By John Katz,Editor, The American Dossier
One of the things I like about our currency is that it is a constant reminder of our history. Especially the dollar bill and the quarter when I go shopping on Presidents Weekend.
So are you enjoying your extended weekend? Although not all are off from work today as the time and traditions have changed in the work place.
Today is President’s Day. I grew up in NYC in the mid 1970’s and clearly remember the daily 4th grade lessons on NY state’s history during the American Revolution.
The day is often understood as a celebration of the birthdays and lives of all U.S. presidents.
I mentioned our currency in being a reminder of Presidents Day. It unfortunately seems this day has become more forgotten and a more of a day about car and furniture sales and all else that is superficial. But that also is the beauty of our American freedom to choose to shop until we drop if we so choose.
Its origin lies in the 1880s, when the birthday of Washington—commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and the first president of the United States—was first celebrated as a federal holiday.
During debate on the bill, it was proposed that Washington’s Birthday be renamed Presidents’ Day to honor the birthdays of both Washington (February 22) and Lincoln (February 12 ) It was first celebrated as a federal holiday when in 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill. After the bill went into effect in 1971, Presidents’ Day became the commonly accepted name.
There are many documented stories about enemies from within who wanted the American Revolution to fail. What most people don’t know is that in the summer of 1776, about one in five colonists were still loyal to the king of England.
George Washington was almost assassinated during the Revolution by some of these loyalists. Brad Meltzer and Josh Mensch, present this account in their book, “The First Conspiracy,” about a little-known plot to assassinate the later to be commander in chief.
Most loyalists to England lived in the middle colonies of New York and New Jersey, and included New York’s royal governor, William Tryon who co-conspired with NYC Mayor David Mathews in a plot to assassinate Washington.
In short the plot was discovered and foiled because of the loose lips of a low ranking co-conspirator, Thomas Hickey. Hickey had defected from the British army to the American side, was arrested on an unrelated charge and while in jail, boasted to other prisoners about the plot.
So what does this have to with Presidents day?
So why was the first president not the first king of America?
As pointed out in the Washington Post by author Brad Meltzer, thankfully the plot was stopped, however in perspective “the real damage to the young nation would have been done if Washington hadn’t been the first president .as he voluntarily stepped down after two terms.
When the Revolution was over his popularity could have easily led for him to declare himself as a king ‘but instead he stepped away from power and decided” to have faith in us as a country and faith in us as a people.”
George Washington’s destiny was never that to become ‘career politician’ or a king. And that perhaps the most powerful lesson of not only his legacy but a lesson of wisdom for all citizens and politicians to ponder. We are and must remain a Republic.