Sierra Sun editorial: Ten of George Washington’s greatest remarks

This weekend is Presidents Day Weekend, which is significant for the Lake Tahoe-Truckee region because it serves as the last hurrah in terms of a three-day winter tourism economic push.

But, just as we alluded to a few weeks ago on the eve of Martin Luther King Jr. Weekend, Presidents Day is also about much more than skiing and snowboarding.

Monday, Feb. 16, is Presidents Day, which used to known as “Washington’s Birthday” — a federal holiday celebrated on the third Monday of February in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States.

The original Dubya’s birthday is Feb. 22, by the way.

Now, over the years, with the birthday of America’s 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, also landing in February, it’s morphed into a celebrate-all-American-presidents holiday.

Still, it was Washington’s day in the first place, and considering he was the first president of our country (serving from 1789 to 1797), and perhaps our greatest Commander in Chief ever, we researched many of his best quotes and remarks, and have listed our favorite 10 here, in no particular order — although, as a newspaper, we must say we’re a bit partial to Nos. 9 and 10.

We hope you enjoy:

1) “Discipline is the soul of an army. It makes small numbers formidable, procures success to the weak, and esteem to all.”

2) “Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder.”

3) “Happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected.”

4) “To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.”

5) “Example, whether it be good or bad, has a powerful influence.”

6) “A people ... who are possessed of the spirit of commerce, who see and who will pursue their advantages, may achieve almost anything.”

7) “It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.”

8) “It is infinitely better to have a few good men than many indifferent ones.”

9) “When one side only of a story is heard and often repeated, the human mind becomes impressed with it insensibly.”

10) “If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”