From RedGrittyBrick via Skeptics.Stackexchange.com: The author of the quote appears to be someone named Joe Spenner who authored a pamphlet in which there is an introduction by Spenner (note the absence of quote marks - he isn't quoting) containing the phrase in question, below this a horizontal dividing line, below the line are a series of quotations (in quote marks) attributed to George Washington. It seems clear that the quotation in question is part of Spenner's introductory remarks and Spenner is the original author.