[249] Toward this end, in 1784 the Spanish closed New Orleans to American goods coming down the Mississippi, which was the only viable outlet for the goods produced by many American settlers, and began selling weapons to the Native tribes in the Yazoo. The southern portion of this region was also claimed by Spain as part of Spanish Florida. Congress passed a package of constitutional amendments that were largely based on Madison's original proposals, though some of Madison's ideas were not adopted. For five hours that day, Washington had been outdoors on horseback, inspecting his property. One of Hamilton's drafts included pointedly sharp criticism of the newspapers and the press of the day, something subsequently not included in the final, finished letter. Washington personally led federalized soldiers in suppressing the Whiskey Rebellion, which arose in opposition to the administration's taxation policies. [41] The short and simple inauguration was viewed in a stark contrast to that of 1789, which was perceived by many as almost a monarchical coronation. When Washington was 11, his father died and he became the ward of his well-placed half brother Lawrence and his wife, Anne. [73][74] Washington's salary was equal to two percent of the total federal budget in 1789. The group's last stop in North Carolina was Wilmington, after which they traveled to Georgetown, South Carolina, subsequently stopping in Charleston. [279][i], As his second term entered its final year in 1796, Washington was exhausted from years of public service. [98] Because the federal government would be unable to even pay the salaries of its officials without passage of the bill, members of Congress were strongly motivated to reach a compromise. Congress leased the house from Samuel Osgood for a sum of $845 per year. In 1792 another unanimous vote by the Electoral College gave Washington a second term. "Founding Friendship: George Washington, James Madison, and the Creation of the American Republic." "[195], Although the president, who believed that the United States was too weak and unstable to fight another war with a major European power, wished to avoid any foreign entanglements,[196] a sizable portion of the American public was ready to help the French and their fight for "liberty, equality, and fraternity." He was also to insist that the British relinquish their posts in the Northwest. He was not a member of any political party and his Vice President was John Adams. [155], Congress approved 12 amendments to the U.S. Constitution on September 25, 1789, establishing specific constitutional guarantees of personal freedoms and rights, clear limitations on the government's power in judicial and other proceedings, and explicit declarations that all powers not specifically delegated to Congress by the Constitution are reserved for the states or the people, and submitted them to the state legislatures for ratification. [175] Afterward, Congress passed two Militia Acts: the first empowered the president to call out the militias of the several states; the second required that every free able-bodied white male citizen of the various states, between the ages of 18 and 45, enroll in the militia of the state in which they reside. Spain gained possession of British Florida south of 31° N and claimed the rest of it – north to 32° 22′ (the junction of the Mississippi and Yazoo Rivers). The passage of the Jay Treaty further inflamed partisan warfare, resulting in a hardening of the divisions between the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. [287] He then writes about the preservation of the Union, the core of American nationhood, and which, along with the Constitution binds all Americans together and provides for the popular well-being. [88], The Residence Act authorized the president to select a specific site along the Potomac for the permanent seat of government. Hamilton, Knox and Attorney General Bradford all favored using a militia to crush the rebellion, while Secretary of State Randolph urged peaceful reconciliation. [24] On his way to New York City, Washington received triumphal welcomes in almost every town he passed through, including Alexandria, Virginia; Georgetown, Maryland; Baltimore; Philadelphia; and Trenton. [288], After Washington died in 1799, the address was reprinted in newspapers, and included in schoolbooks and collections of Washington's writings and biographies throughout the country. From Boston, Washington traveled north, stopping in Marblehead and Salem, Massachusetts. His election, however, presented him and the rest of the nation with an unexpected problem. [108] Others contended that the debts should be repudiated, and the United States should refuse to pay them. [117], In December 1791, Hamilton published the Report on Manufactures, which recommended numerous policies designed to protect U.S. merchants and industries to increase national wealth, induce artisans to immigrate, cause machinery to be invented, and employ women and children. [295], Washington's announcement on September 19, 1796, that he would not be a candidate for a third term was, in the words of congressman Fisher Ames, "a signal, like dropping a hat, for the party racers to start." [307], Washington has been heavily written about, with more than 900 books having been written about him. Washington received a vote from every elector making him the only president to be unanimously elected. In late May, the group turned around, stopping at many Revolutionary War battle sites. [111], Later in 1790, Hamilton issued another set of recommendations in his Second Report on Public Credit. [271][272] Both did so while Washington was in office, thereby joining the Union: North Carolina, November 21, 1789;[273][274] and Rhode Island, May 29, 1790. [118] Hamilton called for federally-supervised infrastructure projects, the establishment of state-owned munitions factories and subsidies for privately owned factories, and the imposition of a protective tariff. [163] The Eleventh Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified by the requisite number of states (then 12) on February 7, 1795, to become part of the Constitution. [53] Knox, Hamilton, and Randolph all left the cabinet during Washington's second term; Randolph was forced to resign during the debate over the Jay Treaty. [9] In an August 1788 letter, Thomas Jefferson wrote that he considered John Adams, John Hancock, John Jay, James Madison, and John Rutledge to be contenders for the vice presidency. Washington was essentially unopposed, but Adams faced a competitive re-election against Governor George Clinton of New York. [129][130], The tax on whiskey was bitterly and fiercely opposed on the frontier from the day it was passed. Leibiger, Stuart. The Democratic-Republicans also attracted middle-class Northerners, such as artisans, farmers, and lower-level merchants, who were eager to challenge the power of the local elite. As the election occurred before ratification of the Twelfth Amendment, each elector cast two votes for the presidency, though the electors were not allowed to cast both votes for the same person. The Americans also guaranteed favorable treatment to British imports. [104] In his Report on the Public Credit, Hamilton estimated that the state and federal governments had a combined debt of $79 million; he projected that the federal government's annual income would be $2.8 million. [76] Through the Judiciary Act, Congress established a six-member Supreme Court, composed of one Chief Justice and five Associate Justices. [32] He complained of old age, sickness, the in-fighting plaguing his cabinet, and the increasing hostility of the partisan press. [100], To enable the federal government to collect the import duties, Congress also passed the Collection Act of 1789, which established the United States Customs Service and designated ports of entry. Unanimously elected twice, President Washington established many crucial presidential precedents. In September 1789, with no resolution in sight and the close of that session drawing near, Congress directed Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton to prepare a credit report. [b] Initially, Washington met individually with the leaders of the executive departments and the Attorney General, but he began to hold joint meetings in 1791, with the first meeting occurring on November 26. [3][35] In the end, "Washington never announced his candidacy in the election of 1792," wrote John Ferling in his book on Washington, "he simply never said that he would not consider a second term. Although confirmed by a comfortable margin in the U.S. Senate (18–8), debate on the nomination was bitter. [178] Delegates from the various confederation tribes, 1130 persons total, gathered for a peace conference at Fort Greene Ville in June 1795. Political leaders of both groups, but especially the Federalists, were reluctant to label their own faction as a political party. At the same time, Hamilton's funding proposal, a plan in which the federal government would assume debts incurred by states in waging the Revolutionary War was failing to garner enough support to pass. Required fields are marked *. If he shelved the treaty to silence his political detractors, there would likely be war with Great Britain, which had the potential to destroy the government from the outside. After Congress went into recess in September 1789, Washington traveled to New England, making his first stop in New Haven, Connecticut. The "first family" moved into this larger and more conveniently located house when, Washington brought nine of his numerous slaves to Philadelphia, circumventing the 1788 amendments to Pennsylvania's, Chervinsky, Lindsay M. "The Historical Presidency: George Washington and the First Presidential Cabinet. [289] Full text, The address is largely a statement of his policies while in office, with some comments mixed in to highlight certain points,[287] in which he builds a case for the steps needed to perpetuate the union, a concept that began to germinate among and between the states during the Revolutionary War. [97], One of the most pressing issues facing the First Congress during its inaugural session was the issue of how to raise revenue for the federal government. [252], Perhaps most importantly, Pinckney's Treaty granted both Spanish and American ships unrestricted navigation rights along the entire Mississippi River, as well as duty-free transport for American ships through the Spanish port of New Orleans, opening much of the Ohio River basin for settlement and trade. William Henry Harrison spent the shortest time in office while Franklin D. Roosevelt spent the longest. Harmar committed only 400 of his men under Colonel John Hardin to attack a Native American force of some 1,100 warriors, who easily defeated Hardin's forces. He is the only American president being elected unanimously by the Electoral College. [157] With the support of Washington, Madison put together a package of relatively uncontroversial amendments that won the backing of both Federalist and Anti-Federalist members of Congress. [116] Jefferson feared that the creation of the national bank would lead to political, economic, and social inequality, with Northern financial interests dominating American society much as aristocrats dominated European society. [87], Washington, Jefferson, and Madison all supported a permanent capital on the Potomac; Hamilton backed a temporary capital in New York City, and a permanent one in Trenton, New Jersey. ", Phelps, Glenn A. But as it is easy to foresee that, from different causes and from different quarters, much pains will be taken, many artifices employed, to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth; as this is the point in your political fortress against which the batteries of internal and external enemies will be most constantly and actively (though often covertly and insidiously) directed, it is of infinite moment that you should properly estimate the immense value of your national Union to your collective and individual happiness; that you should cherish a cordial, habitual, and immovable attachment to it; accustoming yourselves to think and speak of it as of the palladium of your political safety and prosperity; watching for its preservation with jealous anxiety; discountenancing whatever may suggest even a suspicion that it can in any event be abandoned; and indignantly frowning upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest, or to enfeeble the sacred ties which now link together the various parts. "George Washington and the Paradox of Party. Washington's inaugural address was just 135 words, the shortest ever. 1, Ancient York Masons, and was opened at random to Genesis 49:13 ("Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon"). As the presidential election of 1792 approached, Washington, pleased with the progress his administration had made in establishing a strong, stable federal government,[31] hoped to retire rather than seek a second term. Following this confrontation, the militia captured a federal marshal and continued to clash with federal forces. About a week after arriving in Boston, he traveled north to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and circled back to New York, stopping in Waltham and Lexington. [227] The British, to promote the signing of the treaty, delivered a letter in which Randolph was revealed to have taken bribes from the French. In October 1790, his force of 1,453 men was assembled near present-day Fort Wayne, Indiana. In doing so he lifts a well-formed and functioning Constitution (the rule of law), along with the proper habits and dispositions (both intellectual and religious) of the people as essential. While the British government did not take this proposal up, it did inform the Washington administration that it would not relinquish the Northwest forts, even if the U.S. paid its overdue debts. edition.cnn.com/2011/LIVING/02/23/cb.jobs.before.president/index.html Washington was re-elected unanimously in the 1792 presidential election, and chose to retire after two terms. General Washington at Christ Church, Easter Sunday, 1795 by J.L.G. The Constitution provided for the selection of electors,[k] who would then elect a president. [123] Opponents of Hamilton and the administration won several seats in the 1792 Congressional elections, and Hamilton was unable to win Congressional approval of his ambitious economic proposals afterward. They fled towards Fort Miami but were surprised to find the gates closed against them. After sailing through a large storm, they arrived in Annapolis. Those lands consisted of Spanish Louisiana and New Orleans. On September 21, 1792, France declared itself a republic, and the deposed King Louis XVI was guillotined on January 21, 1793. In November 1781, John Hanson became the first President of the United States in Congress Assembled, under the Articles of Confederation. [27] Washington took the oath on the building's second floor balcony, in view of throngs of people gathered on the streets. [286], Washington makes clear at the outset that he was not running for a third term, and then thanks his fellow citizens for the opportunity to serve as their president. "[4] Alexander Hamilton was one of the most dedicated in his efforts to get Washington to accept the presidency, as he foresaw himself receiving a powerful position in the administration. [67] To his wife Abigail he wrote, "My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man . Their efforts faced intense opposition from most southern congressmen, who blocked any attempt to abolish an institution that was important to their plantation economy. These receptions made Martha, as Abigail Adams wrote, "the object of Veneration and Respect. By 1781, Washington was wearing partial dentures, and by 1789, he had only one tooth left in his mouth. "[48] Washington's initial cabinet consisted of one individual from New England (Knox), one individual from the mid-Atlantic (Hamilton), and two Southerners (Jefferson and Randolph). Several merchants were extremely happy that the President decided to remain impartial to the revolution. [6] On April 6, 1789, the House and Senate, meeting in joint session, counted the electoral votes and certified that Washington had been elected President of the United States with 69 electoral votes. The first international presidential trip was made in 1906 by Theodore Roosevelt,[294] and subsequently, during World War I, Woodrow Wilson made a case for U.S. intervention in the conflict and a U.S. interest in maintaining a peaceful world order. A wave of bloody massacres spread through Paris and other cities late that summer, leaving more than one thousand people dead. [146] He also believed that "a flourishing merchant economy would sow opportunities for all, resulting in a more philanthropic, knowledgeable and enterprising people." The embargo was later renewed for a second month but then was permitted to expire. [297], The Democratic-Republicans in Congress held a nominating caucus and named Jefferson and Aaron Burr as their presidential choices. [201] The Proclamation was formalized into law by the Neutrality Act of 1794. What time is the 4th of july parade in washington dc? Press of Virginia, 1999. Maranell, Gary M. (June 1970). [18][19][20] Washington and Adams were certified as having been elected president and vice president respectively. [26] Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States on April 30, 1789, at Federal Hall in New York, then the nation's capitol. The circuit courts were grouped into three geographic circuits to which justices were assigned on a rotating basis. [12][13] The other 35 electoral votes were divided among: John Jay (9), Robert H. Harrison (6), John Rutledge (6), John Hancock (4), George Clinton (3), Samuel Huntington (2), John Milton (2), James Armstrong (1), Benjamin Lincoln (1), and Edward Telfair (1). [112] Madison and Attorney General Randolph lobbied Washington to veto the bill as unconstitutional extension of the federal government's authority. . "[224] The reaction to the treaty was the most negative in the South. [122] Dissonance over Hamilton's proposals also irrevocably broke the relationship between Washington and Madison, who had served as the president's foremost congressional ally during the first year of his presidency. [232] This set up a series of diplomatic and political conflicts over the ensuing four years, culminating in the Quasi-War. Even so, deep philosophical differences soon caused a rift between them, and finally drove them apart. Gary J. Schmitt, "Washington's proclamation of neutrality: Executive energy and the paradox of executive power.". [189] Lafayette, who was appointed commander-in-chief of the National Guard following the storming of the Bastille, fled France and ended up in captivity in Austria,[190] while Thomas Paine, in France to support the revolutionaries, was imprisoned in Paris. [102][103], After the passage of the Tariff of 1789, various other plans were considered to address the debt issues during the first session of Congress, but none were able to generate widespread support. [222], Although the Senate hoped to keep the treaty secret until Washington had decided whether or not to sign it, it was leaked to a Philadelphia editor who printed it in full on June 30. The trip began on March 20, 1791, when Washington and a small group of aides began sailing down the Severn River. [84] There was much maneuvering by interstate coalitions that were formed and dissolved almost daily, as Congress debated the matter. Now, four years later, he turned to Alexander Hamilton for guidance. In the days immediately following Washington's second inauguration, the revolutionary government of France sent diplomat Edmond-Charles Genêt, called "Citizen Genêt", to America. [45] The four positions of Secretary of War, Secretary of State, Secretary of Treasury, and Attorney General became collectively known as the cabinet, and Washington held regular cabinet meetings throughout his second term. [290] The U.S. Senate observes Washington's Birthday (February 22) each year by selecting one of its members, alternating parties, to read the address in legislative session. [236][237] Beginning late in 1786, the Portuguese Navy began blockading Algerian ships from entering the Atlantic Ocean through the Strait of Gibraltar, which provided temporary protection for American merchant ships. [1] Despite his efforts, debates over Hamilton's economic policy, the French Revolution, and the Jay Treaty deepened ideological divisions. [28][29] Afterward, Livingston shouted "Long live George Washington, President of the United States! [17] The House would not achieve a quorum until April 1, and the Senate on April 6, at which time the electoral votes were counted. [118] There were also questions raised about the constitutionality of these proposals,[120] and opponents such as Jefferson feared that Hamilton's expansive interpretation of the Necessary and Proper Clause would grant Congress the power to legislate on any subject. The British commander of the fort refused to assist them, unwilling to start a war with the United States. [80][83], The subject of a permanent capital city had been discussed several times, but the Continental Congress could never agree on a site due to regional loyalties and tensions. [114], The following year, Congress passed the Coinage Act of 1792, establishing the United States Mint and the United States dollar, and regulating the coinage of the United States. Though he remained in fine mental condition, his physical health had begun to decline. Washington announced his selection of a site on January 24, 1791, and planning for the new city began afterward. The bill would have redistributed House seats among the states in a way that Washington considered unconstitutional. ", Morris, Richard B. [61] Adams favored the adoption of the style of Highness (as well as the title of Protector of Their [the United States'] Liberties) for the president. [78] The Court's first term began on February 2, 1790, at the Royal Exchange in New York City. When the great Gen. George Washington left his comfortable retirement at Mount Vernon to become the first president of the United States, well-wishers threw flowers at his feet. [43] Congress also considered establishing a Home Department to oversee Native American affairs, the preservation of government documents, and other matters, but the proposed department's duties were instead folded into the State Department. BEFORE THE PRESIDENCY Career: As a younger son in a land-poor family, Washington had to work hard to win his position as a Virginia gentleman. Like the previous two presidential elections, no candidates were put forward for voters to choose between in 1796. There he offered peace, which was rejected. Washington initially offered the position of Secretary of State to John Jay, who had served as the Secretary of Foreign Affairs since 1784 and acted as the interim Secretary of State. Adams then proposed calling Washington, “His Highness, the President of the United States, and Protector of the Rights of the Same.”. Greatly concerned about the growing partisanship within the government and the detrimental impact political parties could have on the fragile unity of the nation, Washington struggled throughout his eight-year presidency to hold rival factions together. In foreign affairs, he assured domestic tranquility and maintained peace with the European powers despite the raging French Revolutionary Wars by issuing the 1793 Proclamation of Neutrality. [70][71] After attempting but failing to override the veto, Congress soon wrote new legislation, the Apportionment Act of 1792, which Washington signed into law on April 14. In his first inaugural address, Washington expressed both his reluctance to accept the presidency and his inexperience with the duties of civil administration, but he proved an able leader. The territory claimed by Georgia, which it called the "Yazoo lands", ran west from the Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River, and included most of the present-day states of Alabama and Mississippi (between 31° N and 35° N). George Washington had been elected as president of the Constitutional Convention and, given his great stature as a national hero, it seemed obvious he would be elected as the first President of the United States. [81][c] After the rejection of Rutledge's nomination, Washington appointed Oliver Ellsworth as the third Chief Justice of the United States. Your email address will not be published. By late 1796, the Federalists had gained twice as many signatures in favor of the treaty as had been gathered against. [34] They apprised him of the potential impact the French Revolutionary Wars might have on the country and insisted that only someone with his popularity and moderation could lead the nation effectively during the volatile times ahead. [187], From 1790 to 1794, the French Revolution became increasingly radical. That question isn’t as easy to answer as it may seem. [54] In 1795, Pickering became the Secretary of State, and James McHenry replaced Pickering as Secretary of War. Washington also lays out the greatest threats he sees to the Union, warning Americans to distrust the passions of political factionalism, be wary of foreign interference in the nation's domestic affairs, and avoid an entangling foreign policy. [33] The members of his cabinet—especially Jefferson and Hamilton—worked diligently through the summer and autumn to persuade Washington not to retire. Further, he had four older half siblings from his father’s first wife. Everyone loved George Washington, until he became president An engraving of George Washington from 1859. [77], As the first president, Washington was responsible for appointing the entire Supreme Court. The ship was sold in August 1785, and the navy disbanded. [174] The following month the House of Representatives conducted investigative hearings into the debacle. Each elector voted for two people, at least one of whom did not live in their state. As the treaty contained neither concessions on impressment nor a statement of rights for American sailors, another commission was later established to settle both those and boundary issues. George Washington as the President of the United States (1789 – 1797) Soon after independence, George Washington was elected as the first President of the United States of America in 1789. [242][243] After a contentious debate, Congress passed the Naval Armament Act on March 27, 1794, authorizing construction of six frigates (to be built by Joshua Humphreys). Millikan, Neal. [202], The public had mixed opinions about Washington's Proclamation of Neutrality. [21][22], Adams arrived in New York on April 20,[23] and was inaugurated as vice president on the next day. [222] Jeffersonians carried their campaign against the treaty and "pro-British Federalist policies" into the political campaigns (both state and federal) of 1796, where the political divisions marking the First Party System became crystallized. [173], Outraged by news of the defeat, Washington urged Congress to raise an army capable of conducting a successful offense against the Native confederacy, which it did in March 1792 – establishing more Army regiments (the Legion of the United States), adding three-year enlistments, and increasing military pay. Because direct taxes were politically unfeasible, Congress turned to the tariff as the main source of funding. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was re-established on July 27, 1789, and would be renamed to the Department of State in September. * Denotes link to list of related timelines, the greatest presidents in American history, 1788–89 United States presidential election, List of federal judges appointed by George Washington, Opponents of Hamilton and the administration, Eleventh Amendment to the United States Constitution, History of U.S. foreign policy, 1776–1801, Governor General of British North America, Timeline of drafting and ratification of the United States Constitution, four terms, and served from 1933 through 1945, "George Washington: Campaigns and Elections", "To George Washington from Gouverneur Morris, 30 October 1787", "From His Peaceful Retirement at Mount Vernon, Washington Answers "The Call of His Country, "First President's Election Was the Last Thing He Wanted", National Archives and Records Administration, "George Washington: The Reluctant President", "The First Quorum of the House of Representatives", "Journal of the First Session of the Senate of The United States of America, Begun and Held at the City of New York, March 4, 1789, And In The Thirteenth Year of the Independence of the Said States", "From George Washington to the Ladies of Trenton, 21 April 1789", "The Speech and Bible From George Washington's First Inauguration Made History Many Times Over", "Inauguration Day Bibles: how presidents choose, and what that reveals", "The 2nd Presidential Inauguration: George Washington, March 4, 1793", "The Constitution and the cabinet nomination process", "Biographies of the Secretaries of State: Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826)", "How the Rivalry Between Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton Changed History", "Vice President of the United States (President of the Senate)", "John Adams, 1st Vice President (1789–1797)", "April 05, 1792: Washington exercises first presidential veto", "Jefferson-Signed Document Confirming Salaries for Washington and Adams Sells for $28,000 at Auction", "Presidential and Vice Presidential Salaries, 1789+", "Cost of Living in George Washington's Time", "U.S. Senate: Supreme Court Nominations: 1789–Present", "February 2, 1790: Supreme Court Holds Inaugural Session", "George Washington and the Supreme Court", "Introduction: Where Oh Where Should the Capital Be? [89] Washington personally oversaw this effort through the end of his presidency.
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