Title: Letters from George Washington and Samuel Cabble, and Speeches by Franklin D. Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.
Abstract: On March 21, 1781, General George Washington sent a single-page letter, featured in this article, to president of Confederation Congress. From his headquarters in New Windsor, New York, Washington wrote two paragraphs. In first, he alluded to uncertainty of times--with ongoing battles and skirmishes of American Revolution that spring in Carolinas--he explained that he wanted to remain close to his headquarters in order to receive messages. In second, he congratulated Samuel Huntington and other members of Congress on recent ratification of Articles of Confederation. He noted that event had been long wished for, indicated his hope that it would have the happiest effects upon politics of this Country, and predicted that it would be of essential service to colonists' cause in Europe. More than 80 years later, in midst of Civil War, a formerly enslaved young African American man sent a letter to his wife, informing her that he had enlisted in Union Army. In two handwritten pages, featured in this article, Pvt. Samuel Cabbie of Massachusetts 55th (Colored) Volunteer Infantry, acknowledged nation's difficulties, but stated that he looked forward to a brighter day when I shall have opportunity of seeing you in full enjoyment of freedom. Nearly eight decades later, on January 6, 1941, 11 months before United States entered World War II, President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented his annual message to Congress. On 11th page of 12-page speech, president noted insecurity of times, but spoke of future. He declared, In future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression--everywhere in world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way--everywhere in world. The third is freedom from want--which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants--everywhere in world. The fourth is freedom from fear--which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor--anywhere in world. That is no vision of a distant millennium. It is a definite basis for a kind of world attainable in our own time and generation. A few months later, his words inspired U.S. Office of Education to prepare a poster promoting American Education Week featuring this part of address. The poster is featured in this article (see pg. 342). Twenty-one years later, on September 12, 1962, President John F. Kennedy delivered a speech to an audience on Rice University campus in Houston, Texas. For approximately 18 minutes, president discussed nature and purpose of nation's space program. In doing so, he acknowledged difficulties and uncertainties, but also spoke of possibilities with great optimism. He explained, We choose to go to moon in this decade and do other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win.... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] When Washington wrote his letter expressing high hopes for Articles of Confederation, he did not know what outcome of American Revolution would be. Nor did he know that following war, Articles would be insufficient for new nation. …
Publication Year: 2008
Publication Date: 2008-11-01
Language: en
Type: article
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