Peaceful transitions of power not always the norm

With the inauguration of a controversial President and protests over the event, many Americans forget how unique a peaceful transition of power is in world history.

George Washington set an excellent precedent, for when he was called upon to serve a third term he sternly declined.  He understood that, if the Republic was truly to function, it could not rely only upon the personality and honor of a single individual.

The first real test of peaceful transition of power came in 1800 with the election of Thomas Jefferson, which occurred after bitter fights in the House of Representatives and after allegations of bribery and corrupting the election.

By far the most troubling and traumatic transition was in 1860. Fearing that a “black abolitionist Republican “ becoming President along with a Republican dominated Congress would be fatally damaging to “States’ Rights”; the Southern cause; and slavery itself, 7 state choose to leave the Union even before Mr. Lincoln was sworn is as Executive. The stilted and false propaganda about Lincoln now blossomed from noxious weeds into violent timbers of destruction.

Lincoln clearly saw and pronounced the tragedy of such movements. “Those who would choose bullet over ballot are bound to lose their case.” And he noted that if in any election the loser could dissolve the Union then every election is a possible death sentence to the nation. Secession was the road to anarchy. A civil war with over 600,000 dead Americans was the effect of unwillingness to peacefully follow Constitutional rules.

Other incidents have also been troubling. 1876 Democrat Samuel Tilden won the popular vote but fell 1 vote short of the majority in the Electoral College. Democrats threatened violence. Republicans, alarmed that a Democrat could even be President so soon after the Civil War, threatened retaliation. Cooler heads and backroom deals avoided history repeating itself and put a Republican in the White House but also ended reconstruction of the South and put blacks at the mercy of bigotry of former Confederates. The compromise avoided open rebellion but at the expense of civil liberties and a new form of “legalized racism.”

In 1933 tensions were so high after 4 years of withering depression that at the Presidential inauguration machine guns were pointed upon the crowds to deter or disperse violent outbreaks. FDR’s booming and positive inaugural address calmed the crowd and gave hope that active leadership on the part of the Executive and Legislative branches would see the country through the storm.

So we should remember representative democracy and transitions are not easy, but in the words of Franklin Roosevelt: “This nation will endure and prosper.” We must always keep in mind Lincoln’s appeal that we follow the better angels of our nature. In that spirit of hope, congratulations to the incoming President.