WASHINGTON'S RULES OF CIVILITY

   Without a doubt Washington is the greatest American, and greatest president in my view. Washington oversaw the birth of America and never flinched through the eight long years that we fought for our independence from England. He was the glue that kept men of varying political opinions together long enough to come up with a working constitution. As president he set the standard for all presidents who would come after. Some have lived up to it and far too many have not. Washington set so many examples for us through his courage and wisdom and as the Father of his country he was setting an example, not just for his contemporaries, but for future generations of American's. Contrary to what the left tries to tell us, Washington was a religious man. His Christian belief and obedience to the Rules of Civility, that he learned as a teenager, was the foundation for much of his greatness. When Washington was 16, he studied the Rules Of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation. These rules were originally composed by French Jesuits in 1595. I have not read them all but I like the ones that I have read. Some of them, by today's standards would be classified as foolish but many are of such value that all American's could benefit by them, especially the people who represent us in our government.

1. RULE # 22 - SHOW NOT YOURSELF GLAD AT THE MISFORTUNE OF ANOTHER THOUGH HE WERE YOUR ENEMY.

When the British surrendered at Yorktown he ordered his men not to celebrate in front of the British troops as a sign of respect for a defeated enemy. This carried over to the Civil War when Grant ordered his men not to celebrate over the defeat of the Confederate Army.

RULE # 33 - THEY THAT ARE IN DIGNITY OR IN OFFICE HAVE IN ALL PLACES PRECEDENCY 

After John Adams was sworn in as our 2nd president and Thomas Jefferson was sworn in as Vice President, on March 4, 1797 there was an awkward moment. As the dignitaries were leaving Thomas Jefferson stepped aside to allow Washington to go first. Washington, however: insisted that Jefferson go first because at that moment Washington was no longer president. He was just a private citizen. In his mind he was showing the proper deference to Jefferson.  

RULE # 82- UNDERTAKE NOT WHAT YOU CANNOT PERFORM BUT BE CAREFUL TO KEEP YOUR PROMISE 

This one needs no explanation and we all need to model our lives based on this rule. Washington however; always kept his promises. When the war was over he could have become a dictator or king if he had wanted to but he retired to the private life of a farmer. As president, he felt that a president should not serve more than two terms and this remained the tradition until broken by Franklin Roosevelt. Washington followed the example of the great Roman general, Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus. Cincinnatus ruled Rome long enough to repel an invasion but once the danger was over, like Washington, he relinquished power and returned to his farm.

RULE # 110 - LABOR TO KEEP ALIVE IN YOUR BREAST THAT LITTLE SPARK OF CELESTIAL FIRE CALLED CONSCIENCE

Although one can argue that Washington was slow to free his slaves, he began to express the sentiment that slavery was wrong during the revolution. He was heavily influenced by the Frenchman Marquis de Lafayette who Washington had a great affection for, and who was very much opposed to slavery. Washington decreed in his will that all of the slaves that he personally owned would be freed upon the death of his wife Martha.