Mannon Hails George Washington During James K. Polk DAR Meeting

Story by:Cortez Copher ~ Photos by: Kay Dye

This month’s speaker for the James K Polk Chapter NSDAR was Mena’s own Joe Mannon.

The subject was Washington and American Democracy.”

After giving many reasons why George Washington could have become an unknown man because of bad health. Mannon spoke of the strengths of Washington, including how he could bend horseshoes with his bare hands, and also how he was able to keep his composure in face of adversity through self-control.

A memorable example of this happened at the end of the American Revolution when the officers asked the Continental Congress for relief of financial distress caused by the war service and inflation. There was no money to grant the request for half pay for life so the officers threatened not to disband when the Treaty of Paris was signed, but would march to the west if war continued – leaving the Continental Congress with no army. General Washington, hearing of this, met with the officers and resolved the conflict.

The new American nation was saved by the one man who could have killed it. Washington could have ridden in on his white horse, seized power, and established a military rule, but he believed that military power must always be subordinate to civil authority. When serving as the Chairman of the Constitutional Convention, Washington led the delegates to establish the three branches of government- legislative, executive and judicial, which we must protect for a balance of power in our government.

Mr. Mannon’s conclusion was that Washington was a great man because he saved our democracy.

Ruth Gray was inducted as a new member into the James K. Polk Chapter DAR. Newly elected officers are: Regent, Cortez Copher; 1st Vice-Regent, Ann Garrett; 2nd-Vice Regent, Leighanna Guillet; Recording Secretary, Brenda Cunningham; Treasurer, Shelly Collins; Registrar, Dotty Kinnun; Historian, Angel Ward; and Chaplain, Linda Craig Evans. The next meeting will be February 20, in the Polk County Library at 6:30 p.m. Ladies interested in becoming a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution are invited to attend. For information, contact Dotty Kinnum, Registrar- 479-437-3111 or Cortez Copher- cortezjcopher@yahoo.com.

Pictured: Dotty Kinnun swearing in Ruth Gray into the Daughters of the American Revolution with chaplain, Jane Simmons.  Secretary, Era Looney, is in background.

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Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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