The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-07-01

no effort was made TO secure their signatures
TO the immortal document That was not done
until nearly month later. On August 2, 1776,
the final copy Of the Declaration was ready and
the members then present (all whose names
appear on it, except twO-ThOmas Mexican and
William Thornton, who signed ater) affixed
their signatures, thus. giving the document an
authority which it lacked up TO that time.
So it depends upon a matter Of interpreta-
ton whether July 4, when the Declaration
formally adopted, or August 2, when it was
signed, shall be considered as the birthday
of new nation"
But now that this new nation" has come
into existence, obviously it must have head
or an executive officer if it is to be going
concern" Granted? All right! OF course, we
all know that the executive officer of this new
nation Of ours which came into existence 156
years ago is known as the President. So there
logically follows the question who was our
first PRESIDENT
why, George Washington, of :" you
answer. But are you sure of that? For again
it's matter Of Interpretation. To be absolute
ly sure that you're right you should say George
Washington was the first President Of the Unit
ed States" Be TO put in "Of the United
States" For there such nation as the
United States and no such Office in il until it
was created by the Constitution, framed in 1857
and adopted in 17SS, and George Washington
dent under the Constitution.
In recent years attempts have been made TO
prove that several men who held the title of
president and presided over the Continental
congress were Presidents before Washington.
But those attempts have met what seems to be
a final and decisive answer from DR.. Edmund
c. Burnett of the division of historical research
at the Carnegie Institute of Washington, who
has spent % years in exhaustive research Of
%ba Of +ba al
the entire period of its existence from 1774
TO 17S1.
In a statement by Doctor Burnett, issued by
the Carnegie Institution recently, he says in
regard TO the president before Washington"
theory:
In this year of exceptional grace, the year Of
our Lord one thousand nine hundred and thir-
ty-two and of the Independence of the United
States the one hundred and ffty-sixth, when we
are celebrating the two-hundredth anniversary
Of the birth of George Washington, many old
controversies revolving about the character and
career of the Father of his Country have been
revived-controversies which seemed to have
been permanently relegated TO the realm Of
tales that were told-and several new ones have
pushed their way TO the front to make their bids
for a hearing
Among the themes which are not precisely
new nor yet hoary with old age is which
declares that the first President of the United
States not George Washington. but that
this distinction belongs TO John Hanson, presi-
dent of the Continental congress from Novem-
Der 5, 17s1, TO November 4. 1852.
Similar claims. although on other grounds.
have been put forth in behalf Of other Presi-
dents Of congress, but only that in behalf Of
Hanson has been pushed with great vehemence
or has attained any great vogue In good time
the legend John Hanson. first President Of the
United States. will also be assigned its appro-
pirate niche in the Hall of Myths.
THE plain truth of the matter is that not one
Of the presidents Of the Continental congress,
from Peyton Randolph TO Cyrus Griffin
ever President of the United States, either in
fact, by title Of courtesy, otherwise. The first
10 hold that Office, the first TO bear that title,
was George Washington; and all those who seek
to bestow the title Of first President of the Unit
ed States upon any president whomsoever Of the
Old Congress are but chasing shadows pursu-
Ing willo'-the-wispG