General Washington Renounces Political Ambition

{Note: Though General Washington never made this speech, I contend he could have. Citizens of the 18th century –even many Colonials– expected Washington, as the heart and soul of the Revolution, the commander of an army who owed allegiance only to him (certainly not to the Continental Congress which had so ill-equipped and ill-paid them), to hold onto his power in some form. It was all well and good for men to talk about “liberty” and “republic” but there was simply no precedent for a large country actually being run like that (–unless you wanted to count the Roman Republic 2,000 years earlier….)}


My friends, I’m honored deeply
by the faith which you here show in me,
your confidence that these qualities
which served so well in war might now
to governance be applied successfully.I, myself, have doubts:
I fear that battle’s clear, cold steel will be dulled
in the gauzy murk of diplomacy.
And though I were suited to this high estate most perfectly
still I should shrink from it.
I think of Caesar,
returning, triumphant, from Gaul,
his heart full of zeal for the good of his people,
who achieved much, but whose lordly rule
gave way to others far less wise….

There’s a name for a man raised above men as a god:
it’s “king”. I’ll have no kings!

Thus, I surrender to you,
the duly-elected representatives of the States,
the outward and visible sign of my authority:
this sword. Let the world take note
that these united States, born under tyranny’s yoke,
shall, in word and deed, henceforth
be governed democratically.


{p.s. Yes, I know that Washington would never have willingly surrendered his sword to anyone and that “democrat” meant something different in his day…. I’ve taken some liberties.}

{p.p.s. After writing the above I discovered the Old Senate Chamber of the Maryland State House (where Washington resigned his commission as commander of the army). Until 2003 it billed itself as the place “Where Washington Surrendered His Sword” –but has since retracted the claim…. There is a nice figurative truth there.}

Lucius Furius

 

Lucius’ other Washington stuff: