18 February 2013
At my age, and in my circumstances, what sinister object, or personal emolument had I to seek after, in this life? The growing infirmities of age and the increasing love of retirement, daily confirm my decided predilection for domestic life: and the great Searcher of human hearts is my witness, that I have no wish, which aspires beyond the humble and happy lot of living and dying a private citizen on my own farm.
~ George Washington,
letter to Charles Petit,
Mount Vernon, August 16, 1788
Fitzpatrick 30:42
CAJ note: Today is Presidents’ Day, a holiday originally contrived in the mid-1980s at the encouragement of advertisers and businesses. It combined, and replaced, the traditional celebrations of the birthdays of Presidents Washington and Lincoln, on February 22 and February 12.
Update: The Blaze offers President Washington’s “5 most important warnings to Congress.”
Also, we really love this artist’s image of Washington, via George Washington’s Facebook page!
