New tradition would help us remember what happened in Annapolis
Because it occurred on the eve of Christmas Eve, probably one of the most important acts in American history has been forgotten. On Dec. 23, 1783, George Washington, the most powerful man in America, resigned his commission as commander inchief of the Continental Army.
Fourteen months before with the help of France, Washington defeated Gen. Charles Cornwallis and the main British force in America at Yorktown. After a short respite at Mount Vernon, Washington packed up his wife, Martha, and rejoined his troops in Newburgh, New York.
He had sent them to defend the strategic artillery position on the Hudson River to prevent ships carrying British troops from Canada to unite with British troops in New York City. Martha Washington’s presence told his troops as long as she was there, he would be there with them.
When news of progress on the peace treaty reached Washington, he sent his wife home promising he would be home by Christmas Eve. George Washington sent Congress word he would come to them at the State House in Annapolis to resign his commission.
Washington negotiated and witnessed the exit of the British from New York City. Days later Washington said a tearful goodbye to his officers and headed to Annapolis. Along the way, he stopped in towns saying he was on his way to give up power and arrived in Annapolis on Dec. 19.
After celebrating for a few days, Washington resigned his commission and rode home, keeping his word to his wife. As he rode up to Mount Vernon at dusk on Christmas Eve, Washington was greeted by a bell ringing.
So here in Annapolis, let’s start a new American holiday tradition and follow Martha Washington’s example and ring a bell at dusk on Christmas Eve for George Washington. May this tradition spread across our land.
Talbot Manvel, Annapolis
Does compromise defense bill undermine the military?
A compromise defense appropriations bill has finally made it through the Senate and House. The country can now rest assured that our hard-earned dollars won’t be used to support drag queens or rainbow flags on base.
According to Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), “A vote for this bill is a perpetuation of the woke policies undermining our military, bringing down the morale, driving down recruiting and now undermining the civil liberties of the American people.”
So a military that respects all Americans is driving down recruitment. Where are people going to find employment in our country?
Eric Greene, Annapolis
Can’t we find better presidential candidates?
First it was Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. I wasn’t a big fan of Clinton and definitely not a fan of Trump, but when he won I actually was hoping he would surprise me and do a decent job.
Boy was I wrong. It was then that I thought to myself, “We have 300 million people in this country and a lot of them are really smart, come on America, is this the best we can come up with for presidential candidates?” Then we had Joe Biden and Trump.
Thank goodness Biden won and I suppose he’s done an OK job. But now we have Biden and Trump again. Biden is a peach of a guy, but he’s way too old and his son probably deserves to go to prison.
And I just won’t say anything about the other guy other than I believe he’s the biggest threat to our republic since the Civil War. Come on America, we can do better than this …
Bob Hantske, Annapolis
