January 20, 2009
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His Most Benign Highness?
Just a wee bit of Presidential trivia….I got this out of the Farmer’s Almanac of all places! Personally, I am
glad that they did not go with that title for the President… although
I am thinking some today would find that it has a certain ring to it.
Bee“It is impossible to think of the U.S. chief executive as anything but “the President,” but in 1789, John Adams had other ideas.
After George Washington was unanimously elected, Congress had to decide
on his title. When “the President of the United States” was suggested,
Vice President–Elect John Adams disagreed, saying that the title was
not dignified enough—after all, he argued, even fire companies and
cricket clubs had presidents.
Instead, he believed that the leader of the United States needed a
grander title and humbly suggested “His Most Benign Highness.”
His peers, including George Washington, no doubt thought that Adams’s
grandiose suggestion was too reminiscent of the titles of English
royalty. They insisted on the more down-to-earth “President of the
United States of America.”
Comments (3)
Thank God they didn’t go with that name! LOL!
Grander? How ’bout lamer!
Sounds of royalty aside, benign sounds awful. What enemy would take a benign commander in chief seriously!
How hilarious at first glance and sobering on the second read. How far have we as a nation departed from our original vision?