To Cast a Solitary Vote

When many of you are reading this it will be election day.

I hope that, if you haven't already, you will think and pray and go vote.

The privilege is a sacred one -it did not come cheap.

When this nation was in its embryonic stage, the founders knew the importance of a vote.

Two days before the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Delaware delegation seemed to be at an impasse. Read and McKean were preparing to vote on whether to declare independence from Britain or not. Read was not in favor of going that far - McKean was in favor. McKean sent a message to another member of the delegation who was away serving other duties with the state militia - Caesar Rodney.

Rodney had lived a live of civic service and had served the people of Delaware in many offices. When he received the note from McKean, he knew he must do his part to see that Delaware voted for liberty!

Caesar Rodney was said to be in failing health. On his face was a cancerous growth that he was neglecting because of his civic obligations; he was also suffering from asthma.

Yet he mounted his horse and made the eighty mile journey.

He arrived just as the closing arguments were being presented and though covered in mud and fatigued - he cast his vote for liberty.

I was doing a quick internet refresher on this subject and noted that one writer pointed out that the vote wasn't even close, so Rodney's vote didn't make that much of a difference.

What an example for us in this day of short-sighted politics and fragile, upper-crust politicians.
How much self-sacrifice would our leaders be willing to make?

Now that I think of it - I have taken nearly every opportunity possible (and even created some opportunities) to whine about standing in line for over and hour to vote last week

{By the way - I did tell you about that didn't I....}

Caesar Rodney stands tall as a symbol of the spirit that drove the founding of this nation - and though seemingly dormant for now - I believe that spirit still lurks sleepily beneath the surface.


Sources: http://www.state.de.us/facts/history/rodnbio.htm