In the U.S., today is a national holiday, Presidents’ Day. Originally designed to be a celebration of Washington and Lincoln’s birthdays (February 22 and February 12 respectively), it has become a more general day to recognize our presidents.
I find history to be fascinating, especially when learning or being reminded of tidbits from the past. Some are not pleasant.
Did you know?
John Tyler, the 10th president (1841-1845) was universally reviled. He started as vice-president to William Harrison, who died after only 31 days in office. (Harrison gave a 90-minute inaugural speech in cold rain, fell sick, and never recovered. By the way, his grandson, Benjamin Harrison, became the 23rd president.)
Tyler was kicked out of his own political party (the Whigs), all but one of his presidential cabinet members resigned over his policies, and he was the first to face potential impeachment. After vetoing two bills to establish a national bank, supporters of the rebuffed senators stormed the White House and burned Tyler’s effigy on the front porch. When Tyler passed away in 1862, Lincoln refused to fly the flags at half-mast and The New York Times called him “the most unpopular public man that had ever held any office in the United States” in his obituary.
If you ever think modern political rhetoric is mean-spirited, be reminded of the rancor between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson in the 1800 election campaign. Adams’s campaign called Jefferson “a mean-spirited, low-lived fellow, the son of a half-breed Indian squaw, sired by a Virginia mulatto father.” Jefferson’s campaign accused Adams of having a “hideous hermaphroditical character, which has neither the force and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman.”
They both died on the same day: July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
Lest you think they were the only ones, in 1860 the opposition wrote of Abraham Lincoln, “A horrid-looking wretch he is!—sooty and scoundrelly in aspect; a cross between the nutmeg dealer, the horse-swapper, and the nightman.” (The nightman was someone who emptied toilets at night.)
In 1866 the opposition called Ulysses S. Grant “a man of vile habits, and of no ideas” and “nothing more than a drunken trowser-maker.”
Rutherford B. Hayes, in 1876, lost the popular vote by 250,000 but won the electoral college by one single vote. He thus gained the nicknames of Rutherfraud and His Fraudulency.
So, other than a fascination for presidential campaign trivia, I couldn’t help but think that we are still fallen creatures in need of God’s grace. If we let our words become weapons of destruction, they can be wicked. If, instead, we use our words as weapons of Truth (with a capital T) and for the building up of one another, they can be blessed.
Fun Fridays – February 17, 2023
God moulded a small mirror
into my swore en’my’s face
that I could see it clearer,
the gifting and the Cross of grace.
I’d catch his eye across the room
and move to the assault
that would fain portend my doom,
but Jesus took the fault
to let me kill not kith nor kin
nor self, here at the madding end;
He brought my bitter hate to Him,
and thus there died a Friend
who showed my chosen enemy
was only I, and only He.
Dear Andrew, that is beautiful and profound! All I had at the ready after reading these fascinating historical facts was a sincere admiration for whoever came up with “Rutherfraud.” Thanks for sharing these presidential stings and harrowings, Steve. Wow, insults were a lot more colorful and creative back in the day!
Blessings,
Karen, thank you so much. It was an unintended experiment in stream-of-unconciousness writing, as I kept passing out during the process. Spot of pneumonia. Quite strange.
Thank you, Steve, for deigning to rise above possible harrangue and innuendo regarding current and late political whinings regarding our presidents and choosing instead to provide what you did. As I lurk on social media and read the piteous moans of folks, it is difficult to find any excellence upon which to focus (as Phil. 4:8 commands), so thank you. Elena Corey
Steve,
This is the first email that I’ve read. Loved it!
Chuck Wittenbrook
Ahh, history! The dating of George Washington’s birth is interesting and a bit confusing. According to the Julian calendar in use at the time of his birth, his birthday was January 11, 1731. However, in 1750, an act of Parliament officially replaced the Julian calendar for England and its colonies with the Gregorian calendar. This change came in 1752. The legal new year was changed from March 25 to January 1, the formula for calculating leap years was changed, and 11 days were dropped from the month of September 1752. The end effect was that Washington’s birthday was moved 1 year and 11 days; his new birthday became February 22, 1732.
Amen! My thoughts exactly!
My favorite line, “…we are still fallen creatures in need of God’s grace.” Thank you for the fun, history lesson.
Ah, yes. The ugliness goes way back. In our house of teenage boys, one cannot sigh over any modern political kerfuffle without a son quickly reminding us of the horrors of the past and suggesting we not to complain, ha! States who had more votes for one candidate than their entire population and of course the risk of being killed on your way to vote. Our need for God’s healing grace is paramount!
Correction to my earlier post. According to the Julian calendar in use at the time of his birth, Washington’s birthday was FEBRUARY 11, 1731.
The nutmeg dealer? How is that one even an insult?
These are great, Steve. Always good to step back and get some perspective.
Wow! Great insight. Nothing has changed. Well…Yes it has! Much worse!
Thank you for the history lesson!