Forum Posting

In response to Poll Results, hercules mulligan writes:

I enjoyed participating in your poll (I voted for George). I think that you are right in estimating that it was Washington who was the most responsible of the Founders for the successful start of our American Republic. I believe that Hamilton was probably the second-most valuable Founder (or at least that he left the second-most valuable political heritage for us Americans to inherit). But even with all his genius, America would not have placed confidence in any other than a man of universally known and acknowledged character and judgment. Washington never went to college, never earned a Ph.D., but because of his character, America has the legacy that it has.

Sigh, how such short memories we have (what idiots would call Bill Clinton a good desk clerk, much less, the fourth-best President?!?!?). Here is Washington himself upon this general subject:
"If the blessings of Heaven showered thick around us should be spilled on the ground or converted to curses, through the fault of those for whom they were intended, it would not be the first instance of folly or perverseness in short-sighted mortals. The blessed Religion revealed in the word of God will remain an eternal and awful monument to prove that the best Institutions may be abused by human depravity; and that they may even, in some instances be made subservient to the vilest of purposes. Should, hereafter, those who are intrusted [sic] with the management of this government, incited by the lust of power and prompted by the Supineness or venality of their Constituents, overleap the known barriers of this Constitution and violate the unalienable rights of humanity: it will only serve to shew, that no compact among men (however provident in its construction and sacred in its ratification) can be pronounced everlasting and inviolable, and if I may so express myself, that no Wall of words, that no mound of parchmt. can be so formed as to stand against the sweeping torrent of boundless ambition on the one side, aided by the sapping current of corrupted morals on the other." intended First Inaugural Address

Snake Hunters adds:

If only the history of our first five presidents were mandatory study for high school graduates, we would have an improved, aware culture, ready to meet the challenges of the 21st century.Lacking that basic, our two-page summary of the past eighty years by Raymond Kraft, attempts to partially fill the tragic empty void between the ears of the baby-boomers, and their kids! reb

See 'History' Post, July 4, 2006 http://www.lazyonebenn.blogspot.com/

Our Founding Truth:

Thanks for the poll, I voted for Hamilton, everyone is voting for Washington on my poll, but I think Hamilton was more active in the development of the nation, not militarily, but economically and otherwise. It was his ideas which is the basis of our financial empire, not Washington's.

Hamilton had more adversity to overcome than Washington, if he would have been a better politician, the Federalists would not have lost the Presidency. If he could have united the Federalists, rather than split them up, Adams would have beaten Jefferson in 1800, even with Hamilton's death, the Federalists would still have been the most powerful party. But Hamilton had enemies, and helped divide the party. With the financial achievements of the Federalists, maybe Jay, or King could have won the Presidency.