The Good Principles of the United States
Monday Ministerial Musings
By Rev. Mark William Ennis
2026 Blog #21
June 22, 2026
The Good Principles of the United States
Two weeks ago, Pam and I had the pleasure of a date night at “The 76 House” in Tappan, NY. I had first seen this place twenty years ago and it looked intriguing from the outside, but I had never been inside or eaten there. I always wanted to eat there but somehow never got around to it. Now, with our nation’s 250th anniversary just a short while away, I made sure that I ate at this restaurant.
It is reputed to be the oldest tavern in the United States with a founding date in 1686 in the small town of Tappan, New York, very close to the boarder of New Jersey. This tavern was almost 100 years old at the time of the American Revolution. Upon, arriving, it seemed that the restaurant was also a museum. Relics of the Revolutionary War are on display in every room of the eatery. There are costumes, muskets, bayonets, and period photographs. This building holds a great deal of our nation’s history.
Aside from the physical displays, a number of our founding fathers dined there and stayed there in rooms above the tavern. According to “The 76 House” menu, these luminaries include Hamilton, Washington, Von Steuban, and Anthony Wayne. Alexander Hamilton, actually lived on the premises for almost two years. It is said that Washington so loved the beer that was served he obtained the brew recipe from the brewer and duplicated it when he finally arrived home in Mount Vernon.
This tavern was used as a military tribunal hall as well as a jail when Benedict Arnold had transferred plans for west point to Major John Andre of the British army. Fortunately, Andre was discovered and brought to this tavern. There he was held, stood trial, and was hung from a tree not far away. According to legend, when Washington heard that his friend, Benedict Arnold had betrayed him, he walked to the fireplace that held a picture of Arnold and turned it upside down. It sits in that condition until this day.
Somehow, as we approach our 250th anniversary, it seemed good to sit in such a place. I wondered where these different gentlemen sat. Was I sitting in the same part of the room where they sat? Did I order a similar entre from what they ate? I was wishing for a window back in time so I might observe who had been where I was and what they had been doing.
I am grateful for the legacy that I inherited from these gentlemen. From their work and sacrifice I live in a land where I can seek “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Because of them, our nation states that all are created equally. Certainly, we have not lived up to that ideal, but it is worth striving for. I appreciate the challenge.
I hear a lot of people, in the context of the great political divisions that we have, feeling cynical about our nation. Truthfully, I can’t remember a time in my life when we didn’t have great political divisions. These divisions don’t change the fundamental goodness of what our founders designed, and what we still should strive for.
Now it is up to us to pick up this torch that our founders handed to us. Will we pledge ourselves to uphold these principles? Will we strive to ensure that all people here will be treated equally and can pursue life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? If we admire our founders, it is the job of each of us to do what we can do to make these ideals a reality. Will we? I believe that if we don’t, we are insulting those who sacrificed so much to give us this legacy. On the cusp of our nation’s anniversary, will we pledge to do this? We haven’t gotten it right yet. Maybe our generation will be the one that makes these ideals a reality. It seems like a worthy task and will be a proper anniversary gift from us to our nation.
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