Presidents in Retirement: George Washington
He was eulogized as "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." George Washington was also the first President to retire. He though about sitting only one term in office, but at that time the conflict between Alexander Hamilton's Federalists and Thomas Jefferson's Republicans was simmering to a boil, and Washington knew that his nation needed him. But in 1796, in his eighth year in office, he did not want to be seen as a dictator, and by this time he had done enough for his country and deserved a rest.
Washington formally let the nation know that he would not seek reelection in what became know as his Farewell Address. It was published in David C. Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser on September 19, 1796 under the title "The Address of General Washington To The People of The United States on his declining of the Presidency of the United States." Almost immediately (or as soon as the technology of the day would allow) it was reprinted in newspapers across the country and later in a pamphlet form. It was a public letter and was one of the most influential statements in American history. It was drafted primarily by Washington himself with help from Hamilton. (A first draft was originally prepared by James Madison in his manuscript of June 21 1792 when Washington first contemplated retirement).
In the letter, Washington leaves the nation with his advice on the necessity and importance of a national union, on the value of the Constitution, on the rule of law, the evils of political parties, and the proper virtues of a republican people. He writes about morality, calling it as "a necessary spring of popular government". In the letter he says, "Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason, and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."
The address is often remembered for its warning against foreign influence in domestic affairs and American meddling in European affairs (though it is often misquoted for using the word "entanglements"), and it also warns against bitter partisanship in domestic politics. Washington asks his countrymen to move beyond partisanship and serve the common good. He cautions against "permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world", and writes that the United States must concentrate primarily on American interests. He advised friendship and commerce with all nations, but advised against involvement in European wars and entering into long-term "entangling" alliances. His message is basically "stay out of foreign affairs that don't involve us."
Washington's term as President ended on March 4, 1797, when he attended the inauguration of his successor, John Adams. He returned to his home at Mount Vernon and told friends that he did so with a profound sense of relief. When he was back at home, he devoted much time to his plantations and other business interests. These included a distillery, which produced its first batch of spirits in February 1797. His plantation operations were only minimally profitable. The lands he owned in the west yielded little income because they were under attack by Native Americans, and the squatters living there refused to pay him rent. Washington tried to sell off these holdings but could not get the price that he wanted. He was losing money at Mount Vernon. Nearly all his wealth was tied up in land or slaves. Washington was what we might call "asset rich and cash poor". His estate was worth about $1 million in 1799 dollars, equivalent to over $20 million today.
In 1798, relations with France had deteriorated to the point that war seemed a reasonable possibility. President John Adams offered Washington a commission as lieutenant general on July 4, 1798, and the position of Commander-in-chief of the armies raised or to be raised for service in a prospective war. Washington accepted and served as the senior officer of the United States Army from July 13, 1798, until his death seventeen months later. He participated in the planning for a Provisional Army to meet any emergency that might arise but avoided involvement in details as much as possible. But much to Adams' chagrin, Washington delegated most of the work, including active leadership of the army, to Alexander Hamilton, who was then serving as a major general in the U.S. Army. No actual war with French broke out and Washington was never required to assume a field command.
On Thursday, December 12, 1799, Washington spent several hours inspecting his plantation on horseback, in snow, hail, and freezing rain. In the evening, he ate his supper without changing from his wet clothes. He awoke the next morning with a severe sore throat and became increasingly hoarse as the day progressed. In spite of this, he decided to ride out in the heavy snow, marking trees that he wanted cut on the estate. Some time around 3 a.m. that Saturday morning (December 14th), Washington suddenly awoke. He was having severe difficulty breathing and was almost completely unable to speak or swallow. At the time, a standard medical practice was "bloodletting", which was used to treat various ailments. Washington ordered estate overseer Albin Rawlins to remove half a pint of his blood.
Three physicians were summoned, including Washington's personal physician Dr. James Craik, along with Dr. Gustavus Brown and Dr. Elisha Dick. The doctors could not agree on what the problem was. Dr. Dick thought that the condition was a serious one that he described as a "violent inflammation of the throat", but the other two disagreed. By the time that the three physicians finished their treatments and bloodletting, there had been a massive volume of blood loss—half or more of his total blood content was removed over the course of just a few hours. Dr. Dick recognized that the bloodletting and other treatments were failing, and he proposed performing an emergency tracheotomy as a last-ditch effort to save Washington's life, but the other two doctors disapproved.
Washington died at home around 10 p.m. on Saturday, December 14, 1799, aged 67. Washington's last words are recorded by Tobias Lear in his journal as "'Tis well." Washington's funeral was held at Mount Vernon on December 18, 1799 where Washington's body was interred. Congress passed a joint resolution to construct a marble monument for his body in the planned crypt below the rotunda of the center section of the Capitol (then still under construction). In December 1800, the House passed an appropriations bill for $200,000 to build the mausoleum, which was to be a pyramid with a 100-foot (30 m) square base. Southern representatives and senators opposed the plan and defeated the measure because they felt that it was best to have Washington's body remain at Mount Vernon.
Throughout the world, people mourned Washington's death. In the United States, memorial processions were held in major cities and thousands wore mourning clothes for months. Martha Washington wore a black mourning cape for one year. In France, First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte ordered ten days of mourning throughout the country. Ships of the British Royal Navy's Channel Fleet lowered their flags to half mast to honor his passing. Martha Washington burned the correspondence which she had exchanged with her husband and only five letters between the couple are known to have survived, two letters from Martha to George and three from him to her.
Washington formally let the nation know that he would not seek reelection in what became know as his Farewell Address. It was published in David C. Claypoole's American Daily Advertiser on September 19, 1796 under the title "The Address of General Washington To The People of The United States on his declining of the Presidency of the United States." Almost immediately (or as soon as the technology of the day would allow) it was reprinted in newspapers across the country and later in a pamphlet form. It was a public letter and was one of the most influential statements in American history. It was drafted primarily by Washington himself with help from Hamilton. (A first draft was originally prepared by James Madison in his manuscript of June 21 1792 when Washington first contemplated retirement).
In the letter, Washington leaves the nation with his advice on the necessity and importance of a national union, on the value of the Constitution, on the rule of law, the evils of political parties, and the proper virtues of a republican people. He writes about morality, calling it as "a necessary spring of popular government". In the letter he says, "Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason, and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."
The address is often remembered for its warning against foreign influence in domestic affairs and American meddling in European affairs (though it is often misquoted for using the word "entanglements"), and it also warns against bitter partisanship in domestic politics. Washington asks his countrymen to move beyond partisanship and serve the common good. He cautions against "permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world", and writes that the United States must concentrate primarily on American interests. He advised friendship and commerce with all nations, but advised against involvement in European wars and entering into long-term "entangling" alliances. His message is basically "stay out of foreign affairs that don't involve us."
Washington's term as President ended on March 4, 1797, when he attended the inauguration of his successor, John Adams. He returned to his home at Mount Vernon and told friends that he did so with a profound sense of relief. When he was back at home, he devoted much time to his plantations and other business interests. These included a distillery, which produced its first batch of spirits in February 1797. His plantation operations were only minimally profitable. The lands he owned in the west yielded little income because they were under attack by Native Americans, and the squatters living there refused to pay him rent. Washington tried to sell off these holdings but could not get the price that he wanted. He was losing money at Mount Vernon. Nearly all his wealth was tied up in land or slaves. Washington was what we might call "asset rich and cash poor". His estate was worth about $1 million in 1799 dollars, equivalent to over $20 million today.
In 1798, relations with France had deteriorated to the point that war seemed a reasonable possibility. President John Adams offered Washington a commission as lieutenant general on July 4, 1798, and the position of Commander-in-chief of the armies raised or to be raised for service in a prospective war. Washington accepted and served as the senior officer of the United States Army from July 13, 1798, until his death seventeen months later. He participated in the planning for a Provisional Army to meet any emergency that might arise but avoided involvement in details as much as possible. But much to Adams' chagrin, Washington delegated most of the work, including active leadership of the army, to Alexander Hamilton, who was then serving as a major general in the U.S. Army. No actual war with French broke out and Washington was never required to assume a field command.
On Thursday, December 12, 1799, Washington spent several hours inspecting his plantation on horseback, in snow, hail, and freezing rain. In the evening, he ate his supper without changing from his wet clothes. He awoke the next morning with a severe sore throat and became increasingly hoarse as the day progressed. In spite of this, he decided to ride out in the heavy snow, marking trees that he wanted cut on the estate. Some time around 3 a.m. that Saturday morning (December 14th), Washington suddenly awoke. He was having severe difficulty breathing and was almost completely unable to speak or swallow. At the time, a standard medical practice was "bloodletting", which was used to treat various ailments. Washington ordered estate overseer Albin Rawlins to remove half a pint of his blood.
Three physicians were summoned, including Washington's personal physician Dr. James Craik, along with Dr. Gustavus Brown and Dr. Elisha Dick. The doctors could not agree on what the problem was. Dr. Dick thought that the condition was a serious one that he described as a "violent inflammation of the throat", but the other two disagreed. By the time that the three physicians finished their treatments and bloodletting, there had been a massive volume of blood loss—half or more of his total blood content was removed over the course of just a few hours. Dr. Dick recognized that the bloodletting and other treatments were failing, and he proposed performing an emergency tracheotomy as a last-ditch effort to save Washington's life, but the other two doctors disapproved.
Washington died at home around 10 p.m. on Saturday, December 14, 1799, aged 67. Washington's last words are recorded by Tobias Lear in his journal as "'Tis well." Washington's funeral was held at Mount Vernon on December 18, 1799 where Washington's body was interred. Congress passed a joint resolution to construct a marble monument for his body in the planned crypt below the rotunda of the center section of the Capitol (then still under construction). In December 1800, the House passed an appropriations bill for $200,000 to build the mausoleum, which was to be a pyramid with a 100-foot (30 m) square base. Southern representatives and senators opposed the plan and defeated the measure because they felt that it was best to have Washington's body remain at Mount Vernon.
Throughout the world, people mourned Washington's death. In the United States, memorial processions were held in major cities and thousands wore mourning clothes for months. Martha Washington wore a black mourning cape for one year. In France, First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte ordered ten days of mourning throughout the country. Ships of the British Royal Navy's Channel Fleet lowered their flags to half mast to honor his passing. Martha Washington burned the correspondence which she had exchanged with her husband and only five letters between the couple are known to have survived, two letters from Martha to George and three from him to her.