Executive Orders: George Washington's Presidency
President George Washington used Executive Orders sparingly during his two terms in office from 1789 to 1797. He issued only eight such orders, despite the fact that his presidency was a precedent setting one. He issued these orders primarily to act on matters that did not require Congressional approval or action. Congress was in session for shorter sessions that today. He was careful not to use these orders in any manner which might be seen as dictatorial, regal or autocratic. For example, on Oct. 3, 1789, he issued an executive order recognizing a day of Thanksgiving for Thursday, Nov. 26. On Aug. 26, 1790, he issued an order which dealt with the necessity for Americans to abide by treaties that had been made with a number of indigenous tribes. Two of his other orders clarified the boundaries of the District of Columbia where, beginning in 1800, the nation’s permanent capital would be.
Washington used executive orders in the course of the so called "Whiskey Rebellion" on two occasions: July 15, 1792, and Aug. 7, 1794. In these, he called for rebellious citizens to pay the tax on liquor that had become law. When the rebellion broke out in Pennsylvania, Washington actually led a military contingent there to end the civil disobedience and violence.
The most controversial of Washington’s executive orders was made on April 22, 1793. Congress was not in session, but a division was emerging within the nation over loyalty in the major rivalry of the day between the two great European powers. Washington warned Americans not to interfere in the war between Britain and France and other participating powers. He set out his expectation of “friendly and impartial” relations from Americans, calling for neutrality in the conflict. This was met with disapproval from Francophile Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson as well as some congressmen. But no challenge was raised to Washington's order.
It was Washington’s very first executive order, made on June 8, 1789, three months after taking office, which has the most relevance today. It involved the formation of the first Cabinet. At the time, Washington had no large staff to help him in running the affairs of the nation. He had no chief of staff, nor even a staff for anyone to be chief of.
Washington ordered the heads of the government departments “to impress me with a full, precise, and distinct general idea of the affairs of the United States” for the departments which they oversaw. He told his vice president, John Adams, a month earlier: “It will be much easier to commence the administration, upon a well-adjusted system, built on tenable grounds, than to correct errors or alter inconveniences after they shall have been confirmed by habit.”
The new Constitution had empowered the president to appoint executive department heads with the consent of the Senate. Three departments had existed under the Articles of Confederation: the Department of War, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Finance Office. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was reestablished on July 27, 1789, and would be renamed to the Department of State in September. The Department of War was retained on August 7. The Finance office would be renamed the Department of the Treasury on September 2.
Congress also considered establishing a Home Department to oversee Native American affairs and the preservation of government documents, but these duties were absorbed into the State Department. In September 1789, Congress established the positions of Attorney General, to serve as the chief legal adviser to the president; and Postmaster General, to serve as the head of the postal service.
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. The four positions of Secretary of War, Secretary of State, Secretary of Treasury, and Attorney General became collectively known as the cabinet. Washington held regular cabinet meetings throughout his second term. The Vice-President did not attend Washington's Cabinet meetings.
Edmund Randolph became the first Attorney General, while Henry Knox retained the position as head of the Department of War, which he had held under the old system of government. Washington initially offered the position of Secretary of State to John Jay, who had served as the Secretary of Foreign Affairs since 1784. Jay had acted as the interim Secretary of State. But Jay expressed his preference for a judicial appointment. Washington selected Thomas Jefferson as the first permanent Secretary of State.
For the key post of Secretary of the Treasury, which would oversee economic policy, Washington chose Alexander Hamilton, after his first choice, Robert Morris, declined. Morris had recommended Hamilton instead. Morris wrote to Washington, "My dear general, you will be no loser by my declining the secretaryship of the Treasury, for I can recommend a far cleverer fellow than I am for your minister of finance in the person of your aide-de-camp, Colonel Hamilton."
Washington's initial cabinet achieved somewhat of a regional balance. It consisted of one individual from New England (Knox), one individual from New York (Hamilton), and two Southerners (Jefferson and Randolph). Washington already had considerable experience in both Foreign affairs and in War, and often relied on his own counsel in those fields. Washington was given broad powers for removing officials in the executive branch. Congress passed a bill sponsored by James Madison that gave the President the power to remove public officials. In 1789, Vice President John Adams cast the deciding vote in the Senate against a bill that would have mandated senatorial consent for the removal of Senate-confirmed federal and cabinet appointments.
Washington set the agenda for cabinet discussions and occasionally requested cabinet opinions in writing. Washington's cabinet members were known for their factionalism, which led to their forming rival parties, much to Washington's displeasure. The most fierce rivalry within the cabinet was that between Hamilton and Jefferson. Their deep philosophical differences set them against each other and they frequently held opposing views about economic and foreign policy issues. Jefferson described his relationship with Hamilton as being "daily pitted, like two cocks." Knox tended to side with Hamilton, while Randolph tried to remain neutral but more often agreed with Jefferson, his fellow Virginian.
Washington concluded his presidency without any administrative scandals during his two terms. His Farewell Address of Sept. 19, 1796, noted the critical importance of power being restrained by the constitution. He wrote, “If in the opinion of the people the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment in the way in which the Constitution designates. But let there be no change by usurpation; for though this in one instance may be the instrument of good, it is the customary weapon by which free governments are destroyed.”
Washington used executive orders in the course of the so called "Whiskey Rebellion" on two occasions: July 15, 1792, and Aug. 7, 1794. In these, he called for rebellious citizens to pay the tax on liquor that had become law. When the rebellion broke out in Pennsylvania, Washington actually led a military contingent there to end the civil disobedience and violence.
The most controversial of Washington’s executive orders was made on April 22, 1793. Congress was not in session, but a division was emerging within the nation over loyalty in the major rivalry of the day between the two great European powers. Washington warned Americans not to interfere in the war between Britain and France and other participating powers. He set out his expectation of “friendly and impartial” relations from Americans, calling for neutrality in the conflict. This was met with disapproval from Francophile Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson as well as some congressmen. But no challenge was raised to Washington's order.
It was Washington’s very first executive order, made on June 8, 1789, three months after taking office, which has the most relevance today. It involved the formation of the first Cabinet. At the time, Washington had no large staff to help him in running the affairs of the nation. He had no chief of staff, nor even a staff for anyone to be chief of.
Washington ordered the heads of the government departments “to impress me with a full, precise, and distinct general idea of the affairs of the United States” for the departments which they oversaw. He told his vice president, John Adams, a month earlier: “It will be much easier to commence the administration, upon a well-adjusted system, built on tenable grounds, than to correct errors or alter inconveniences after they shall have been confirmed by habit.”
The new Constitution had empowered the president to appoint executive department heads with the consent of the Senate. Three departments had existed under the Articles of Confederation: the Department of War, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Finance Office. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was reestablished on July 27, 1789, and would be renamed to the Department of State in September. The Department of War was retained on August 7. The Finance office would be renamed the Department of the Treasury on September 2.
Congress also considered establishing a Home Department to oversee Native American affairs and the preservation of government documents, but these duties were absorbed into the State Department. In September 1789, Congress established the positions of Attorney General, to serve as the chief legal adviser to the president; and Postmaster General, to serve as the head of the postal service.
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. The four positions of Secretary of War, Secretary of State, Secretary of Treasury, and Attorney General became collectively known as the cabinet. Washington held regular cabinet meetings throughout his second term. The Vice-President did not attend Washington's Cabinet meetings.
Edmund Randolph became the first Attorney General, while Henry Knox retained the position as head of the Department of War, which he had held under the old system of government. Washington initially offered the position of Secretary of State to John Jay, who had served as the Secretary of Foreign Affairs since 1784. Jay had acted as the interim Secretary of State. But Jay expressed his preference for a judicial appointment. Washington selected Thomas Jefferson as the first permanent Secretary of State.
For the key post of Secretary of the Treasury, which would oversee economic policy, Washington chose Alexander Hamilton, after his first choice, Robert Morris, declined. Morris had recommended Hamilton instead. Morris wrote to Washington, "My dear general, you will be no loser by my declining the secretaryship of the Treasury, for I can recommend a far cleverer fellow than I am for your minister of finance in the person of your aide-de-camp, Colonel Hamilton."
Washington's initial cabinet achieved somewhat of a regional balance. It consisted of one individual from New England (Knox), one individual from New York (Hamilton), and two Southerners (Jefferson and Randolph). Washington already had considerable experience in both Foreign affairs and in War, and often relied on his own counsel in those fields. Washington was given broad powers for removing officials in the executive branch. Congress passed a bill sponsored by James Madison that gave the President the power to remove public officials. In 1789, Vice President John Adams cast the deciding vote in the Senate against a bill that would have mandated senatorial consent for the removal of Senate-confirmed federal and cabinet appointments.
Washington set the agenda for cabinet discussions and occasionally requested cabinet opinions in writing. Washington's cabinet members were known for their factionalism, which led to their forming rival parties, much to Washington's displeasure. The most fierce rivalry within the cabinet was that between Hamilton and Jefferson. Their deep philosophical differences set them against each other and they frequently held opposing views about economic and foreign policy issues. Jefferson described his relationship with Hamilton as being "daily pitted, like two cocks." Knox tended to side with Hamilton, while Randolph tried to remain neutral but more often agreed with Jefferson, his fellow Virginian.
Washington concluded his presidency without any administrative scandals during his two terms. His Farewell Address of Sept. 19, 1796, noted the critical importance of power being restrained by the constitution. He wrote, “If in the opinion of the people the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment in the way in which the Constitution designates. But let there be no change by usurpation; for though this in one instance may be the instrument of good, it is the customary weapon by which free governments are destroyed.”