow and rain, and when he returned, his
clothes were soaked through and it was clear that he had taken a chill.
Nevertheless, the next morning he went out into the cold again, marking out land
to be cleared in the spring. That evening he returned to his desk to draft
instructions to his farm manager. It seems fitting that the last of the tens of
thousands of letters that Washington wrote was about farming.
In just a matter of hours, George Washington contracted quinsy, an infection
of the throat not unlike what we call strep throat today. Two doctors were
rushed to his beside and, following 18th-century medical practices, they bled
the General on at least two occasions, which only made him weaker. His throat
contracted to the point that breathing was simply impossible and, on December
14, 1799, with Martha at his side, he died in his own bed at Mount Vernon. The
entire nation was plunged into mourning for "The Father of Our Country".
Two centuries later, we still remember Washington as "First in War, First in
Peace and First in the Hearts of His Countrymen." His image is easily recognized
by people of all ages, and his name is still attached to hundreds of cities and
towns, thousands of streets and avenues. But there is significant evidence that
many Americans-particularly those in the younger generations--have lost touch
with Washington, the man. How many students, even those about to graduate from
high school, can describe his accomplishments? How many Americans, no matter
what their ages, still remember that George Washington's true birthday is
February 22, and not the third Monday in February? And when we "celebrate" this
annual occasion, how many Americans pause to reflect upon the character of
George Washington, rather than the department store sales that fill our
newspapers?
It is ironic indeed that Americans are losing touch with their greatest hero
at a time when foreign nations are pointing to George Washington, Thomas
Jefferson and other Founding Fathers as role models for their leaders of today.
It may be that the freedom fighters in China and the Soviet Union understand the
character and patriotism of George Washington better than our own children. They
comprehend the sacrifices made by George Washington and his compatriots because
they are being called upon to make similar sacrifices.
Perhaps too many Americans have been spoiled by several decades of relative
prosperity. Perhaps the concepts of "heroism" and "patriotism" are no longer
viewed as applicable to the American experience. Whatever the reasons, the
people who live and work in America today are missing an opportunity to draw
upon the inspiration and leadership of George Washington. To know and appreciate
this remarkable man is to know and appreciate our nation.
More than one tourist visiting Mount Vernon has pronounced that George
Washington was a "great but boring man." Sadly, by today's standards, this
statement is understandable. George Washington was happily married to a devoted
and steady wife, and even the most adventurous scholar cannot discover evidence
that he was ever unfaithful. He constructed a modest home on a large plantation,
yet his business ventures were only moderately successful. His "hobbies" were
horticulture, hunting, reading and writing. He never attempted to draft flowery
memoirs. He was respected more than any American before or since, yet he
carefully guarded his privacy and that of his family. He offered warm
hospitality to hundreds of guests at Mount Vernon, but he often retired very
early--sometimes at eight p.m.--so that he could arise to begin his busy day
between four and five in the. morning. He possessed many acquaintances, but very
few close friends. His writings tell us that he was an admirable stepfather and
grandfather to Martha's children and grandchildren, and that he worried about
the same family matters that parents do today. He seldom traveled except to
fulfill his duties to his nation, and never sailed to Europe or vacationed in
exotic climes. He like to drink and eat, but seldom to excess, and he was not
known for fascinating or moving speeches.
In so many ways, George Washington appears today as an "average" American.
The public relations whiz-kids who advise our 20th-century politicians would
probably look at Washington as a difficult candidate, someone who would be
hard-pressed to capture the public's attention during a IS-second spot on the
television news.
This appraisal of George Washington is remarkably shallow. And it is the duty
of organizations like the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association to reverse this
trend, to reinstate George Washington as a model of leadership and courage for
each new generation. Washington was a fascinating man with many talents and
interests beyond those previewed in textbooks. He owned a huge fishing
operation, a quarry, and a distillery. He helped to finance a canal system and
funded the school that would eventually become Washington & Lee University. He
experimented with a variety of new plants and fertilizers, and he took great
pride in creating a new plow for American farmers. He served as his own
architect and landscape designer, and Mount Vernon stands today as supreme and
incontestable proof of his genius. He supervised the interior decoration of his
home and personally selected the vast majority of Mount Vernon's furnishings.
Washington was a complex man who strove to make each and every day a
productive one. By the time he had reached the age of 30, his life and the
course of our nation would be intertwined, not to be separated until his death
in 1799. Many of the challenges he faced, and the burdens he accepted, were not
sought by Washington. Time and again, he accepted "the call of my country."
Today, thousands of Americans, from every corner of this great nation, still
visit Mount Vernon and pay their respects at Washington's tomb. This is an
encouraging sign; our respect for George Washington still runs deep, even though
our knowledge about him and his times is fading fast.
Almost all visitors to Mount Vernon pass through a handsome gate with an
impressive center arch. This brick gate was first constructed in 1899, with the
financial support of the Grand Lodge of Texas. Almost a century later, the Grand
Lodge once again demonstrated its devotion to George Washington by contributing
$150,000 to restore and modernize the "Texas Gate." The inscription on a special
bronze plaque at the gate pays homage to George Washington: (See page 7)
This renewal of the Texas Gate must be accompanied by a renewed interest in
the character and leadership of George Washington. For never has our nation
needed a genuine hero more than it needs one today.
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