The Patriot Post® · The Father of Our Country
We’re 10 months into the history of the United States of America and the stories that remind us of the struggles and victories associated with that history — and today I finally get to write about George Washington’s presidency.
As a historian who has spent 51 years teaching U.S. history, I have to admit that I am quite frustrated that many of our states require fewer history courses as a graduation requirement than any of the other major fields of study. While I favor a well-educated populace with the necessary skills for productive citizenship, I would err on emphasizing that “citizenship” component. Most high school graduates may spend 30-40 years in a career, but they will hopefully be active, engaged citizens until the day they die. Our republic’s survival depends on it, and a knowledge of our history is critical to understanding and resolving the issues confronting us today and tomorrow.
Now, back to George Washington…
During the past 10 months, we’ve settled a new region of the world; dealt with problems related to survival in a harsh region; wrestled with religious, political, and economic differences as manifested in 13 distinct colonies; engaged in armed conflict in a multitude of settings; and, approximately 170 years after our first permanent settlement at Jamestown, chosen to strike out on our own as a new country. We’ve written a Constitution, creating a republic with a balance of power between the states and national government and between the branches of the federal government. A Bill of Rights had been added to the Constitution for the protection of individual rights, and all 13 new states have ratified the document.
Now we’re ready to blaze a trail to success — except that few individuals and even fewer individuals observing the new country expected success. How many republics existed in the 18th-century world? Exactly.
With all the challenges facing the new United States of America, the key to success rested heavily on the shoulders of the most admired and respected man who would become our first president. Delegates to the Constitutional Convention later admitted that, as they had fashioned the new government, they had envisioned George Washington as the first president long before that idea was ever given voice. And they then set about to make that vision a reality.
Washington was elected president on April 6, 1789 — a UNANIMOUS vote! When he was inaugurated later that month in a New York City ceremony, the new president reminded those assembled that the future of the country rested not in his hands alone but in the hands of the American people. This experiment in liberty and self-rule was not going to be easy.
Our first president — the “Father of our Nation” — had not lobbied for the job. In fact, he did not want the position. After a lifetime of service to his own Virginia and the other colonies, Washington simply wanted to return home and enjoy life at Mount Vernon. He was almost 60 and had spent years in military and civilian leadership; the idea of riding across his land, sitting on his front porch, and watching time pass slowly now appealed to this man of action. But how could he refuse to serve?
His sense of personal responsibility and desire to see the new country thrive guaranteed that he would serve, even if he would have preferred to retire and spend his remaining years with Martha and the family.
Washington understood that everyone would be intently watching every decision and action. He confided in James Madison that “the eyes of Argus are upon me and no slip will pass unnoticed.” And that awareness — along with his understanding that his decisions would become precedents for future leaders — guided his presidency.
He carefully avoided any hints of favoritism and nepotism. He attempted to choose a careful response to each issue confronting the new presidency. Nowhere was his thoughtful consideration of needs more evident than in assembling his advisors, choosing the most qualified person for the position regardless of political ideology or personal background.
And that first team was amazingly talented. Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, Henry Knox, and Edmund Randolph offered the new president varied perspectives and unlimited skills and knowledge, and they were supported in their open debate as advisors. (Remember the concept of civil discourse?)
The most urgent problem facing the new administration was finances, and Hamilton, the Secretary of the Treasury, stepped forward with a plan to stabilize the country’s finances and chart a course toward greatness. (Feel free to burst into song…)
In his analysis of the needs and goals, Hamilton identified three critical actions:
The national government would pay off the debt at face value and assume all the war debts currently carried by the colonies. He understood that walking away from financial obligation would doom the country in the eyes of the world.
If the new country was to move toward self-sufficiency, then high tariffs were necessary to protect American industries.
A stable U.S. economy required the creation of a national bank where governmental funds could be stored and where bank notes could be printed as needed to support the growing economy.
While Hamilton was successful in obtaining passage of the three prongs of his plan, his ideas were controversial and his critics were vocal, including Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. What if there was more than one path forward?
Join me next week as we delve into issues and argued solutions confronting the Washington administration.