FFQF: George Mason on Virtue
And we all know who George Mason is! He was that guy who … uh … yeah. We didn’t test on him in our high school history class. So, here is only a brief introduction to this very essential Founding Father from Virginia.
One of his outstanding achievements was the authorship of the Virginia Declaration of Rights, which the Declaration of Independence, written shortly afterward, drew from. He was also a very influential member of the Constitutional Convention, and while he eventually did not add his signature to the Constitution, was one of its most important Framers. He championed a Bill of Rights to be added to the Constitution, and has been called the “Father of the Bill of Rights.” If you would like to find out more about him, you can read this great article by John Silvera of the Backwoods Home Magazine, here.
George Mason made the following statement at the Constitutional Convention, on June 23, 1787:
“It is asserted that it will be very difficult to find men sufficiently qualified as legislators without the inducement of emoluments. I do believe that men of genius will be deterred unless possessed of great virtues. We may well dispense with the first characters when destitute of virtue. I should wish them never to come forward. But if we do not provide against corruption, our government will soon be at an end; nor would I wish to put a man of virtue in the way of temptation. Evasion and caballing [sic] would evade the amendment. Nor would the danger be less, if the executive has the appointment of officers. The first three or four years we might go on well enough, but what would be the case afterwards? I will add, that such a government ought to be refused by the people; and it will be refused.” Life, Correspondence, and Speeches of George Mason, by Kate Mason Rowland, volume 2, pages 124-125
That rather flies in the face of the popular standards of judgment in America today, doesn’t it?
*How was your FFQF today? Leave a comment below, with a link to your post.
5 Responses to “FFQF: George Mason on Virtue”
October 24th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
“But if we do not provide against corruption, our government will soon be at an end.”
“Nor would the danger be less, if the executive has the appointment of officers.”
I believe this man was a prophet, Herky.
My post is up:
http://akagaga.blogspot.com/2008/10/ffqf-jedediah-morse.html
October 24th, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Jefferson’s idea of civic virtue is almost completely absent at the national level.
My FFQF is at http://sophronismos.wordpress.com/2008/10/24/founding-fathers-quote-friday-virtue-3/
October 24th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Hi Jean and Dave. Thanks so much for taking the time to write these excellent posts and include your links here. Hopefully the Linky widget problem will be fixed soon.
Jean, I think that Mason was rather very familiar with history to know what he was talking about. Yes, he accurately foretold what has now come to pass, but one needs no special gifts (except perhaps the gift of the Holy Spirit, and therefore, a pure and enlightened mind) to know that seduction (which is how corruption begins) rhymes with destruction.
Thanks for your FFQF post. It was a pleasure to read!
Dave, I think you’re absolutely right. The answer to the question “Why then,” is because it is tolerated. We have spent a lot of time complaining about a lack of worthy “leadership” in our national government, but a lot of us have spent little time changing it, and we wait around every election year to see how the politicians will change it for us.
I’m heading over to your post right now.
Thanks for commenting. Happy FFQF!
P.S. Maybe you guys have noticed my new disclaimer. You probably know this, but just as an extra explanation, don’t think that I put it up on the part of any of you — not at all! Comments are more than welcome on this blog, and they are certainly welcome coming from my good blogging friends. But I can’t believe how many times I have to delete spam. And recently, a commenter whose name I am familiar for slamming other blogs similar to mine decided to drop by to continue his little rampage. His kind are thankfully rare on the Internet (at least in my experience), but I put up the disclaimer for him and others like him to take warning.
Maybe this explanation is superfluous where you are concerned, but, thought I’d satisfy any curiosity you might have!
October 27th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
Very informative post! I knew nothing of Mason as a schoolgirl. It’s a new world of discovery, learning about the “real” founders.
I apologize for getting to FFQF late this time. It’s been busy here…
Just a sidenote to Brainbiter’s remark about Jefferson. It’s a curious statement, civic virtue absent at the national level. In a way, it’s a ridiculous statement (no offense, Brainbiter!). what I mean is, if people within a nation are already virtuous, there is no need to emphasize national virtue; it would exist already. I think men like Samuel Adams believed this. Why stress national virtue when individual (and community virtue) will kill two birds with one stone, so to speak?
October 28th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Hi Mrs. M. Glad you could drop by! Don’t worry about being late; I know how it goes.
Great reflections on national virtue, btw. Civic virtue is absent because moral virtue in the private sector is lacking.
Thanks for your comment!
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