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Poll: Who was the Greatest Founding Father?
Submitted by Galileo on Mon, 03/09/2009 - 16:20
Poll: Who was the Greatest Founding Father? Now is your chance to vote! » |
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One of the Sons of Liberty
“It does not require a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority keen to set brush fires in people's minds.” – Samuel Adams
SA was my favorite Colonial trouble maker.
I believe Franklin was the greatest.
He was the wisest, the most innovative, the least power-hungry, a self-made rags-to-riches entrepreneur (instead of an aristocrat). He freed his own slaves and became a prominent abolitionist.
Also, the First Secessionary War (aka 'the American Revolution') could not have succeeded without his diplomacy in Paris. Without a French alliance keeping them in check, the British would have absolutely crushed the fledgling United States. Franklin was a beloved celebrity to the French people, and he more or less singlehandedly won their support for America's side in the war.
He was the true father of our country. I believe Washington was a great man and a great military leader, but Franklin was a purer Son of the Republic.
SUPPORT OUR FOUNDERS' AMERICA
Support the Constitution of the United States
SUPPORT OUR FOUNDERS' AMERICA
Support the Constitution of the United States
Thomas Paine, for sure.
Thomas Paine, for sure.
"One man with courage is a majority." ~ Andrew Jackson
I recommend researching Elbridge Gerry, the Ron Paul......
....of his day. He has been largely ignored, mainly because he was Anti-Federalist. He has been proven right in many of his 'radical' opinions. He was very influential in the 1780's and 90's.
Not important, question is, who will be our Re-Founding fathers
Discover Costa Rica
Discover Costa Rica
the greatest Founding Father?
in my personal opinion his name is Ron Paul*)
"The Constitution is not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government -- lest it come to dominate our lives and interests."
-- Patrick Henry
Website:
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"How can we justify to the unemployed and underemployed in the United States the incredible cost of maintaining a global empire?" - Dr. Ron Paul
We could not have do it without Henry!
Such were the words of Thomas Jefferson as he lay dying.
After Henry's death in the late 1700's, Jefferson attacked Henry ostensible for a variety of petty reasons, but in reality because Henry was one of the many Virginia legislators who voted to censure Jefferson for his dereliction of duty as Governor of Virginia while under attack by the British during the war.
On more than one occasion Virginia, and Richmond in particular, was approached by sea, for attack, during the governorship of Patrick Henry, five times governor of Virginia. On every occasion, vigilant to the possibility of attack, Henry assembled his militia and went on the offensive with ample time to surprise the British as they came ashore. Routing them each time, he dutifully preserved both Richmond as well his duty of office.
On the other hand, during the one term of Jefferson's governorship of Virginia during the war, upon hearing of the coming of the British, again approaching the coast, Jefferson packed up his belongings and family and promptly fled the capitol for safety. He left Richmond to be sacked and burned by the British.
For this he came under attack in the Virginia legislature, in motions to censure and punish him for this dereliction of duty. The issue was tabled till after the cessation of hostilities and war, and due the exigencies of the situation. After the victory the issue was laid aside and forgotten in the euphoria of the day.
Jefferson never forgave Henry his part of having been involved as a prominent member of the legislature who endorsed the measure, until long after Henry's death, when on his own deathbed he said in recognition of his old friend, and arguably the greatest contribution to liberty by one man of them all, that "we could not have do it without Henry"!
Few today realize the significance of Patrick Henry, remembering only the St. John's Church speech. Among many other things, he nearly single handedly kept Washington in food and clothing, due to the failure of the Continental Congress to act promptly, efficiently, and many times at all. In addition, he not only stimulated the action so necessary to preparation but at every key moment was there to invigorate with his stentorian voice and sound reasoning, the many lagging and discouraged and inactive patriots. Later he refused all positions offered, including president, chief justice, and ambassadorships.
He opposed with speeches sometimes lasting many hours, on each of 21 out of 23 days of debate in the Virginia legislature, the adoption of the Constitution. This was for at least two major faults. He accurately predicted the Civil war, and the grab of power by the central government under the 'We the people..." and "general welfare..." phrases, which bypassed the state authority and jurisdiction in the creation of the Constitution.
Two major reasons he opposed the Constitution in it's original form were, the notion wholly unauthorized, that "We the People..." had created the union document, when it was the chosen representatives of the several state legislatures who had been sent, not direct representatives of the people! For that phrase we have suffered since. Secondly, there was no Bill of Rights, as was possessed by each of the state constitutions at that time already. He accurately predicted that, once given up to the central government, it was against man's nature to relinquish power again!
When asked a few years later to support a second revolution against the increasing power of the central government, he rebuked them with the notion that they made their bed, now they needed to sleep in it and change it according to the means provided within the document. He died shortly after that last speech, given in the rain, but felt his country already stood at the crossroads of peril.
Yet, sadly when you visit Washington, that foggy bottom of slime and cesspool of perfidy, one can hardly find any mention, statue, or recognition, of that humble but brilliant man. When I visited last I requested to see something of Henry in the Capitol building. We were told that there was a picture on a particular floor, the only one. When we, with our passes passed beyond the ropes and located the hall, the picture was not to be found.
Patrick Henry was closest to the concise understanding of the correct preservation of liberty in the construction of our form of central government. He was most persistent in guarding against any encroachment by verbiage, upon the freedoms to be preserved, and the subtle attempts by those who would be Kings or tyrants, to preserve language by which future generations could be deceived, to the destruction of that liberty. It was for that reason that he fought against the adoption by Virginia, in it's then form, without Bill of Rights, and with reference to authority granted by the people, bypassing the States. The latter did not change and has become both one of the causes of the first Civil war, as well as possibly the next!
May that day never come, and may we be enabled to change according to the principles and mandates found within the constitution. It is all that is really necessary. It is the reason for Congressman Paul's continual reference to 'returning to the Constitution'!
"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." -- John Quincy Adams
"Suspicion is a Virtue, if in the interests of the good of the people." Patrick Henry
"We are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of Nature has placed in our power... the battle, sir, is not to the strong alone - it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave." --Patrick Henry
The United States Constitution
©1791 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED!
"Suspicion is a Virtue, if in the interests of the good of the people." Patrick Henry
"We are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of Nature has placed in our power... the battle, sir, is not to the strong alone - it is to the
I vote for George Washington
While a relationship change with Britain was inevitable, it could have very well have been as a nominal Dominion of the British Empire as Canada, Australia, etc. would eventually become. All the major founders I have seen mentioned were important, but I see three men whose contributions to the founding were a sine qua non for independence as it happened: George Washington, Ben Franklin, and non founder Louis XVI ( but that is an entire story unto itself).
I give the top honors to America's Cincinnatus though: Of history's big revolutionary leaders, Washington really stands alone among those who voluntarily walked away from the option of grasping for a lifetime of absolute power. Ceasar couldn't do it, nor could Cromwell, nor Napoleon, etc. etc. And Washington did it more than once.
Borther Washington was a very good man.
I vote with you on Washington, with Brother Franklin a close second.
PATRICK HENRY
I SMELL A RAT
GIVE ME LIBERTY OR GIVE DEATH
HE LOVED JESUS
TKO 123 PUNCH
Franklin
Franklin is my kinda guy
WE ARE GOING TO WIN!
___.---.___
.' ( ) '.
) /)' '( )
',_( ';-;'\_,'
|-|
(")
All of them
For as a lesson to US here at the dailypaul. All of the founders famous and not so famous were needed and all gave dearly.
I loved hearing about Danial Boone.
Much will be expected of us also in the near future. We will all have to be founding fathers or mothers in our time, if we want to continue to freely discuss on the dailypaul.
Here, Here!!!
Very excellent statement you made about all of us having to be founding fathers and mothers in our time. Wow, that is the truth of it.
He was the 1st to write these words:The United States of America
He was the first to suggest a union of the colonies.
He was not a politician.
To him belongs the honor and glory of having written the first Proclamation of Emancipation in America -- Paine the first, Lincoln the last.
On the 2d day of November, 1779, there was introduced into the Assembly of Pennsylvania an act for the abolition of slavery. The preamble was written by Thomas Paine.
Before the Declaration of Independence was issued, he had written of and about the Free and Independent States of America.
He had also spoken of the United Colonies as the "Glorious Union," and he was the first to use these words: "The United States of America."
So great were these appeals to patriotism, to the love of liberty, the pride of independence, the glory of success, that it was said by some of the best and greatest of that time that the American cause owed as much to the pen of Paine as to the sword of Washington.
The first article he ever wrote in America, and the first ever published by him anywhere, appeared in that magazine on the 8th of March, 1775. It was an attack on American slavery -- a plea for the rights of the negro. In that article will be found substantially all the arguments that can be urged against that most infamous of all institutions. Every line is full of humanity, pity, tenderness, and love of justice. Five days after this article appeared the American Anti-Slavery Society was formed.
At that time great interests were against him. The owners of slaves became his enemies, and the pulpits, supported by slave labor, denounced this abolitionist.
The next article published by Thomas Paine, in the same magazine, and for the next month, was an attack on the practice of dueling, showing that it was barbarous, that it did not even tend to settle the right or wrong of a dispute, that it could not be defended on any just grounds, and that its influence was degrading and cruel. The civilized world now agrees with the opinions of Thomas Paine upon that barbarous practice.
In May, 1775, appeared in the same magazine another article written by Thomas Paine, a Protest Against Cruelty to Animals. He began the work that was so successfully and gloriously carried out by Henry Bergh, one of the noblest, one of the grandest, men that this continent has produced.
Paine had made some enemies, first, by attacking African slavery, and, second, by insisting upon the sovereignty of the Nation.
Who argued for women's right before anyone else, except Jesus?
In August of the same year he wrote a plea for the Rights of Woman, the first ever published in the New World. Certainly he should not be hated for that.
One of the grandest things done by Thomas Paine was his effort to save the life of Louis XVI.
Paine: "The world is my country, to do good, my religion"
-- if the people only knew all this -- the truth -- they would repeat the words of Andrew Jackson:
"Thomas Paine needs no monument made with hands; he has erected a monument in the hearts of all lovers of liberty."
http://www.thomaspaine.org/bio/ingersoll1892.html
"...whoever wrote the Declaration, Thomas Paine was its author," surely a recognition that the founding document was, at the very least, inspired by Paine's Common Sense, published in January 1776.
Who wrote the "anti-slave clause," which did not find its way into the Declaration?
Jefferson did not submit the original draft of the Declaration of Independence to the members of the Continental Congress. They were not aware of the existence of the slavery clause. The members had no opportunity to discuss it. They did not vote upon it.[4]
If the anti-slavery clause had been written by Jefferson, and it expressed his views on slavery, why would he not stand by it in the Congress?
Jefferson in his life never freed a slave and freed only three upon his death.
http://www.cooperativeindividualism.org/spiegelman-martha_on...
Selected Writings and take note of the dates:
African Slavery in America, 1775 — Argued for abolition of slavery.
An Occasional Letter On The Female Sex, 1775 — Argued for rights of women.
Common Sense, 1776 — Argued for independence of the American colonies from Britain.
The American Crisis, 1783 — Collection of pamphlets to sustain the revolution.
1. — I. The American Crisis, December 23, 1776
2. — II. To Lord Howe, Philadelphia, January 13, 1777
3. — III. To the honorable the Council of Safety of the State of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, April 19, 1777
4. — IIIb. To the honorable the Council of Safety of the State of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, April 19, 1777
5. — IV. Philadelphia, Sept. 12, 1777
6. — V. To General Sir William Howe
7. — Vb. To The Inhabitants Of America, Lancaster, March 21, 1778
8. — VI. To the Earl of Carlisle, General Clinton, and William Eden, Esq., British Commissioners at New York, Philadelphia, Oct. 20, 1778
9. — VII. To the People of England, Philadelphia, Nov. 21, 1778
10.— VIII. Address to the People of England, Philadelphia, March, 1780
11. — IX. Philadelphia, June 9, 1780
12. — IXb. The Crisis Extraordinary. On the Subject of Taxation., Philadelphia, Oct. 4, 1780
13. — X. On the King of England's Speech
14. --- Xb. To the People of America. On the expenses, arrangements and disbursements for carrying on the war, and finishing it with honor and advantage, Philadelphia, March 5, 1782
15. — XI. On the present State of News, Philadelphia, May 22, 1782
16. — XIb. A Supernumerary Crisis. To Sir Guy Carleton, Philadelphia, May 31, 1782
17. — XII. To the Earl of Shelburne, Philadelphia, Oct. 29, 1782
18. — XIII. Thoughts on the Peace, and the probable Advantages thereof, Philadelphia, April 19, 1783
19. — XIIIb. A Supernumerary Crisis. To the People of America, New York, December 9, 1783
* Text Version Rights of Man, 1792.
First Part — Reply to Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France
Second Part — Combining Principle and Practice
The Trial of Thomas Paine for a Libel, 1792 — British government prosecuted Paine for his comments thought critical of it in The Rights of Man.
Age of Reason, 1794 — Criticized organized religion and advocated deism.
Agrarian Justice, 1795 — Proposed program for England of land reform and pensions for the aged.
echo echo
Professor Bernardo del la Paz,
Atheist Pothead
LXXI BC: Ego sum Spartacus // MDCCCLVII: I am Dred Scott // MCMVL: Ich bin Anne Frank // MMX: Je suis Assange // MMXI: Ik ben von NotHaus
Mel Gibson in The Patriot
No - seriously -
1. General George Washington
2. Sam Adams
Detective Krum Investigates:
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Detective Krum Investigates:
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Man, I get chills
when I read about the exploits of Sam Adams, Paul Revere, Patrick Henry, and the original Sons of Liberty. Those guys were wired.
But I would pick Washington for his leadership, intelligence, and fortitude.
"It's just one big club... and WE ain't in it!"
"Tyrants fear nothing more than insubordination"
"It's just one big club... and WE ain't in it!"
John Adams
John Adams
I Am Partial To Daniel Boone
Little do people know, Daniel (Colonel) Boone held back the British on the western front. In fact the last battle of the revolutionary war was fought at Blue Licks.
Had it not been for Daniel Boone (and the rest of the brave men and women in Kentucky at the time), the British would have overran the western front and would have outflanked General Washington.
Daniel Boone of course was royally screwed by the U.S. when his land claim was dishonored in Missouri. Lawyers in Kentucky raped him of his land in Kentucky when an onslaught of legal actions ran ruff-shod over Daniel. He did not have the resources to defend himself against the law suits and he lost most of his land in Kentucky. A travesty indeed, and a long story all by itself.
I guess most people do not see Daniel Boone as a Founding Father, but I see him playing such a critical role in the making of our country, that had he not participated, we would not have won the revolutionary war.
In short, his intentions were as pure as it gets. Daniel lived his life loving his fellow man and gave real meaning to the sentence, "We pledge our lives and our fortunes".
I am of course bias. Daniel is my Grandfather.
Larry
One cannot export Democracy at the barrel of a gun.
“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.”
I have two
favorites. Sam Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
Sam Adams was one of, if not the moving force behind the American Revolution.
...in 1803, the fiery patriot Samuel Adams died at the age of 81. A complete failure as a businessman, he was a brilliant political organizer, a talented writer, and a passionate public speaker. He founded the Sons of Liberty and was almost certainly the main instigator of the Boston Tea Party. He helped organize a movement to boycott British goods and devised the notion of uniting towns through Committees of Correspondence. He called for representatives of all Britain's American colonies to gather together. When they did, he was chosen a delegate to the first Continental Congress. He was able to go to Philadelphia only because his friends provided him with a new suit, wig, shoes, silk hose, and money to cover his expenses.
_____________________________
Thomas Jefferson for his brilliant mind.
Thomas Jefferson was truly a Renaissance man. A brilliant scholar, inventor, naturalist, and architect, Jefferson played the violin, spoke six languages, conducted archeological investigations of Native American mounds, founded the University of Virginia, and assembled a 10,000-book library which became the foundation of the Library of Congress. His writing talent produced the historic Declaration of Independence, the document that boldly told King George that the colonies would no longer accept his rule. Jefferson's political savvy led him to hold a number of governmental positions before becoming president: he was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses when he was only 25, served in the Continental Congress, became governor of Virginia, a diplomat in Europe where he helped negotiate the treaties that ended the Revolutionary War, secretary of state under Washington, and vice president under John Adams. During his presidency, Jefferson doubled the size of the country by purchasing the territory of Louisiana. .
Definitely...
George Washington with Thomas Jefferson a close second.
"It ain't what ya don't know that hurts ya. What really puts a hurtin' on ya, is what ya knows for sure, that just ain't so."
"It ain't what ya don't know that hurts ya. What really puts a hurtin' on ya, is what ya knows for sure, that just ain't so."
Accomplishments of James Madison, Jr.
Accomplishments of James Madison, Jr.
Father of the Constitution
Father of the Bill of Rights
Author of the best written Federalist Papers, including # 10
Only president to preserve Constitution during a time of war
One of three greatest defenders of religious liberty in history (with Voltaire, Jefferson)
Graduated from college at Princeton in only two years
Early supporter of independence
Elected at age of only 23 to Virginia Committee on Safety (1774)
Commissioned as Colonel in militia
At age of only 25, wrote plank in Viginia Constituion strengthening religious liberty
Most effective member of continental congress for three years (1780-82), never missed a day of work
Got Jefferson's religious liberty statute passed in 1785 in Virginia
Closest collaborator with Jefferson
Closest collaborator with Washington between 1785 and 1791
Closest collaborator with Hamilton between 1784 and 1789
Closest collaborator with James Monroe (along with Jefferson)
Presidency of John Tyler inspired by Madison
Along with Hamilton and Washington, foiled the Newburg military conspiracy
Prime mover of the Mount Vernon conference (1785)
Prime mover of the Annapolis Convention (1786)
Real founder of democratic-republican party in opposition to Hamilton
Gave greatest anti-central bank speech in histroy in 1791
Wrote the Virginia Resolution in 1798, defending states rights
Wrote the amazing Report of 1800, defending and defining states rights, and also making the greatest staement in favor of freedom of speech in history
Wrote first draft of Washington's Farewell Address
Won most important Supreme Court case of all time, Marbury vs Madison, 1803
According to many contemporaries, Madison "governed the president" as secretary of state to Jefferson
Vetoed the bonus bill in 1817
Appointed Joseph Story the the Supreme Court (served 1811-1845), arguably the greatest defender of the Constitutionliberty ever on the high court
Also appointed Gabriel Duvall to the high court (served 1811-1835), another greta defender of liberty
Only supported revenue tariffs, never corrupting protective tariffs
Most important member of the 1st congress, everything the 1st congress did set a precedent
Expanded liberty at the Virginia Constitutional convention of 1829, which reduced representation for slave owners, and expanded voting rights for whites
Had the coolest wife of any Founding Father, Dolly Madison
Started the Era of Good Feelings
Remained active in public affairs well into his 80s, writing numerous newspaper editorials
Wrote the most frank assessment of his own presidency ever written by an ex-president, the detached memoradum
Wrote 'Advice to My Country' sgortly before his death
Almost unique among the founders, never expressed racism in his speech of in his private letters.
Paul Jennings, his former slave, wrote in 1865 that James Madison was the greatest man in the world.
John Adams said that Madison's presidency achieved more glory than that of Washington, Jefferson, and Adams combined
John Quincy Adams said by implication in 1836 that Madison was the greatest founding father ever.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Madison
A vote for Ron Paul is a vote for James Madison.
Thomas Jefferson.
…Ever since I got my first copy of The Federalist in the 1970s.
—Cliff, Sioux City, Iowa
March’s music: ♪Champagne♪ by Kenny G
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Jefferson didn't write the
Jefferson didn't write the federalist, that was Madison, Hamilton, and Jay.
A vote for Ron Paul is a vote for James Madison.
Oh yeah. I feel kind of silly.
—Cliff, Sioux City, Iowa
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For my money, it's Ben Franklin.
He not only made great contributions to the overthrow of the king, he was a brilliant scientist, writer, and technologist.
-jcr
"The problem with trying to child-proof the world, is that it makes people neglect the far more important task of world-proofing the child." -- Hugh Daniel
George Washington
Washington Led by Example, Setting Precedent for a Young Nation
Without Washington we would have self-imploded right out of the gate. As President, he mitigated tensions between Hamilton and Jefferson in his first term; in doing so, he became the first moderate of the new factions, or political parties. He was hated for his time in his second term for promoting Jay's Treaty with the British. But given the times where French agents of the French Revolution were stirring up trouble in the U.S., this turned out to be a way to keep us out of war. I can go on-and-on. He is seems to be overshadowed these days. Take a second look at his presidential years. He stepped up to the plate. He sided with no foreign power. Like others in his administration.
The Great Upheaval: America and the Birth of the Modern World, 1788-1800
http://www.amazon.com/Great-Upheaval-America-Modern-1788-180...
IDZJ2W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1236645049&sr=1-1
He chaired the constitutional convention.
The Summer of 1787: The Men Who Invented the Constitution
http://www.amazon.com/Summer-1787-Invented-Constitution-Coll...
He was respected among his peers...
Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation
http://www.amazon.com/Founding-Brothers-Revolutionary-Joseph...
Interesting question
I like Ben Franklin myself...And whoever has a problem with that remember....I have a RIGHT to my opinion.
I also admire Washington. Not because he was 1st..but because he gave it up and allowed a 2nd.
Freedom is another way to God...A corrupt government is a straight way to hell.
I believe in Hope & Change..I Hope the government will Change
Spindale-Rutherford County-North Carolina
Members of the 1st Congress
Members of the 1stCongress (which voted in favor of the bank bill, 39-20 in the House)
1st United States Congress
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_United_States_Congress
Notable members in House:
James Madison
Roger Sherman
John Vining
Abraham Baldwin
Dan Carroll
Fisher Ames
Elbridge Gerry
Nicholas Gilman
Egbert Benson
Hugh Williamson
George Clymer
Thomas Sumter
Richard Bland Lee
William Giles
Theordoric Bland
Senate
Oliver Ellsworth
William S. Johnson
Richard Bassett
George Read
William Few
Charles Carroll
Caleb Strong
William Paterson
John Langdon
Rufus King
Samuel Johnston
Robert Morris
Pierce Butler
Ralph Izard
Richard Henry Lee
James Monroe
A vote for Ron Paul is a vote for James Madison.
...the only effectual cure is to reduce the quantity of money:
with half the quantity we should be richer than we are now, because the value of it would be doubled, and consequently our attachment to it increased; for it is not the number of dollars that a man has, but how far they will go, that makes him either rich or poor.