The
American's Creed
by William Tyler Page
I
believe in the United States of America as a Government of the people,
by the people, for the people; whose just powers are derived from the
consent of the governed, - a democracy in a republic, a sovereign
nation of many sovereign States; a perfect union, one and inseparable,
established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice, and
humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and
fortunes.
I
therefore believe it is my duty to my Country to love it; to support
its Constitution; to obey its laws; to respect its Flag; and to defend
it against all enemies.
"The United States of America."
-- Preamble, Constitution of the United States.
"A Government of the people, by the
people, for the people." -- Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.
"Whose just powers are derived from
the consent of the governed." -- Declaration of Independence.
"A sovereign Nation of many
sovereign States." -- Drawn from Article IV of the Constitution.
"A perfect Union." -- Preamble
to the Constitution.
"One and inseparable." -- Daniel
Webster.
"Established upon those principles
of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots
sacrificed their lives and fortunes." -- Derived from Declaration
of Independence.
"I therefore believe it is my duty
to my Country to love it." -- In substance from Edward Everett
Hale's "The Man Without a Country."
"To obey its laws." -- Compiled
from Article VI, Constitution of the United States.
The complete proceedings
in regard to the official acceptance of The American's Creed may be
found in the Congressional Record, No. 102, April 13, 1918. The
American's Creed is destined to live in American history as it is a
composite of fundamental patriotic literature.
This creed was written as
a result of a nationwide contest. Henry Sterling Chapin, of New York,
conceived the idea of promoting the contest for the writing of a
national creed, which should be the briefest possible summary of
American political faith and yet be founded upon the fundamental things
most distinctive in American history and tradition. Mayor James H.
Preston of Baltimore, Maryland, offered a reward of a thousand dollars
for the winning creed. It seemed especially fitting that the birthplace
of the National Anthem should have the honor of presenting the prize
for the National Creed.
One day, when the contest
had been in progress for some time, the idea was presented to Mr. Page
that he should write a creed and thus enter this contest. Coming home
from church on a Sunday in May, 1917, the thought occurred to Mr. Page
to compose a creed fashioned along the lines of the Christian or
Apostles' Creed.
William Tyler Page was a
student of history and so was familiar with the great documents of our
United States as well as the famous statements of many of our great
Americans. The compilation of his proposed creed was changed day by day
until finally completed to his satisfaction.
The creed was sent to the
committee on manuscripts for the contest in August, 1917. Then in
March, 1918, Mr. Page received notice from the committee that he was
the successful competitor among more than three thousand contestants.
The award was presented by Mayor Preston on April 3, 1918, in the House
of Representatives Office Building, Washington, D.C. The creed was
accepted on the part of the United States by the Commissioner of
Education and by the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Three
days after the award Mr. Page purchased Liberty Bonds with the prize
money and gave them to his church.
In the words of William
Tyler Page, "The American's Creed is a summing
up, in one hundred words, of the basic principles of American political
faith. It is not an expression of individual opinion upon the
obligations and duties of American citizenship or with respect to its
rights and privileges. It is a summary of the fundamental principles of
American political faith as set forth in its greatest documents, its
worthiest traditions and by its greatest leaders."
The family roots of
William Tyler Page go back to 1650, when the first progenitor of his
family, John Page, settled in Williamsburg, Virginia. Carter Braxton,
Mr. Page's great-great grandfather, was a signer of the Declaration of
Independence and a member of the House of Burgesses of Virginia which
adopted the resolutions of Patrick Henry. Mr. Page is both a lineal and
collateral descendant of President John Tyler.
Mr. Page gave almost
sixty-one years of service at the United States Capitol, starting to
work as a page on December 19, 1881, at the age of thirteen. In 1919 he
was elected Clerk of the House and held that office until December,
1931. Then a new post was created for him — emeritus minority clerk —
which he held for the remainder of his life.
The last public appearance
of William Tyler Page was on Sunday evening, October 18, 1942, when he
was a guest of the Daughters of the American Revolution at the 50th
anniversary celebration of the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag, and
led in the recitation of The American's Creed. The next day, on October
19, 1942, Mr. Page passed into the Great Beyond. On this day the House
of Representatives adjourned in honor of his memory. For twenty-two
consecutive years Mr. Page led the assemblage in The American's Creed
at the Continental Congresses of the DAR.
The Nation lost a great
American citizen. During his mature life Mr. Page worked tirelessly in
interpreting the meaning of the Flag and disseminating patriotic
information concerning its religious and patriotic symbolism.
The American's Creed as
given to us by William Tyler Page arouses in every American a deep
sense of responsibility to preserve our Country and our constitutional
form of Government as given to us by our Forefathers.
History of the American's Creed
was published by the National Society Daughters of the American
Revolution, 1776 D Street NW, Washington, DC. 20006-5303.
