    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book I)]
    [February 17, 1996]
    [Pages 295-296]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message on the Observance of Presidents' Day, 1996
    February 17, 1996

        Warm greetings to everyone celebrating Presidents' Day, 1996. I am
    pleased and proud that so many of our citizens gather at this time each

    [[Page 296]]

    year to celebrate our nation's rich history and to pay tribute to the
    office of the Presidency.
        America has been blessed with many great and good leaders over the
    past two centuries. The Presidents we honor with special pride on this
    day--George Washington and Abraham Lincoln--accepted the burdens of
    their office at moments of great national challenge and set a shining
    example for those who were to follow.
        As the first President of the United States, Washington played a
    vital part in defining the role of the Presidency in America's
    government and national life. With courage and vision, he ensured the
    steady course of American democracy and, in relinquishing his office at
    the appointed time, established the peaceful transition of power that
    has become the envy of other nations around the world.
        Abraham Lincoln preserved the Union that Washington helped to
    create. He guided America through four years of painful and bloody
    conflict, and at the end of his Presidency, we were still one nation
    under God, and government ``of the people, by the people, and for the
    people'' had not perished from our land.
        But Presidents alone cannot ensure America's success or preserve our
    freedom for future generations. It falls to each and every citizen to
    take part in the great experiment of American democracy. As we face the
    unknown challenges and exciting possibilities of a new century, let us
    renew our resolve to participate actively in the process of government,
    to stay informed and committed, and to educate our children about the
    privileges and responsibilities of citizenship. In this way we will keep
    faith with the great men whose service and sacrifice we honor on this
    day.

                                                                Bill Clinton