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It's "Washington's Birthday"
Heritage Foundation ^ | February 16, 2001 | Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.

Posted on 02/17/2003 8:35:10 AM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl

 
It's "Washington's Birthday"
by Matthew Spalding, Ph.D.
February 16, 2001  

Can you name the holiday that falls on the third Monday in February? Like most Americans, you probably think its "Presidents Day." Every desk calendar and car sale ad seems to confirm it. So it may surprise you to learn that its legal name is still "Washington’s Birthday." The law establishing the holiday has never been changed.

For all practical purposes, of course, his day has been forfeited to convenience. We celebrate it on the third Monday in February rather than on the actual day (Feb. 22), and we call it "Presidents Day" so we can lump it in with Abraham Lincoln’s birthday (Feb. 12) and pay tribute to all presidents—good, bad and mediocre.

Two members of Congress, Reps. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., and Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., have had enough of this convenience. They’ve introduced legislation that would direct all federal agencies to refer to the holiday as "George Washington’s Birthday" and return Washington to his rightful place above all other presidents.

That’s a step in the right direction. A better step would be for President Bush to issue an executive order that not only would enforce current law, but remind Americans that Washington still deserves to be "first in the hearts of his countrymen."

If anyone in American history deserves to have a day celebrated in his honor, it’s Washington. He led the army that won independence from the British, refused to become the king of his new land, led the Constitutional Convention that gave us the world’s pre-eminent government, then served as the first president. And his departure from office marked one of the first peaceful transfers of power in world history.

Washington biographer James Flexner called him the "indispensable man" of the American founding. In his roles as the head of the Constitutional Convention and as our first president, he set the precedents that define what it means to be a constitutional executive: strong and energetic, aware of the limits of authority, but guarding the prerogatives of office.

Through force of character and skillful leadership, Washington transformed an underfunded militia into a capable force that, although never able to take the British army head-on, outwitted and defeated the mightiest military power in the world. After that, Washington resigned his commission and returned to his beloved Mount Vernon.

His participation in the Constitutional Convention gave the resulting document a credibility it otherwise would have lacked. Unanimously elected president of the convention, he worked actively to support a strong executive and defined national powers. The vast powers of the presidency, one delegate wrote, would not have been made as great "had not many of the members cast their eyes towards General Washington as president; and shaped their ideas of the powers to be given to a president by their opinions of his virtue."

In Washington’s extensive writings about the principles and purposes of the American founding, he championed religious freedom, immigration and the rule of law. His greatest legacy is his Farewell Address, which ranks with the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution among the great documents of the founding.

Washington called the Constitution our strongest check against tyranny and the best bulwark of our freedom. He warned us to guard against oppositions to lawful authority and those that seek to circumvent the rule of law. He also warned against the politics of passion. Partisan spirit finds its roots in human nature, he said, but it should not dominate politics to the exclusion of deliberation, persuasion and reason.

Although remembered by some as an isolationist, Washington recommended that America build political, economic and physical strength sufficient to defy external threats and pursue its own long-term national purpose. He urged that liberty—not conquest—be the objective of our international relations and commerce, and be America’s primary means for acquiring goods and dealing with the world.

No one did more to put America on the path to success than Washington. No one did more to assure a government with sufficient power to function but sufficient limits to allow freedom to flourish. No one walked away from power with more dignity, conducted himself with more grace or did more to assure the prosperous society we enjoy today.

Which is why no one deserves to have a holiday that bears his own name more than George Washington.

Matthew Spalding is director of the B. Kenneth Simon Center for American Studies at The Heritage Foundation, a Washington-based public policy research institute

Distributed nationally by the Associated Press


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy; US: Virginia
KEYWORDS: georgewashington; presidentsday; washingtonsbirthday

1 posted on 02/17/2003 8:35:10 AM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl
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Restoring the Celebration of the George Washington Birthday Federal Holiday on February 17, 2003 and Commemorating the Birth of Abraham Lincoln
 
02/13/2003

Congressman Roscoe Bartlett (R-6-MD) today reintroduced his legislation to restore recognition of the federal holiday that will be observed on Monday, February 17 by its legal name, Washington’s Birthday. There is not and never has been a Presidents’ Day federal holiday!

The bill, identical to H.R. 420 from the 107th Congress, would direct all federal government agencies to refer to the federal holiday on the third Monday in February by its legal name, George Washington's Birthday. Washington’s actual birthday is February 22. The bill also calls upon the President to issue a proclamation each year recognizing the anniversary of the birthday of President Abraham Lincoln.

“The big lie of Presidents’ Day stems from the 1968 law which shifted the observance of most federal holidays to Mondays,” said Congressman Bartlett. “The George Washington’s birthday was one of the original federal holidays, but is no longer observed on his actual birthday. February also marks the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, another of our greatest Presidents. Without this bill, there will be no commemoration of Abraham Lincoln's birthday or his accomplishments in preserving the Union and issuing the Emancipation Proclamation.”

Congressman Bartlett noted, “There would be no United States, no Presidency at all without George Washington. He is the only President elected unanimously, not once, but twice. What’s everybody’s business is nobody’s business. A generic President's Day diminishes the accomplishments of America’s greatest Presidents, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, while rewarding the mediocrity of others.”

Additional background is available upon request.

2 posted on 02/17/2003 8:37:57 AM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl ("The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world, it is God's gift to humanity." -GWB)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday GW,
Happy Birthday to you
3 posted on 02/17/2003 8:40:40 AM PST by Semper Paratus
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To: Semper Paratus
Happy Birthday GW! I don't see a lot of press on this....gee I wonder why.
4 posted on 02/17/2003 8:45:33 AM PST by ConservativeMan55
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Comment #5 Removed by Moderator

To: Ragtime Cowgirl
George Washington's grandparents were Augustine & Mary Ball Washington
His great grandparents were Lawerence and Mildred Wagner Washington
His great great grandparents were John and Ann Pope Washington
and.............
My great grandparents were Samuel Daniel and Mary Burch Hargrove
My great great grandparents were Emaline and Omar Hassen Garrard
My great great great grandparents were Henry and Mary Bourland Garrard
My great great great great grandparents were William Washington and Elizabeth Garrard
My great great great great great grandparents were Elizabeth Washington and Col. Daniel Garrard
My great great great great great great grandfather was John Washington
My great great great great great great great grandparents were Henry and Mary Bailey Washington
My great great great great great great great great grandparents were Capt. John and Ann Wickliff Washington
My great great great great great great great great great grandparents were John and Ann Pope Washington
George Washington is a distant cousin of mine. I did inherit the bad teeth from that side of the family!
6 posted on 02/17/2003 9:19:09 AM PST by buffyt (Can you say President Hillary - Mistress of Darkness?.......Me neither!!!!!!!!!)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
George Washington's Birthday bump!
7 posted on 02/17/2003 9:19:17 AM PST by Brian Allen (This above all -- to thine own self be true)
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To: buffyt
What an awesome legacy! You were a born Freeper. (^:

George Washington Quotes:

"Government is not reason; it is not eloqence; it is force! Like fire, it is a dangerous servant and a fearful master."

"The thing that separates the American Christian from every other person on earth is the fact that he would rather die on his feet, than live on his knees!"

From Washington's First Inaugural address, “I hope that the foundation of our national policy will be laid in the pure and immutable principles of private morality. The preeminence of free government exemplifies by all the attributes which can win the affections of its citizens and command the respect of the world."

"The General orders this day to be religiously observed by the forces under his Command, exactly in manner directed by the Continental Congress. It is therefore strictly enjoined on all officers and soldiers to attend Divine service, And it is expected that all those who go to worship do take their arms, ammunition and accoutrements, and are prepared for immediate action, if called upon."

"The time is now near at hand which must probably determine whether Americans are to be freemen or slaves; whether they are to have any property they can call their own; whether their houses and farms are to be pillaged and destroyed, and themselves consigned to a state of wretchedness from which no human efforts will deliver them.

The fate of unborn millions will now depend. under God, on the courage of this army. Our cruel and unrelenting enemy leaves us only the choice of brave resistance, or the most abject submission. We have, therefore to resolve to conquer or die."

"While we are zealously performing the duties of good citizens and soldiers, we certainly ought not to be inattentive to the higher duties of religion.

To the distinguished character of Patriot, it should be our highest Glory to laud the more distinguished Character of Christian."

In his Inaugural Speech, April 30, 1789,

"...it would be peculiarly improper to omit, in this first official act, my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who rules over the universe, who presides in the councils of nations and whose providential aids can supply every human defect, that His benediction may consecrate to the liberties and happiness of the people of the United States a Government instituted by themselves for these essential purposes...."

"No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than the people of the United States."

October 3, 1789, National Day of Thanksgiving

"Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor....

"Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the twenty-sixth day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these United States...

"that we then may all unite unto him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection ofthe people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war;

"for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed....

"And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions...to promote the knowledge and practice of the true religion and virtue....

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3rd of October, A.D. 1789"

George Washington's personal prayer book, consisting of 24 pages in his field notebook, written in his own handwriting, reveal the depth of his character:

"SUNDAY MORNING....Almighty God, and most merciful Father, who didst command the children of Israel to offer a daily sacrifice to Thee, that thereby they might glorify and praise Thee for Thy protection both night and day, receive O Lord, my morning sacrifice which I now offer up to thee;

"I yield Thee humble and hearty thanks, that Thou hast preserved me from the dangers of the night past and brought me to the Light of this day, and the comfort thereof, a day which is consecrated to Thine own service and for Thine own honour.

"Let my heart therefore gracious God be so affected with the glory and majesty of it, that I may not do mine own works but wait on Thee, and discharge those weighty duties Thou required of me: and since Thou art a God of pure eyes, and will be sanctified in all who draw nearer to Thee, who dost not regard the sacrifice of fools, nor hear sinners who tread in Thy courts, pardon I beseech Thee, my sins, remove them from Thy presence, as far as the east is from the west, and accept of me for the merits of Thy son Jesus Christ, that when I come into Thy temple and compass Thine altar, my prayer may come before Thee as incense, and as I desire Thou wouldst hear me calling upon Thee in my prayers, so give me peace to hear the calling on me in Thy word, that it may be wisdom, righteousness, reconciliation and peace to the saving of my soul in the day ofthe Lord Jesus.

"Grant that I may hear it with reverence, receive it with meekness, mingle it with faith, and that it may accomplish in me gracious God, the good work for which Thou hast sent it.

"Bless my family, kindred, friends and country, be our God and guide this day and forever for His sake, who lay down in the grave and arose again for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

"It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible."

"It is impossible to account for the creation of the universe, without the agency of a Supreme Being. It is impossible to govern the universe without the aid of a Supreme Being. It is impossible to reason without arriving at a Supreme Being."

"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, Religion and morality are indispensable supports. 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."

Washington proclaimed firearms to be "the people's liberty teeth."


http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/founding.html

8 posted on 02/17/2003 10:14:22 AM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl (A lot of people mistake a short memory for a clear conscience. Doug Larson)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
I just posted over on the "President's Day" thread that this has always been listed on the roster of Federal holidays as "Washington's Birthday".

It was someone in the press a couple of years ago that called it, incorrectly, President's day, and that has been picked up and incorrectly perpetuated.

To return to calling it Washington's Birthday is an attempt to get the stupid press to give up calling it the WRONG name. I just heard someone on Fox News again call it President's Day.

I wish you luck with this one. Once the press have misnamed something, how do you ever think you are going to get them to correct it? They are the ones who made the mistake in the beginning.
9 posted on 02/17/2003 10:28:12 AM PST by TruthNtegrity (God bless America, God bless President George W. Bush and God bless our Military!)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
Show your Freeper Support!

Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md
http://www.bartlett.house.gov/signup.asp
Office of Congressman Bartlett
2412 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington D.C. 20515
PHONE: (202) 225-2721
FAX: (202) 225-2193
http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Tom Tancredo, R-Colo
http://www.house.gov/tancredo/contact_tom.htm
DC Office
1130 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-7882

District Office
6099 South Quebec St., Suite 200
Centennial, CO 80111-4547
(720) 283-9772

10 posted on 02/17/2003 10:32:57 AM PST by yoe
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To: ConservativeMan55
We'll be the press. Someone has to inform the people. (^:



11 posted on 02/17/2003 11:02:28 AM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl ("The commitment of our fathers is now the calling of our time." - George W. (Bush))
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To: TruthNtegrity
Once the press have misnamed something, how do you ever think you are going to get them to correct it?

I'm thinking tar and feathers? (^:

Check out #10. Roscoe and Tom should have no trouble getting this law passed...with a little convincing from constituents. It's a start. After the ignorance on parade across America last weekend, no one can argue that we've failed to educate our citizens.

12 posted on 02/17/2003 11:06:43 AM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl ("The commitment of our fathers is now the calling of our time." - George W. (Bush))
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
Dear George Washington...

If you're looking down on us from heaven, I hope you and fellow Founders will see that there are still many of us who revere you and praise your courageous deeds. As you weep over the liberalism that has crept into our schools, government, etc., please know that your work was not in vain. America will stand tall, because of red-blooded Americans who love their country and liberty more than life itself.

I don't know what kind of party God is throwing for you on your birthday, but I bet it's a great one. Happy birthday, George. And thank you.

13 posted on 02/17/2003 11:08:07 AM PST by Luna (Freedom Forever!!)
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To: yoe
Great idea, yoe. Thanks for the links! We should contact our own Reps. and ask them to support this bill as well.
14 posted on 02/17/2003 11:10:53 AM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl ("The commitment of our fathers is now the calling of our time." - George W. (Bush))
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To: Luna
Amen.
15 posted on 02/17/2003 11:12:06 AM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl ("The commitment of our fathers is now the calling of our time." - George W. (Bush))
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
Out here on the left-fruitcake-coast, we (students in the CA state university system) don't take the day off to remember this great man.

Now, we took a day off to celebrate Martin Luther King day. And we're going to take a day off to celebrate Ceaser Chevez day. But not for Geo. Wash.

What do you expect from a university system dictated, perpetuated and isolated by socialists?

16 posted on 02/17/2003 11:26:20 AM PST by hoosierskypilot
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To: hoosierskypilot
Sounds like a Freep opportunity waiting to happen. I know Freepers would be happy to contact the school.
17 posted on 02/17/2003 1:02:59 PM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl ("The commitment of our fathers is now the calling of our time." - George W. (Bush))
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
I am reading Flexner's ( who died this weekend age 95)life of Washinton right now. I think George Washington is a true American hero. All humans have their weaknesses that cynics try to use to pull down someone's star. I don't think the cynics have been quite able to do that to Washington. We owe him so much. Happy Birthday to President Washington.
18 posted on 02/17/2003 4:16:08 PM PST by virgil
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Happy Birthday, George Washington.
19 posted on 02/22/2003 1:39:26 PM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl (An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last. - Winston Churchill)
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