In Jane Eyre the young Jane is taught how "the dashing George Villiers" fought the papish devils, the same man is an icon of devoted, if misplaced, affection in The Three Musketeers. He certainly was the heroic figure, although his facile and rapid rise to wealth and power attracted enemies. Sometimes a smooth negotiator, he didn't mollify his enemies but rather seemed to work at giving them ammunition. He made two foreign visits to find a Roman Catholic wife for King Charles, when he succeeded it angered Parliament. He made three expensive foreign visits to wage war, one never reached its destination, one failed after an extended campaign, and the last never even left port. The treasury was empty, and royal demands for contributions from the upper classes, with some extralegal attempts to enforce them, meant that the king probably could not have protected his favorite much longer. Ambition and arrogance only go so far without other talents. He had nothing to do with Buckingham Palace, that was built arond Buckingham House which was built for the Third Duke of Buckingham in 1703.
There were more recent conflicts between government and the populace, specifically in the US as civil rights activists and opponents of the Vietnam war made their case in large numbers. The largest protest to date heard Dr Martin Luther King, Jr's "I have a dream" speech, and the turbulent 1968 Democratic Party convention surprised no one when they nominated Hubert Humphrey as police nightsticks continued to rise and fall outside. The quotes today are from Dr King.
On the commercial side, the first radio ad aired on this day and two companies near and dear to my heart started up: Worcestershire Sauce from Lea and Perrins and United Parcel Service.
1837 - Worcestershire sauce first sold by pharmacists John Lea and William Perrins or Worcester, England. Lord Sandys, governor of Bengal, had asked them to make up a batch from a recipe he brought back. Lea and Perrins found it horrid, but corked it and set it aside. Some years later it had matured. The company now sells 25 million liters per year in 140 countries.
1907 - In Seattle, Washington nineteen-year-old Jim Casey borrowed $100 from his friend Claude Ryan to start a local delivery service, American Messenger Company, delivering parcels for Seattle retailers. Merged with a competitor in 1913 to form Merchants Parcel Delivery, changed name in 1919 to United Parcel Service.
1922 - First radio advertisement was broadcast, a ten minute pitch for Hawthorne Court in Jackson Heights delivered by announcer H. M. Blackwell on WEAF, AT&T's experimental radio station in New York City. The Queensboro Realty Company paid $100 for the ad.
1963 - The largest single protest demonstration in US history takes place on the grounds of the Lincoln Memorial at Washington City with a crowd estimated at 200,000 to 500,000. Joan Baez, Bob Dylan, and Peter, Paul, and Mary are among the performers. Dr Martin Luther King, Jr says, "I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
1968 - As conflict between antiwar activists and police continued in the streets and parks of Chicago, Illinois, the Democratic National Convention nominated Hubert H. Humphrey of Minnesota as the party's presidential candidate. Humphrey would later say, "I believe that history will show that what came out of 1968 was good for America.... Those kids ... blew the whistle on our use of power as the main instrument in our international affairs."
Feast of Saint Augustine of Hippo, Aurelius Augustinus was one of the great philosopher-theologians of Western Christianity. Born in 354 at Thagaste in Numidia (now Algeria), raised as a Christian by his mother Monnica, departed from the faith for more earthly pleasures for a time, after returning to the faith wrote City of God and Confessions, the latter of which includes the famous "Give me chastity and continence, but not just now." Died on this day in 430.
1592
- George Villiers, First Duke of Buckingham, English politician
- Born at Brooksby, Leicestershire, his father was a knight and sheriff.
Introduced to James I in 1614 he quickly became the king's favorite advisor,
displacing Robert Carr, Earl of Somerset. As his favor with the king increased,
he was titled Sir George Villiers, Master of Horse (1614-1616), Baron
Whaddon, Viscount Villiers (1617-1618), Earl of Buckingham (1618-1623),
and Duke of Buckingham from 1623 to his death. (He was the first person
created duke since Elizabeth had the Duke of Norfolk beheaded in 1572.)
Used his position to enrich and elevate several of his relatives, causing
dissension among the nobility. He also became lord high admiral in 1619.
Visited Madrid incognito in 1623 with Prince Charles (later Charles I)
to arrange marriage between Charles and the Spanish infanta, overreached
in negotiating a treatyand the lovesick Charles left humiliated. Returned
to London and urged war with Spain. Charles became king in March 1625,
Buckingham arranged a marriage to another Roman Catholic princess, Henrietta
Maria of France, raising concerns in Parliament about possible catholic
successor. Planned attack of Cadiz, Spain by land and sea, under-equipped
and disorganized assault fell apart before reaching the city. Bill of
impeachment was presented in May 1626, to protect his friend Charles dissolved
Parliament in June, convened a Court of the Star Chamber which, naturally,
cleared him. With Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu attacking the Huguenots
at La Rochelle in 1627, Buckingham personally led 8,000 troops to relieve
the besieged Protestants in June, his ignorance of warfare equaled his
personal bravery and after four months withdrew what was left of his army.
In 1628 Parliament ordered his dismissal, but Charles refused, and Buckingham
went to Portsmouth to organize another expedition to La Rochelle. Five
days latr John Felton, a lieutenant who supported Parliament over the
king and thought Buckingham owed him back wages, stabbed the admiral to
death on 23 August 1628.
The means by which we live have outdistanced the ends for which we live. Our scientific power has outrun our spiritual power. We have guided missiles and misguided men.
We must combine the toughness of the serpent with the softness of the dove, a tough mind and a tender heart.
Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a permanent attitude.
We live together as rational human beings or die together as fools.
Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge,
aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.
- Dr Martin Luther King, Jr
(All)
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