Source: Joseph J. Ellis. Founding Brothers - The Revolutionary Generation (2000)
Since 1776, George Washington had been the center of gravity that kept the nation from flying into random orbits and decaying. For twenty years, Washington, from the Revolutionary War and the crucial years afterward, Washington had been at the center of the ring. On September 1796, in the American Daily Advertiser (Philadelphia’s #1 newspaper), Washington announced that he wasn’t going to serve a 3rd term as President. The Courier of New Hampshire gave the article the title of “Washington’s Farewell Address”. Over time, the Farewell Address joined the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg Address in the pantheon of America’s documents that outlined the principles of the nation. While historians have many interpretations of what Washington stated, in 1796 the only major takeaway was that Washington was done and going home.
Washington told Americans that they were on their own since he was going home, and he had some other things to say in addition to his retirement from public life. By the Spring of 1796, the government elites had known Washington was probably leaving the Presidency. But did Washington actually mean it, since he had, like every other major politician (other than Aaron Burr), had used the Cincinnatus model of appearing to not want the job . . . doing so had become a rhetorical ritual among the political elites.
At 6’ 4” and 200 pounds, Washington was always the tallest man in any room. Washington, in almost any other setting or era, would come off as an ugly ogre: he had a pockmarked face (from smallpox), decaying teeth, oversized eye sockets, a massive nose, heavy hips, and huge feet and hands. But the full package that was Washington oozed majesty. Washington didn’t just occupy space, he organized the space around him with an electric presence.
Washington told Americans that they were on their own since he was going home, and he had some other things to say in addition to his retirement from public life. By the Spring of 1796, the government elites had known Washington was probably leaving the Presidency. But did Washington actually mean it, since he had, like every other major politician (other than Aaron Burr), had used the Cincinnatus model of appearing to not want the job . . . doing so had become a rhetorical ritual among the political elites.
At 6’ 4” and 200 pounds, Washington was always the tallest man in any room. Washington, in almost any other setting or era, would come off as an ugly ogre: he had a pockmarked face (from smallpox), decaying teeth, oversized eye sockets, a massive nose, heavy hips, and huge feet and hands. But the full package that was Washington oozed majesty. Washington didn’t just occupy space, he organized the space around him with an electric presence.
During the French & Indian War and the Revolutionary War, Washington was constantly targeted and fired upon, but amazingly was never hit (the same couldn’t be said for his horses), and he never got sick while others dropped like flies around him. Washington had an unmatched aura and incredible stamina, and he also had the gift of eloquent silence. It wasn’t until before the Constitutional Convention in 1787 that Washington really had to deal with an illness (not counting his bout with smallpox before the F & I War), and then in 1790, he nearly died of complications from influenza. Washington needed to have a carbuncle removed (a cyst) from his upper thigh in his 1st term, and in 1794 he wrenched his back horseriding when he was touring the area that would become the District of Columbia. So, Washington’s age and health were primary reasons why he wanted to retire and go home to Mount Vernon.
By leaving after two terms, Washington established a precedent that the office should outlive the man, which was not the global tradition. In addition to age/health, Washington wanted to leave the Presidency since he had been politically wounded by the harsh political rhetoric in newspapers and pamphlets, the result of the rival political parties (Federalists v. Republicans).
By leaving after two terms, Washington established a precedent that the office should outlive the man, which was not the global tradition. In addition to age/health, Washington wanted to leave the Presidency since he had been politically wounded by the harsh political rhetoric in newspapers and pamphlets, the result of the rival political parties (Federalists v. Republicans).
Even though egomaniacal idiots like Thomas Paine accused Washington of being a traitor during the Revolutionary War, and that Benedict Arnold beat him to the punch, it was only a vocal minority that criticized Washington. The surest way to destroy one’s reputation as to attack Washington, as Paine soon discovered. Part of the reason Washington was very touchy about any criticism that came his way (after the Revolutionary War) was that he had been on Mount Olympus for so long, and hadn’t faced much if any public criticism for many years. But the attacks by 1795 were harsh and more numerous, and sometimes preposterous (e.g. Paine).
Washington was an obsessive reader of newspapers, not books, subscribing to ten newspapers at Mount Vernon. The main charge levied against Washington was that he had made himself a quasi-king. Washington’s natural aloofness and excellent manners fed these charges, most of which were false (it was true that Washington didn’t like shaking hands). Also in play was that the Declaration of Independence had planted into the American bloodstream that all kings were inherently evil.
In his Farewell Address, Washington wanted to give his fellow citizens advice on how to maintain/improve national unity without him, or a king. Washington, after stating he was done serving as President, went on for a few paragraphs about the need for national unity, especially on how the two political parties were focusing on the partisan/sectional instead of the national. Washington then spent time advocating strict neutrality concerning Europe (the phrase “Entangling Alliances” was from Jefferson during his first Inaugural Address). The sum total of Washington’s Farewell Address was that he was going home, and that unity at home and independence abroad were of paramount importance.
Washington was an obsessive reader of newspapers, not books, subscribing to ten newspapers at Mount Vernon. The main charge levied against Washington was that he had made himself a quasi-king. Washington’s natural aloofness and excellent manners fed these charges, most of which were false (it was true that Washington didn’t like shaking hands). Also in play was that the Declaration of Independence had planted into the American bloodstream that all kings were inherently evil.
In his Farewell Address, Washington wanted to give his fellow citizens advice on how to maintain/improve national unity without him, or a king. Washington, after stating he was done serving as President, went on for a few paragraphs about the need for national unity, especially on how the two political parties were focusing on the partisan/sectional instead of the national. Washington then spent time advocating strict neutrality concerning Europe (the phrase “Entangling Alliances” was from Jefferson during his first Inaugural Address). The sum total of Washington’s Farewell Address was that he was going home, and that unity at home and independence abroad were of paramount importance.
So much can be read into Washington’s Farewell Address since the landscape has dramatically changed since 1796, but when taken in the context of 1796, the address was firmly grounded on the principles of the Revolutionary Era. Also in play was Washington’s extraordinary ability to make a great exit (e.g. going home after the Revolutionary War).
Speaking of the Revolutionary War, it wasn’t until 1778 that General Washington truly understood the strategy of keeping his army from being captured. The British could take and hold New York City, Philadelphia, and other cities . . . so what. The British could bombard the American seaports . . . so what. The British could force the Continental Congress to run for their lives . . . so what. As long as Washington’s armies stayed in the field as an effective fighting force, he knew the British would eventually tire of fighting the war. Hannibal, Napoleon, and Robert E. Lee were all eventually defeated because they thought in order to win a war they had to win battles. Washington’s goal was space and time, not winning battles, until he could gain an advantage (e.g. Yorktown 1781). Also, Washington knew that virtue alone wasn’t enough to win the Revolutionary War, when in 1778 the Patriots started to seriously churn out their propaganda. As a result of all his experiences on-and-off the battlefields, Washington knew there was so such thing as a permanent national alliance, only permanent national interests. Also, Washington had the character trait of seeing things for what they really were, not for what he would wish them to be.
Speaking of the Revolutionary War, it wasn’t until 1778 that General Washington truly understood the strategy of keeping his army from being captured. The British could take and hold New York City, Philadelphia, and other cities . . . so what. The British could bombard the American seaports . . . so what. The British could force the Continental Congress to run for their lives . . . so what. As long as Washington’s armies stayed in the field as an effective fighting force, he knew the British would eventually tire of fighting the war. Hannibal, Napoleon, and Robert E. Lee were all eventually defeated because they thought in order to win a war they had to win battles. Washington’s goal was space and time, not winning battles, until he could gain an advantage (e.g. Yorktown 1781). Also, Washington knew that virtue alone wasn’t enough to win the Revolutionary War, when in 1778 the Patriots started to seriously churn out their propaganda. As a result of all his experiences on-and-off the battlefields, Washington knew there was so such thing as a permanent national alliance, only permanent national interests. Also, Washington had the character trait of seeing things for what they really were, not for what he would wish them to be.
Washington believed that the main national interest was expanding to the west; he had come to that conclusion by 1783 due to the forests he had explored/surveyed as a young man starting in the 1750s. So the last thing that Washington wanted for the nation was a war that would interfere with expanding west, which in large part explained his policy of neutrality towards the French Revolution.
The Jay Treaty (1795), while incredibly unpopular with the masses, was sheer genius on the part of Washington, in that he gambled that Britain and its Royal Navy would prevail against France, which would lead to tremendous benefits from trade with Britain. In other words, national security and economic development were advanced due to the British navy. But all that was invisible to 99%+ of Americans in 1795; any agreement with the British was seen as a betrayal of the Revolution.
The Jay Treaty (1795), while incredibly unpopular with the masses, was sheer genius on the part of Washington, in that he gambled that Britain and its Royal Navy would prevail against France, which would lead to tremendous benefits from trade with Britain. In other words, national security and economic development were advanced due to the British navy. But all that was invisible to 99%+ of Americans in 1795; any agreement with the British was seen as a betrayal of the Revolution.