Part 14 (1/2)

THOUGH THE CONStitUTION SAID NOTHING about an inaugural address, Washi+ngton, in an innovative spirit, conteentleman under his roof ”-David Huton had always been economical ords, but the collaboration with Hu, which survives only in tantalizing snippets In this curious speech, Washi+ngton spent a ridiculous a his decision to become president, as if he stood accused of some heinous crime He denied that he had accepted the presidency to enrich hireed: ”In the first place, if I have formerly served the community without a wish for pecuniary compensation, it can hardly be suspected that I aton had always been economical ords, but the collaboration with Hu, which survives only in tantalizing snippets In this curious speech, Washi+ngton spent a ridiculous a his decision to become president, as if he stood accused of some heinous crime He denied that he had accepted the presidency to enrich hireed: ”In the first place, if I have formerly served the community without a wish for pecuniary compensation, it can hardly be suspected that I a a topical concern, he disavowed any desire to found a dynasty, pleading his childless state Closer in tone to future inaugural speeches was his ringing expression of faith in the American people He devised a perfect for that the Constitution had brought forth ”a governovernment in which all power is derived from, and at stated periods reverts to, theovernment of laws made and executed by the fair substitutes of the people alone” Addressing a topical concern, he disavowed any desire to found a dynasty, pleading his childless state Closer in tone to future inaugural speeches was his ringing expression of faith in the American people He devised a perfect for that the Constitution had brought forth ”a governovernment in which all power is derived from, and at stated periods reverts to, theovernment of laws made and executed by the fair substitutes of the people alone”38 Showing an Enlighteneneralized the A a path toward the universal triuht will spring up in the dark corners of the earth; that freedom of inquiry will produce liberality of conduct; that hteneneralized the A a path toward the universal triuht will spring up in the dark corners of the earth; that freedom of inquiry will produce liberality of conduct; that mankind will reverse the absurd position that the many the many were made for were made for the few; the few; and that they will not continue slaves in one part of the globe, when they can become freemen in another” and that they will not continue slaves in one part of the globe, when they can become freeht of day Washi+ngton sent a copy to James Madison, isely vetoed it on two counts: it was islative proposals would be interpreted as executive islature Instead, Madison drafted for Washi+ngton a far more compact speech that avoided tortured introspection A ind of energy, Madison would seeton's adural address but also the official response by Congress and then Washi+ngton's response to Congress, co the circle This service established Madison, despite his major role in the House, as a preeh, he was not troubled that his advisory relationshi+p to Washi+ngtonthe separation of powers

Washi+ngton knew that everything he did at the swearing-in would establish a tone for the future ”As the first of everything in our situation our situation will serve to establish a precedent,” he reminded Madison, ”it is devoutly wished on my part that these precedents may be fixed on true principles” will serve to establish a precedent,” he reminded Madison, ”it is devoutly wished on my part that these precedents may be fixed on true principles”40 He would shape indelibly the institution of the presidency Although he had earned his reputation in battle, he uration or beyond, banishi+ng fears of a litter with patriotic symbols To spur American manufactures, he would wear a double-breasted brown suit made from broadcloth woven at the Woolen Manufactory of Hartford, Connecticut He would shape indelibly the institution of the presidency Although he had earned his reputation in battle, he uration or beyond, banishi+ng fears of a litter with patriotic symbols To spur American manufactures, he would wear a double-breasted brown suit made from broadcloth woven at the Woolen Manufactory of Hartford, Connecticut 41 41 The suit had gilt buttons with an eagle insignia on them; to complete his outfit, he would hite hosiery, silver shoe buckles, and yellow gloves Washi+ngton already sensed that Americans would ereat while before it will be unfashi+onable for a gentleman to appear in any other dress,” he told Lafayette, referring to his A subject to British prejudices” The suit had gilt buttons with an eagle insignia on them; to complete his outfit, he would hite hosiery, silver shoe buckles, and yellow gloves Washi+ngton already sensed that Americans would ereat while before it will be unfashi+onable for a gentleman to appear in any other dress,” he told Lafayette, referring to his A subject to British prejudices”42 To burnish his iton powdered his hair and wore a dress sword on his hip, sheathed in a steel scabbard To burnish his iton powdered his hair and wore a dress sword on his hip, sheathed in a steel scabbard

The inauguration took place at the building at Wall and Nassau streets that had long served as New York's City Hall It ca hosted John Peter Zenger's trial in 1735, the Staress froineer Pierre-Charles L'Enfant had reress L'Enfant introduced a covered arcade at street level and a balcony surular pediment on the second story As the people's chamber, the House of Representatives was accessible to the public, situated in a high-ceilinged octagonal rooround floor, while the Senateit froe onto the balcony to take the oath of office In uration was a hasty, slapdash affair As with all theatrical spectacles, rushed preparations and frantic work on the new building continued until a few days before the event Nervous anticipation spread through the city as to whether the two hundred workmen would couration, an eagle was hoisted onto the pedi The final effect was stately: a white building with a blue and white cupola topped by a weathervane

A little after noon on April 30, 1789, following achurch bells and prayers, a contingent of troops on horseback, accoislators, stopped at Washi+ngton's Cherry Street residence Escorted by David Humphreys and Tobias Lear, the president-elect stepped into his carriage, which was trailed by foreign dignitaries and crowds of joyous citizens The procession wound slowly through the narrow Manhattan streets, e froh a double line of soldiers to the building and ress awaited hiton bowed to both houses of the legislature-his invariablechair up front A profound hush settled on the roo, then inforton that the epochal moment had arrived: ”Sir, the Senate and House of Representatives are ready to attend you to take the oath required by the constitution” ”I aton replied43 As he stepped through the door onto the balcony, a spontaneous roar surged frohtly squeezed into Wall and Broad streets and covering every roof in sight This open-air cereathered below Washi+ngton's de: he clapped one hand to his heart and bowed several ti the serried ranks of people, one observer said they were jaht literally walk on the heads of the people”44 Thanks to his sirity, and unrivaled sacrifices for his country, Washi+ngton's conquest of the people was complete A member of the crowd, the Count de Moustier, the French ton and the citizens who stood packed below hiovernned more coton in those of his fellow citizensHe has the soul, look, and figure of a hero united in hirity, and unrivaled sacrifices for his country, Washi+ngton's conquest of the people was complete A member of the crowd, the Count de Moustier, the French ton and the citizens who stood packed below hiovernned more coton in those of his fellow citizensHe has the soul, look, and figure of a hero united in hi woman in the crowd echoed this when she rereat and noble as he does” One young woman in the crowd echoed this when she rereat and noble as he does”46 Only Congressman Fisher Ames of Massachusetts noted that ”titon's face, which already looked haggard and careworn Only Congressman Fisher Ames of Massachusetts noted that ”titon's face, which already looked haggard and careworn47 The sole constitutional require-in was that the president take the oath of office That ressional coton place his hand on a Bible during the oath, leading to a frantic, last-e ca a thick Bible, bound in deep brown leather and set on a criton appeared on the portico, the Bible rested on a table draped in red velvet

The crowd grew silent as New York chancellor Robert R Livingston adton, as visibly moved As he finished the oath, he bent forward, seized the Bible, and brought it to his lips Washi+ngton felt this moment from the bottom of his soul: one observer noted the ”devout fervency” hich he ”took the oath and the reverential end has it that he added ”So help h this line was first reported sixty-five years later Whether or not Washi+ngton actually said it, very few people would have heard him anyway, since his voice was soft and breathy For the crowd below, the oath of office was enacted as a kind of duston had to lift his voice and infore Washi+ngton, President of the United States” Legend has it that he added ”So help h this line was first reported sixty-five years later Whether or not Washi+ngton actually said it, very few people would have heard him anyway, since his voice was soft and breathy For the crowd below, the oath of office was enacted as a kind of duston had to lift his voice and infore Washi+ngton, President of the United States”49 The spectators responded with huzzas and chants of ”God bless our Washi+ngton! Long live our beloved President!” The spectators responded with huzzas and chants of ”God bless our Washi+ngton! Long live our beloved President!”50 They celebrated in the only way they knew, as if greeting a new !” They celebrated in the only way they knew, as if greeting a new !”

When the balcony cereton returned to the Senate chaural address In an iress rose as he entered, then sat down after Washi+ngton bowed in response In England, the House of Co's speeches, so that the seated Congress iislative and executive branches

As Washi+ngton began his speech, he seemed flustered and thrust his left hand into his pocket while turning the pages with a treht hand His weak voice was barely audible Fisher Arave, al; his voice deep, a little tremulous, and so low as to call for close attention”51 Those present attributed Washi+ngton's low voice and fuitated and embarrassed more than ever he was by the leveled cannon or pointedtones ”He treh it must be supposed he had often read it before” Those present attributed Washi+ngton's low voice and fuitated and embarrassed more than ever he was by the leveled cannon or pointedtones ”He treh it ton's agitation ical disorder or ht simply have been a bad case of nerves The new president had long been faesture he used for eht hand,” said Maclay, ”which left rather an ungainly iht have arisen froht simply have been a bad case of nerves The new president had long been faesture he used for eht hand,” said Maclay, ”which left rather an ungainly impression”53 For the next few years Maclay would be a close, unsparing observer of the new president's quirks and tics For the next few years Maclay would be a close, unsparing observer of the new president's quirks and tics

In the first line of his inaugural address, Washi+ngton expressed anxiety about his fitness for the presidency, saying that ”no event could have filled ht to hirown despondent, he said candidly, as he considered his own ”inferior endowovernrown despondent, he said candidly, as he considered his own ”inferior endowovernment55 He drew co” had overseen Ae and adore the invisible hand, which conducts the affairs of men, more than the people of the United States” He drew co” had overseen Ae and adore the invisible hand, which conducts the affairs of men, more than the people of the United States”56 Perhaps referring obliquely to the fact that he suddenly seemed older, he called Mount Vernon ”a retreat which was rendered every day more necessary, as well as more dear to me, by the addition of habit to inclination and of frequent interruptions in radual waste co obliquely to the fact that he suddenly seemed older, he called Mount Vernon ”a retreat which was rendered every day more necessary, as well as more dear to me, by the addition of habit to inclination and of frequent interruptions in radual waste coural address drafted with David Huton had included a disclairown old in the service of ural address drafted with David Huton had included a disclairown old in the service of ural speeches, Washi+ngton did not delve into overn his ad the triumph of national unity over ”local prejudices or attachht subvert the country or even tear it apart59 National policy needed to be rooted in private ht” ordained by heaven itself National policy needed to be rooted in private ht” ordained by heaven itself60 On the other hand, Washi+ngton refrained fro how overnment, he said that ”the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the republican overnton refrained fro how overnment, he said that ”the sacred fire of liberty, and the destiny of the republican overnment, are justly considered as deeply, deeply, perhaps as perhaps as finally finally staked, on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people” staked, on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the Aton led a broad procession of delegates up Broadway, along streets flanked by armed militia, to an Episcopal prayer service at St Paul's Chapel, where he was given his own canopied pew After these devotions ended, Washi+ngton had his first chance to relax until the evening festivities That night lower Manhattan was converted into a shi+hts Froston and General Knox, Washi+ngton observed the fireworks at Bowling Green, a pyrotechnic display that flashed in the sky for two hours Washi+ngton's i in ht Such a celebration, ironically, would have been faovernors arrived in Williareeted by bonfires, fireworks, and illuminations in every

All of New York was astir with the evening festivities, and Washi+ngton had trouble returning to Cherry Street with Tobias Lear and David Humphreys ”We returned ho so great as not to perh it”62 The coton in the thickly peopled streets By the ti custo the procession to the swearing-in venue, taking the oath of office The coton in the thickly peopled streets By the ti custo the procession to the swearing-in venue, taking the oath of office en plein air, en plein air, delivering an inaugural speech, and holding a gigantic celebration that evening Because Martha was still absent, the inaugural ball was deferred until May delivering an inaugural speech, and holding a gigantic celebration that evening Because Martha was still absent, the inaugural ball was deferred until May

The odyssey of George Washi+ngton froh his tenure as commander in chief of the Continental Arovernression to hi underlined this improbable turn of events ton had debated whether to beco George III had descended intopiece of news to Washi+ngton: ”I do not recollect any topic which, at present, occupies the conversation ofof Great Britain I a the report was that he had long been of opinion that the King of Great Britain was insane, tho[ugh] it had not been declared to the world till now”63 There was nothing vindictive in Washi+ngton's nature, no itching for retribution, and he reacted with sy's 's insanity what it may,” he told Powel, ”his situationfates of the two Georges grew stranger still in late February, when Gouverneur Morris reported fro's ton, ”in the land has been reduced, there were, I am told, in relation to you, soed fit, wrote Morris, the king had ”conceived hiton at the head of the A or other which sticksfates of the two Georges grew stranger still in late February, when Gouverneur Morris reported fro's ton, ”in the land has been reduced, there were, I am told, in relation to you, soed fit, wrote Morris, the king had ”conceived hiton at the head of the A or other which sticksOn April 23, 1789, exactly one week before George Washi+ngton orn in to cheering crowds, George III recovered soservice was conducted at St Paul's Cathedral in London It is hypothesized by some that he had suffered from a rare hereditary disorder called porphyria, a condition not properly diagnosed until the twentieth century Restored to his senses, he had to contee Washi+ngton, who had once scrounged for advancement in his royal army, now served as president of an independent A On April 23, 1789, exactly one week before George Washi+ngton orn in to cheering crowds, George III recovered soservice was conducted at St Paul's Cathedral in London It is hypothesized by some that he had suffered from a rare hereditary disorder called porphyria, a condition not properly diagnosed until the twentieth century Restored to his senses, he had to contee Washi+ngton, who had once scrounged for advancement in his royal army, now served as president of an independent American republic

MARTHA WAshi+NGTON WASN'T THRILLED at being first lady and, like her husband, talked about the presidency as an indescribable calamity that had befallen her She professed a lack of interest in politics, having told her niece fanny the previous year that ”we have not a single article of news but politic[s], which I do not concern myself about”66 Whether she was really so blase about politics, or merely preferred not to express her opinions, is unclear The tone of her letters greistful as she thought about New York She and her husband had already sacrificed ht years to the war, and after so -deserved sanctuary Now Washi+ngton's presidency would likely eliminate any chance for a private final phase of their lives Martha couldn't have found it easy to be married to a man as alsoin beco Mercy Otis Warren that she could not bla to his ideas of duty in obeying the voice of his country” Whether she was really so blase about politics, or merely preferred not to express her opinions, is unclear The tone of her letters greistful as she thought about New York She and her husband had already sacrificed ht years to the war, and after so -deserved sanctuary Now Washi+ngton's presidency would likely eliminate any chance for a private final phase of their lives Martha couldn't have found it easy to be married to a man as alsoin beco Mercy Otis Warren that she could not bla to his ideas of duty in obeying the voice of his country”67 Martha Washi+ngton never defied her husband openly, but when forced to do anything against her will, she could be quietly willful She would pout and sulk and drag her feet in silence In one letter Washi+ngton said that he wanted to be ”well fixed at New York” before he sent for her, but one suspects that Martha's delay reflected her disinclination to leave Virginia68 A few days after his inauguration, Washi+ngton wrote with so him to hasten Martha's departure, ”for we are extreuration, Washi+ngton wrote with so him to hasten Martha's departure, ”for we are extreests that her delay had lasted longer than expected By that point, Washi+ngton knew that she would miss the ceremonial ball planned for May 7 at the assembly Rooms on Broadway Evidently Martha's presence had been anticipated, for a special elevated sofa had been created that would enable the president and first lady to preside in state over the celebration This suggests that her delay had lasted longer than expected By that point, Washi+ngton knew that she would miss the ceremonial ball planned for May 7 at the assembly Rooms on Broadway Evidently Martha's presence had been anticipated, for a special elevated sofa had been created that would enable the president and first lady to preside in state over the celebration

On May 14 Washi+ngton's nephew, nineteen-year-old Robert Lewis, arrived at Mount Vernon to escort his aunt to New York and discovered with a appeared to be in confusion”70 Martha was still supervising the packing in an unusually chaotic scene for this well-organized wo but baggage, she piled into her coach with her two grandchildren, Nelly and Washy, accompanied by a retinue of six slaves As a crowd of slaves clustered around the departing group, eh ”The servants of the house and a nuroes made their appearance to take leave of their mistress,” Robert Lewis recorded in his journal ”Nureatly Martha was still supervising the packing in an unusually chaotic scene for this well-organized wo but baggage, she piled into her coach with her two grandchildren, Nelly and Washy, accompanied by a retinue of six slaves As a crowd of slaves clustered around the departing group, eh ”The servants of the house and a nuroes made their appearance to take leave of their mistress,” Robert Lewis recorded in his journal ”Nuitated, itated, much affected My aunt equally so”71 The slaves' tears were surely genuine, but one wonders whether they were shed for the six friends and fa forcibly relocated to New York; perhaps the re slaves feared tons' absence Martha decided to take two personal slaves, Molly (or Moll) and a sixteen-year-old e, who had become her favorite Two other slaves, Austin and Christopher Sheels, would act as waiters in New York, while Giles and Paris, who had accoton to the Constitutional Convention, would reprise their roles as coachenuine, but one wonders whether they were shed for the six friends and fa forcibly relocated to New York; perhaps the re slaves feared tons' absence Martha decided to take two personal slaves, Molly (or Moll) and a sixteen-year-old e, who had become her favorite Two other slaves, Austin and Christopher Sheels, would act as waiters in New York, while Giles and Paris, who had accoton to the Constitutional Convention, would reprise their roles as coachton who set out for New York was a ularly at the Continental Army camp each winter Like her husband, she noore spectacles on occasion Ever dutiful, she did her best to live up to her new station on the national scene With political instincts to rival her husband's, she had ordered green and broool fro costu ”clothed in the manufacture of our country”72 En route to New York, Martha had no better luck than her husband in escaping the hordes who coot her first taste of being first lady-the term was not adopted until later ad sense of excite the outskirts of Philadelphia, she was hailed by the state's chief executive, and a cavalry honor guard conducted her into town On May 27 the new president took time out froot the same tumultuous reception bestowed on him a month earlier As Martha wrote appreciatively to fanny, the welcoe you have seen so much said of in the papers, with the same oarsmen that carried the P[resident] to New York”73 Little Washy Custis was flabbergasted by the boat ride and by the grand parade that swept up the entire party the e Clinton, received them on the Manhattan side Meanwhile sister Nelly spent hours at theon Cherry Street, transfixed by the fancy carriages passing down below Little Washy Custis was flabbergasted by the boat ride and by the grand parade that swept up the entire party the e Clinton, received them on the Manhattan side Meanwhile sister Nelly spent hours at theon Cherry Street, transfixed by the fancy carriages passing down below