Mount Vernon was our destination today. We arrived there a little before 8:00 this morning to have a tour of the mansion before the general public came. After seeing Monticello and Montpelier, I was excited to see how Washington's house compared. For someone who did not know Washington's and Jefferson's personalities, they would say that Mount Vernon was nowhere as magnificent as Monticello. However, George Washington lived a simpler lifestyle than his contemporaries. His house was very nice, but he and Martha were not showy. His house reflected this lifestyle, with his study and bedroom set off in a part of the house that guests could not easily get to. His house was more rustic, reminding us that he believed himself to be a farmer first and foremost. For such a famous American, he was so humble.
What I like the best about him is a couple of facts that some historians say is his most important contribution to American republicanism ideals. Following the end of the Revolutionary War, many people called for Washington to become King of America. He profusely refused, and in an act to show support for the new nation as much as for his personal decision, he resigned his commission over the army, leaving power in the hands of the civilian government. This act assured that the United States would not have a military government, and allowed the properly constituted government to take over. In 1796, as his second term is coming to a close, many supporters urged him to seek a third term. He decided that eight years as president was sufficient and that it was time for someone else to take power. Again, the act showed that the new government was not going to go the way of a monarchy, and it insured a peaceful transfer of power. In each circumstance, Washington could have followed the path as Caesar before him and Napoleon after him in taking sole power and using it for their own gain. Instead, he believed in the ideals of the nation, and followed them to the very end.
So after completing the last of the home visits we have scheduled, and taking into account seeing the Lincoln exhibits at Ford's Theater, I got to reflecting on what I saw. With all due respect to Theodore Roosevelt, the four I have seen - Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Madison - should be the four on Mount Rushmore. These are the four responsible for the government we have now: Jefferson's Declaration of Independence, Madison's work on the US Constitution, Washington's war victory and leading both the Constitutional Convention and the Executive Branch, and Lincoln's leadership in keeping the Union together. The monuments on the National Mall are great, and you can see memorials for Washington, Lincoln, Jefferson, and FDR all together (which ironically is very close to the Rushmore foursome). But what you can't understand walking around the Mall is the personal lives of the men. These visits have been a valuable look into who these men truly were.
MEET THE FELLOWS: Shawn Hornung is from Kansas. He lives near Kansas State University, his alma mater. Shawn's wife and 7 year old daughter visited the first weekend, and from all accounts had a blast! His daughter's favorite part was the Lincoln Memorial, which shows she has great taste. Shawn is great to hang out with, and a very genuine guy.
TOMORROW: Full class activities on the Constitutional Convention, then an evening at Nationals Park to see the 1st place Washington Nationals take on the 1st place San Francisco Giants. A much better match-up then my previous game there in 2007 when I saw the last place Nationals take on a bad Cincinnati Reds team.
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