Presidents Day – George Washington and Abraham Lincoln - a Brief History Lesson

President’s day has been celebrated since 1968, prior to that there were two holidays, George Washington’s Birthday on the 22th of the Month, and Abraham Lincoln’s on the 12th of February. Lincoln’s birthday was not celebrated in every state. In 1968, when Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Bill, in order to facilities retail sales around certain holidays – in the legislature a debate ensued, suggested that Lincoln and Washington both be honored, as Lincolns birthday was not honored in several states. – it was accepted and “Presidents Day” became a day to celebrate both men. It was not to take effect until 1971, and became generally accepted through retailer’s use of the name in advertising.
Abraham Lincolns’ birthday was celebrated because he brought the nation through a civil war, and he had been known for persistence. In fact, Lincoln lost more elections that he had won, up to 8 local and congressional races, until reaching the presidency.

George Washington selection was obvious, as the first president, one who, many at that time, argued should be king. The glorification of Washington t the time, should be considered rather normal – the majority of the colonist came from England, the colony’s were under English rule and were used to having a monarch as head of state. Washington, of course, declined, accepting the presidency instead.

The Federalist Papers available in total on Google.com Books offers insight into exactly how the framers of the Constitution of the United States felt regarding Powers of offices and the establishment (or more to the point- no establishment) of a monarchy.

It goes without saying that neither man was perfect in any wise, however, in Lincolns’ case specifically (as Washington’s background was that of the more elite “class”), sometimes ordinary citizens will rise above all hardships and through temerity (as in multiple runs for public office), eventually succeed.
It is a lesson that all who are seeking office, for the love of country, should do well to remember – it is not that one has run once and lost, that matters, or that one may have run four or five times and lost, it is the fact that one perseveres in the belief that they are doing the right thing, not for personal gain, but for the nation at large. It is also a lesson for those who would disparage a candidate who has run for office and lost on multiple occasions, for two particular reasons – one it is a history lesson, two, that candidate has learned, not unlike Lincoln, from each loss, taking notes along the way and although that candidate may be deemed (in today’s jargon) a “loser” – that statement may lead to “eating crow” on the part of the pundit (or opposition for that matter).

Note Eating Crow: definition

Suggested Reading: ”1776” by David McCullough

”The Federalist Papers” by
Alexander Hamilton, Jon Jay and James Madison

“Abraham Lincoln, A Biography,” by Benjamin Thomas (1952), (Note: this may mean a trip to the library or online bookseller.