S5 E34: The First Presidency

So the first paragraph of the address is, I have it down, it's Washington kind of saying that somewhat begrudgingly he's accepting this role.

He wanted to, he had just spent eight years from 75 to 83 leading the army, fighting the war, Then out of that, he got involved in the Constitutional Convention, which ran for, I don't know what it was, a year or more, developing the Constitution.

All he wanted to do was go back to Mount Vernon.

He wanted to live with his wife.

He wanted to ride horses.

He wanted to relax.

He wanted to enjoy retirement.

And here again comes the call of duty.

And the reason he answered that call was because of his intense and immense love of this country.

And at this time, this country was more of an ideal than an established country, right? But I pulled this quote out.

He says, I was summoned by my country whose voice I can never hear again.

but with veneration and love.

And that was the call of people asking him to serve as president.

And there was obviously an election.

He was unanimously elected, but he had to be willing to throw his hat in the ring and say, I accept this call.

And he did.

And it wasn't because he wanted it.

It wasn't because he wanted power.

It wasn't because he wanted to be the president or rule the country.

What he wanted to do was step back and enjoy life.

But he loved this nation so much, loved the ideals, what he had fought for, and what was this new experiment that he answered

that call.

I just, I'm going to jump in real quick.

I think the interesting thing there is this idea of service, not of seeking power and position.

We look at politicians today that serve for 50 years or more, and they see these offices as something they can climb to, not as something that they can serve.

So the first paragraph of the address is, I have it down, it's Washington kind of saying that somewhat begrudgingly he's accepting this role.

He wanted to, he had just spent eight years from 75 to 83 leading the army, fighting the war, Then out of that, he got involved in the Constitutional Convention, which ran for, I don't know what it was, a year or more, developing the Constitution.

All he wanted to do was go back to Mount Vernon.

He wanted to live with his wife.

He wanted to ride horses.

He wanted to relax.

He wanted to enjoy retirement.

And here again comes the call of duty.

And the reason he answered that call was because of his intense and immense love of this country.

And at this time, this country was more of an ideal than an established country, right? But I pulled this quote out.

He says, I was summoned by my country whose voice I can never hear again.

but with veneration and love.

And that was the call of people asking him to serve as president.

And there was obviously an election.

He was unanimously elected, but he had to be willing to throw his hat in the ring and say, I accept this call.

And he did.

And it wasn't because he wanted it.

It wasn't because he wanted power.

It wasn't because he wanted to be the president or rule the country.

What he wanted to do was step back and enjoy life.

But he loved this nation so much, loved the ideals, what he had fought for, and what was this new experiment that he answered

that call.

I just, I'm going to jump in real quick.

I think the interesting thing there is this idea of service, not of seeking power and position.

We look at politicians today that serve for 50 years or more, and they see these offices as something they can climb to, not as something that they can serve.