Presidents’ Day has come and gone but I can’t help but reflect on two of my favorites, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.
Washington was our first president. He led an army of rag tag colonists of victory over the well-trained, formidable British redcoats. He was able to marshal Indian warriors, and the French, to join in his fight, and in the end the fledgling United States gained their freedom from British rule.
Washington, of course, then went on to serve as president, and led the new nation through the triumphs and pitfalls the new republic faced. His maneuvering to bring the thirteen colonies together as one was incredibly difficult, but ultimately successful. For that he certainly deserves hero status.
Lincoln, in my mind, is the greatest president the U.S. has ever had. From humble beginnings, he grew up in the rural areas of the Midwest, unlike most politicians who came from the East Coast. Those beginnings, and several missteps along the way formed his affinity for the common man.
Lincoln lost numerous elections, before the famous Lincoln- Stephen Douglas debates in 1858 that propelled him to a U.S. senate seat. Two years later he ran for president and won.
As they say, the rest is history. The Civil War, the bloodiest war we as a nation have ever encountered began and lasted four years. It pitted the wealthy, industrialized northern states against the rural southern states. It wasn’t easy for the north. Lincoln fired several commanders and finally behind Generals Grant and Sherman forced Lee’s troops to surrender.
All the while, Lincoln was demanding Congress pass the Emancipation Proclamation which would free all slaves. His demand was countered with much resistance. It took weeks, and months of convincing and horse-trading to get enough “yes” votes but it finally was passed.
I admire Lincoln because of his fortitude. Life was never easy for him. He grew up in poverty. He has no formal education and survived working odd job to odd job. His mother passed away when he was nine. His marriage was not a happy one. He and Mary Todd had four sons- three of which died before they reached the age of maturity. His foray into politics wasn’t very successful, but after a couple of losses he won, and later won the big prize- the presidency.
His iron will and “never say never” attitude allowed him to reunite the country and free the slaves- two monumental accomplishments that I’m not sure any other person could have achieved. When I look at our current president or his predecessors, I do not see the fortitude of Lincoln. Too much today is decided by politics and money. I doubt if we will ever see a Lincoln or Washington in the future. They were two extraordinary presidents and as a young nation, we were lucky to have them serve.
I know some people think we should eliminate Presidents Day. They say Washington had slaves and Lincoln wasn’t all history has made him to be. But I disagree, I worship these two, and will forever salute their accomplishments on President’s Day.