In honor of Mount Vernon opening its Be Washington interactive experience today, I decided to hold a little contest and bring a fresh voice onto the podcast. I am seeking someone to read and record the intro quote for episode 1.27, set to launch in early March. The quote is from President Washington himself and appears in full below. If you are interested, please record yourself reading the following quote and send it (preferably in MP3 or WAV format, but I can try [though can’t guarantee] to work with other audio formats) via email to presidenciespodcast@gmail.com by Monday, February 26th. I will choose from the entries submitted and recognize the provider of the audio entry selected on the episode.
Without further ado, the legalities (seriously, what legitimate contest doesn’t have legalities?): By submitting an entry, you are certifying that the audio entry submitted is of you (I’m not sure how you would trick someone into reading this quote without their knowledge, but I never say never) and that you are agreeing to my using this audio for the purposes of this podcast including possible promotion. There is no compensation, monetary or otherwise, for providing this audio entry, just an acknowledgement on the episode in question as well as the eternal gratitude of a history geek who set off on a wild endeavor to cover presidential history from the very beginning a year and change ago.
I think that about covers it! Thus, on with the quote:
“This will be handed to you by Doctor Thornton of this City, who goes forward to lay before you a plan which he has prepared for the Capitol proposed to be built in the federal City.
Grandeur, Simplicity and Convenience appear to be so well combined in this plan of Doctor Thornton’s, that I have no doubt of its meeting with that approbation from you, which I have given it upon an attentive inspection, and which it has received from all those who have seen it and are considered as judges of such things.
How far the expense of such a building, as is exhibited by the plan, will comport with the funds of the City, you will be the best judges, after having made an estimate of the quantity of materials and labour to be employed in executing it. And to obviate objections that may be raised on this head, it should be considered, that the external of the building will be the only immediate expense to be incurred. The internal work—and many of the ornamental parts without, may be finished gradually, as the means will permit, and still the whole be completed within the time contemplated by law for the use of the building.”
This quote is from Washington’s letter to the Commissioners for the District of Columbia of March 3rd, 1793. Thanks so much to all who participate, and may your days be filled with history!
Image Credit: George Washington by Gilbert Stuart, c. 1795-1796, courtesy of Wikipedia
