King George III of Great Britain called him “the greatest man in the world” upon hearing the news
History trivia: There seem to be two versions of this story out there; a quick internet search suggests that they both come from the same person recounting a conversation with King George III but telling the story differently on different occasions.
In the one I originally heard, and have heard more often, the remark “If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world” was not about Washington declining to run for a third term, but rather about the news that Washington—having won the Revolutionary War, but not yet president—intended to resign from public life rather than seeking to lead the newly-formed USA.
(And he did retire from public life for some time, before being persuaded to attend the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and then becoming president.)
History trivia: There seem to be two versions of this story out there; a quick internet search suggests that they both come from the same person recounting a conversation with King George III but telling the story differently on different occasions.
In the one I originally heard, and have heard more often, the remark “If he does that, he will be the greatest man in the world” was not about Washington declining to run for a third term, but rather about the news that Washington—having won the Revolutionary War, but not yet president—intended to resign from public life rather than seeking to lead the newly-formed USA.
(And he did retire from public life for some time, before being persuaded to attend the Constitutional Convention of 1787 and then becoming president.)