The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1920-10-12
PRESIDENTIAL DIGNITY.

So much is being said today of the lack
of presidential dignity in those who aspire
to that position that the punctiious decorum
and dignity which marked the inception of
the government make interesting studies.
After the first electoral college had voted
for president and vice president the senate
of the first congress, which was then in
session at New York, elected temporary
president of the senate who should comply
with that provision of the constitution which
requires the president of the senate in the
presence of the senate and the house OF
representatives to open and count the votes
of the electors and to declare who is elect
ed president and vice president respective
ly. Washington was declared elected by
John Langdon, president pro tempore of
the senate.
Notice of his election had to be communi-
Gated to Washington, who was then at his
plantation at Mt Vernon. He may have
suspected his election, but because Of the
lack of methods of communication other
than courier or post he did not know it
positively until Charles Thompson, secre-
tary of the last continental congress, who
was the official messenger of congress, ar
rived at Mt Vernon on April 14th. When
he reached his destination he delivered to
Washington the formal notice Of his cleo
ton as certified by President Langdon, OF
the senate, and at the same time he deliv-
cred an oral message to the recipient that
was diginified and formal. A couple of eX-
cerpts will illustrate its dignity:
Sir: The president Of the senate chosen
for the special purpose having opened
and counted votes of the electors in the
presence of the senate and house of rep
resentatives, | was honored with the COM
mands of the senate to wait upon your
excellency with the information of your
being elected to the Office of president of
! the United States of America
| I have it, therefore, in command to &C
| company you to New York, where the
congress is convened for the dispatch Of
public business.
Washington replied to the message in
equally dignified and impressive language.
He said:
Sir: | have been accustomed to pay so
much respect to the opinion of my fellow
citizens that the knowledge Of their hav
ing given their unanimous suffrage in my
favor scarcely leaves me alternative of
an option. I cannot, | believe, give
greater evidence of my sensibility of the
honor which they have done me than by
accepting the appointment.
I am so much affected by this fresh
proof of my country's esteem and conf
dence that silence can best explain my
gratitude. While I realize the arduous
nature of the task which is imposed upon
me, and | feel my own inability to per-
form it. | WISH however, that there may
not be reason for regretting the choice,
for indeed, all I can promise is only to
accomplish that which can be done by an
honest zeal.
Upon considering how long time some
of the gentlemen of both houses of con-
gress have been at New York, how anx-
iously they must be to proceed to business
and how deeply the public mind appears
to be impressed with the necessity of do
ing it speedily l cannot find myself at
liberty to delay your journey. / shall,
therefore, be in readiness to set out the
day after tomorrow, and shall be happy
in the pleasure of your company, for you
will permit me to say that it is a pecul-
lar qualification to have received the
communication from you.
The official letter Of acceptance which
he wrote to the president pro tempOre OF
the senate was no less dignified and courtly
than the oral acceptance which he made to
Mr.. Thompson. What a wonderful contrast
in language, however, between the words of
Washington and those of men who now
aspire to the position he filled! 1t might
be well for the American mind to go back
through the 131 years to that spring day
scene on the banks of the Potomac where
Washington received and accepted notice of
his election as president in words which
are impressive because of their dignity and
solemness.