Flawed Greatness…

April 9, 2021 by · Leave a Comment 

A very, very, very, very… wise Man once said, “Let any one of you who is without sin cast the 1st stone.”  As was often the case, this Sage was addressing the situation at hand as well as the next 2000+ years of human history.  Fast forward to today when we all feel as if we are in a constant state of ducking as stone after stone whizzes past our heads.  Sometimes they are aimed at us… sometimes at the person next to us… sometimes at our favorite podcast host… sometimes at the history pages from 250 years ago.  With this in mind, may I share a few inspirational words from one of those among us who was, like us all, flawed and with sin but, in moments of divine inspiration, lead with greatness as so many of our Founding Fathers did.

On March 4, 1797, John Adams, 2nd president of the United States, took up the mantle of George Washington and penned the words below as part of  his Inaugural Speech.  At such a pivotal moment in our countries history, with the transition from our 1st President to our 2nd, everything was on the line … freedom, democracy and our nation’s ability to continue grow and throw off any national “sins that so easily entangle”.   What began with our Constitution would make a giant leap forward 100 years later and continue to progress for the 100 years after that.  Listen to John Adams as he shares the passion of his heart for this country.

“… Employed in the service of my country abroad during the whole course of these transactions, I first saw the Constitution of the United States in a foreign country. Irritated by no literary altercation, animated by no public debate, heated by no party animosity, I read it with great satisfaction, as the result of good heads prompted by good hearts, as an experiment better adapted to the genius, character, situation, and relations of this nation and country than any which had ever been proposed or suggested. In its general principles and great outlines it was conformable to such a system of government as I had ever most esteemed, and in some States, my own native State in particular, had contributed to establish.

…With this great example before me, with the sense and spirit, the faith and honor, the duty and interest, of the same American people pledged to support the Constitution of the United States, I entertain no doubt of its continuance in all its energy, and my mind is prepared without hesitation to lay myself under the most solemn obligations to support it to the utmost of my power.

And may that Being who is supreme over all, the Patron of Order, the Fountain of Justice, and the Protector in all ages of the world of virtuous liberty, continue His blessing upon this nation and its Government and give it all possible success and duration consistent with the ends of His providence.”

Snapshot 1862… Civil War inner-family strife takes its aim at Lincoln…

June 11, 2019 by · Leave a Comment 

The following snapshot comes from The Crisis, Columbus, Ohio, dated May 7, 1862, which printed the death report of Abraham Lincoln’s brother-in-law, and includes considerable Lincoln-directed angst.

 

Must have been a slow news day…

January 12, 2017 by · 2 Comments 

Perhaps a precursor to what would now be a typical Facebook post…

The June 19, 1804 issue of “The Balance & Columbian Repository newspaper from Hudson, New York, has a brief and seemingly purposeless news report reading in its entirety: “Monticello–Yesterday morning the President arose precisely fifty-nine minutes past four, and put on a clean shirt and breeches.” Had this appeared on the President’s Facebook page today, what might be some of the comments from his followers?

Thanksgiving Proclamation by President Lyndon B. Johnson…

November 24, 2016 by · Leave a Comment 

The New York Times dated October 19, 1966 was one of the few newspapers we’ve unearthed which printed the full text of LBJ’s eloquent Thanksgiving Proclamation – a message still worthy of consideration a half-century later. If anyone knows of other titles which printed it, we would love to hear about it. In our opinion, it’s that good. Happy Thanksgiving.blog-11-24-2016-thanksgiving-proclamation

Looking back at past elections…

November 10, 2016 by · Leave a Comment 

blog-11-10-2016-lincoln-electedNow that the 2016 U.S. Presidential election is in the rear view mirror, we thought it might be fun to take a look back at past elections.Which were the most impacting? hotly contested? controversial? The History Channel has an interesting post (Memorable Elections) which explores these questions. It begins, in part:

“With the chance to serve as chief executive of the world’s premier power at stake, the race for the U.S. presidency has delivered its share of hotly-contested elections. George W. Bush became the fourth president to win despite losing the popular vote in 2000, an election that wasn’t decided until the U.S. Supreme Court ruled a Florida recount to be unconstitutional. Harry S. Truman won in 1948 despite the publication of a newspaper that announced otherwise, while Rutherford B. Hayes moved to the White House only after a controversial electoral commission helped him overcome a massive popular-vote deficit in 1877… (read more).”

Please enjoy the currently available authentic historic newspapers containing election content, spanning from George Washington to Barack Obama. The list has been arranged in reverse-chronological order:  PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS  (excuse the stray reports regarding non-U.S. elections).

The Traveler… Johnson’s “Great Society”… death of a poet…

January 5, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

Today I traveled back to January 5, 1965 by way of The Springfield Union, Massachusetts (January 5, 1965). There I found the reporting of President Johnson’s Blog-1-5-2014-T.S.-Eliot-DeState-of-the-Union message in which he presented several new programs. “…These are all parts of the Johnson design for a ‘Great Society’, he hopes will develop through decades ahead… the search begins for a way to ‘elevate the quality of our civilization.’…” This was to be for a better health care program for the elderly under the Social Security, to help develop regions suffering from distress and depression, new education programs, and more.

Also in the issue was the report of the death of poet and playwright T. S. Eliot. He won the Nobel Prize in literature in 1948 “for his outstanding pioneer contribution to present-day poetry”. His book of poetry “Old Possum’s Books of Practical Cats” is what the musical “Cats” was based on, which has been the third longest running show in Broadway history.

~The Traveler

The Traveler… Conferedate president issues a proclamation… new establishments……

March 4, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

Today I decided to travel back to the era of the Civil War through The New York Times of March 4, 1863. In this issue I found the Southern President Jeff Davis had appointed March 27th to be a Day of Fasting and Prayer. “…Under these circumstances it is my privilege to invite you once more to meet together and prostrate yourselves in humble supplication to Him who has been our constant and never-failing support in the past, and to whose protection and guidance we trust for the future. To this end I, Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America, do issue this, my proclamation, setting apart Friday, the 27th day of March, as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer…” This is also signed in type: JEFFERSON DAVIS.

Also under the “Important from Washington” are the new establishments of “The New Banking Law”; “Designs for Currency Notes” due to the recent passing of the National Currency Act; “A Branch Mint in Nevada”; as well as the establishing of “The Territory of Idahoe (Idaho)” from within the territory of Montano (Montana). “Slavery is forever prohibited within the limits of the new Territory”.

What an incredible time in history!

~The Traveler

The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln… one the the very best…

January 18, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

The April 22, 1865 issue of the National Police Gazette, New York, printed what many consider to be the best illustrated newspaper related to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Judge for yourself. Regardless of your final analysis, please enjoy the images from this incredible authentic newspaper compliments of Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers… History’s Newsstand… via Pinterest:

The Assassination of President Abraham Lincoln illustrated by the National Police Gazette… on Pinterest…

The Traveler… Presidential election day 1912… the first in New Mexico…

November 5, 2012 by · Leave a Comment 

First Presidential Election in New Mexico - 1912In today’s journey through the Albuquerque Morning Journal dated November 5, 1912, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, I found that it was the day of the Presidential elections with the three candidates, Democratic Woodrow Wilson, Republican William Taft and Progressive Theodore Roosevelt, campaigning to the last minute. This issue contains different articles pertaining to the election.

Also within the issue is an article: “New Mexicans To Cast First Vote For President”… “With Closing of Polls Tonight Residents of State Will Have participate In All Duties of Citizenship”. This election would be the very first presidential election for the residents of New Mexico to participate in as they had entered as the forty-seventh state on January 6, 1912. Great to have this report within a newspaper from New Mexico.

Just a reminder that as a free nation, our presidential election is Tuesday, November 6th. Please exercise your valuable gift of freedom and cast your vote… 🙂

~The Traveler

Security taken for Kennedy’s visit to Dallas…

May 18, 2012 by · 1 Comment 

One of the interesting opportunities newspapers present is the ability to read news with hindsight. The early edition of the Dallas Times-Herald” newspaper of Nov. 22, 1963 (see below), the edition prior to the later edition reporting the assassination, has much coverage of JFK’s visit to Texas and the excitement around his planned visit to Dallas later that day. One ironic headline on the front page reads: “Secret Service Sure All Secure” with the article providing much detail on the security efforts to make for a safe visit to Dallas.

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