President’s Day may have been overshadowed by news from Ukraine but the words of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln remain inspiring amid growing uncertainty.
Presidential historian Craig Shirley, author of a new book, “April 1945,” said in an interview with Fox News Digital that Washington is the “foundation of America,” while Lincoln always considered the intentions of the Founding Fathers. Shirley stressed that all Americans should relish the words of these patriots and that their words should be “taken literally” by civilians and politicians alike.
He referred to Washington’s quote, “Every action done in company ought to be with some sign of respect, to those that are present.”
“Everybody should shout those words,” Shirley said. “There should be no disagreement about those words whatsoever. Those are actually bipartisan thoughts. They’re not just the thoughts of the Republican Party, the conservative movement or libertarians or anything else. They should be thoughts of all Americans.”
In celebration of Presidents Day, here is some great advice from great U.S. presidents, pulled from their speeches and writings:
- “If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” — Washington
- “Happiness depends more upon the internal frame of a person’s own mind, than on the externals in the world.” — Washington
- “For in politics… my tenets are few and simple. The leading one of which, and indeed that which embraces most others, is to be honest and just ourselves and to exact it from others, meddling as little as possible in their affairs where our own are not involved. If this maxim was generally adopted, wars would cease and our swords would soon be converted into reap hooks and our harvests be more peaceful, abundant and happy.” — Washington
- “The ballot is stronger than the bullet.” — Lincoln
- “Our reliance is in the love of liberty, which God has planted in our bosoms. Our defense is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands, everywhere.” — Lincoln
- “Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today.” — Lincoln