Part 19 (1/2)

While in Philadelphia, Washi+ngton made time to dine with President Adams and atteton in a ed with paranoia He had come to feel that his cabinet officers were ”puppets danced upon the wires of two jugglers behind the scene and these jugglers were Haton”93 One day in February 1799 Senator Theodore Sedgwick, a convinced Federalist, happened to ask Adaton would carry the title of One day in February 1799 Senator Theodore Sedgwick, a convinced Federalist, happened to ask Adaton would carry the title of General General in the new army The mere question kindled an explosive retort froeneral over the president?” Ada ”I have not been so blind but I have seen a cooverniven by the president” in the new army The mere question kindled an explosive retort froeneral over the president?” Ada ”I have not been so blind but I have seen a cooverniven by the president”94 The relationshi+p between the first and second presidents never improved The relationshi+p between the first and second presidents never improved

CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE

A Mind on the Stretch BY 1798 the Federalist party had grown haughty by being too long in power ”When a party grows strong and feels its power, it becoant, and breaks to pieces,” Johns Ada presided over just such a situation as president As the political at arrived at its apex with passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts, which tried to squelch criticisressional allies had undertaken during the undeclared Quasi-War with France Aovernn-born residents deemed a threat to the peace; brand as enemy aliens any citizens of a country at ith America; and prosecute those who published ”false, scandalous, or ress, with the intent of bringing them ”into contempt or disrepute”1 This last act posed a special ely Federalist judiciary would be pursuing Republican journalists This last act posed a special ely Federalist judiciary would be pursuing Republican journalists

The Alien and Sedition Acts reflected a prevalent Federalist assuton, that American ”Jacobins” colluded with France in treasonous fashi+on While these acts were enacted on Adaton lent the to a relative, he at first declined to comment on them, then observed that resident aliens had entered the country ”for the express purpose of poisoning the”their affections fro to dissolve the Union”2 On another occasion, he endorsed a Sedition Act prosecution of William Duane of the On another occasion, he endorsed a Sedition Act prosecution of William Duane of the Aurora Aurora, who had accused the Adaovernht were being peddled in the service of propaganda, Washi+ngton's dismay was understandable At the saiven his exe even irresponsible press tirades against his adton often seeuing that Republican criticisovernment and ”disturb the public s”3 Even as many Federalists hankered for ith France, President Adams, with typically feisty resolution, decided in early 1799 to essay diplootiate peace with France and causing howls of outrage in his own party Although Washi+ngton thought Talleyrand waswith Adams, he sensed a political shi+ft in the air With his sound instincts, he suspected the Murray mission would undercut public support forhis enthusias that arton told him what he didn't want to hear: that the political political ht after the XYZ uproar, he speculated, the ti would have been auspicious But now ”unless a e takes place, our loomy prospect to those who are to perform the principal parts in the drama” ht after the XYZ uproar, he speculated, the ti would have been auspicious But now ”unless a e takes place, our loomy prospect to those who are to perfor, as Haland, he acknowledged to Washi+ngton that he had, at best, tepid support from President Adams In the meantime he secretly meditated the use of the new army to suppress what he saw as traitorous Republican elements in the South By May 1800 the new ar outlived its usefulness That spring, as Haland, he acknowledged to Washi+ngton that he had, at best, tepid support from President Adams In the meantime he secretly meditated the use of the new army to suppress what he saw as traitorous Republican elements in the South By May 1800 the new ar outlived its usefulness

In his final year George Washi+ngton inhabited a world dramatically different from the more halcyon visions he had foreseen for the country The storybook ending ton to bask in the serene gloisdoainst the Jeffersonians with a vengeance The nonpartisan dream enunciated in the farewell address had expired as the last vestiges of political civility disappeared With Washi+ngton now a rabid booster of Federalist candidates, he applauded the election to Congress that spring of Henry Lee and John Marshall He had wanted his lean, pale nephew Bushrod to run for Congress, but instead Adaton's letters reverberated with partisan rhetoric as he adainst ”any relaxation on the part of the Federalists We are sure there will be none on that of the Republicans, as they have very erroneously called theht had been infallible was in the creation of the federal district The Residence Act had s should be ready for occupancy no later than Deceued by excessive costs, recurrent delays, and inept ton feared further mishaps would scuttle the whole plan In his last months as president, he had ordered the commissioners to suspend work on the President's House to focus their energies on the Capitol, the city's premier symbol ”The publicthe principal building in readiness for Congress,” he told the co the su city and thrilled to the sight of its rising buildings The President's House and one wing of the Capitol stood ready to receive their roofs, while an ”elegant bridge” had been thrown across the Potomac 7 7 Where construction of the new capital had appealed to Washi+ngton's iroaned under the unwanted burden ”The whole of this business is new toone commissioner that he would not ”make himself a slave to the Federal City; that he would do what his official duty required of him Where construction of the new capital had appealed to Washi+ngton's iroaned under the unwanted burden ”The whole of this business is new toone commissioner that he would not ”make himself a slave to the Federal City; that he would do what his official duty required of hiladly stepped into the vacuum and even submitted his views on architectural details, as when he advised that the Senate chamber should feature Ionic columns With a clear vision of how the city should function, he insisted that executive departments should be situated near the President's House to facilitate daily contact between departladly stepped into the vacuum and even submitted his views on architectural details, as when he advised that the Senate chamber should feature Ionic columns With a clear vision of how the city should function, he insisted that executive departments should be situated near the President's House to facilitate daily contact between department heads and the president

As proof of his unswerving coton purchased lots in various locations to avoid accusations of favoritishborhood near the Capitol would lack housing for congress parcels on North Capitol Street, between B and C streets, and constructed a pair of attached three-story brick houses designed by Dr Williaer scale than any in the vicinity of the Capitol,” he said they would be capable of housing ”between twenty and thirty boarders”-an excellent exae spirit

Much as its backers had intended, the new capital was a southern city that would be hospitable to slavery, and it continued to owe its existence to slave labor Noting the arduous work involved in draining swampland, one commissioner admitted that the project ”could not have [been] done without slaves”9 Five slave carpenters now labored over the President's House, and future presidents who lived there, starting with Jefferson, would enjoy the residence in undisturbed possession of their human property When Julian Niemcewicz toured the Capitol in 1798, it pained hie nulad that these poor unfortunates earned eight to ten dollars per week My joy was not long lived I a for themselves; their masters hire them out and retain all the money for themselves What humanity! What a country of liberty” Five slave carpenters now labored over the President's House, and future presidents who lived there, starting with Jefferson, would enjoy the residence in undisturbed possession of their human property When Julian Niemcewicz toured the Capitol in 1798, it pained hie nulad that these poor unfortunates earned eight to ten dollars per week My joy was not long lived I a for themselves; their masters hire them out and retain all the money for themselves What humanity! What a country of liberty”10 For ton, DC, would qualify as a work in progress George Washi+ngton never lived to see John Adams occupy a still-unfinished, sparsely furnished President's House As he had feared, congressmen cos, and the huge Capitol do time the Capitol and President's House stood out as splendid but incongruous fragments in a still barren landscape; only later would the city expand to fill the spacious contours of Washi+ngton's buoyant dreaton, DC, would qualify as a work in progress George Washi+ngton never lived to see John Adams occupy a still-unfinished, sparsely furnished President's House As he had feared, congressmen cos, and the huge Capitol do time the Capitol and President's House stood out as splendid but incongruous fragments in a still barren landscape; only later would the city expand to fill the spacious contours of Washi+ngton's buoyant dreaton had enjoyed a happy, abundant farandchildren while also serving as guardian for numerous family orphans at Mount Vernon After his sister, Betty, died, he had brought her son Lawrence, a childless er, to Mount Vernon to aid with surplus visitors Like most males, Lawrence fell instantly in love with Nelly Custis, only this ti yet another union of the Washi+ngton and Custis clans So that Nelly could tonhie license In a tribute to Nelly's love for her adoptive grandfather, the wedding was celebrated by candlelight at Mount Vernon on February 22, 1799, Washi+ngton's sixty-seventh birthday Deferring to the bride's wishes, Washi+ngton appeared in his old blue and buff wartime unifor, one slave recalled, and gave thes to eat” as part of the celebration11 The needs stayed on as Mount Vernon residents after Washi+ngton gave theue Run farm The needs stayed on as Mount Vernon residents after Washi+ngton gave theton's history with Nelly's brother, Washy, reton's constant exhortations and the boy's eternal pledges to reform, the latter dropped out of Princeton, and in 1798 Washi+ngton enrolled hie in Annapolis ”Mr Custis possesses coton promised the school's president, ”but they are counteracted by an indolence of mind, which renders it difficult to draw theton, who felt keen deprivation at having randson's apathyThe boy was never less than affectionate or respectful to hiible For Washi+ngton, who felt keen deprivation at having randson's apathyThe boy was never less than affectionate or respectful to hiible

When young Washi+ngton posed the question of whether he should not drop out of St John's as well, the former president threw up his hands in despair: ”The questionreally astonishesI could say to you made more than a I could say to you made more than ato the futility of pushi+ng the boy any further, Washi+ngton had him tutored at Mount Vernon by Tobias Lear When Washy then conteton tried to prevent it by getting him appointed to a cavalry troop He ended up with a fatalistic attitude toward his trying adopted grandson as soenital inability toto the futility of pushi+ng the boy any further, Washi+ngton had him tutored at Mount Vernon by Tobias Lear When Washy then conteton tried to prevent it by getting him appointed to a cavalry troop He ended up with a fatalistic attitude toward his trying adopted grandson as soenital inability to es

A deeper source of discontent in Washi+ngton's last year was the continuing financial worries that preyed on hisof 1799 Even when he rode off to Philadelphia in Novenashed his teeth over his finances, bewailing that ”nothing will answer my purposes like the money, of which I aeous tereous terms”14 Never able to economize, he confessed that ”I find it no easy matter to keep my expenditures within the limits of my receipts” Never able to economize, he confessed that ”I find it no easy matter to keep my expenditures within the li the summer of 1799 ruined his oat crop, threatened his corn, and left hiswoes Another drought during the summer of 1799 ruined his oat crop, threatened his corn, and left hiswoes

With ered people for overdueone, in the tone of a surly bill collector, that ”however youothers, you shall not practice the like ga people to debtors' prison, he believed that he had no choice but to summon sheriffs to collect the money For the first time in his life, he took recourse to bank loans, renewed at sixty-day intervals and set at what he ter people to debtors' prison, he believed that he had no choice but to summon sheriffs to collect the money For the first time in his life, he took recourse to bank loans, renewed at sixty-day intervals and set at what he termed ”ruinous” interest rates17 His sales of western lands for eency infusions of money scarcely kept pace with his insatiable deency infusions of money scarcely kept pace with his insatiable deravity of his economic predicament In October 1799 he decided to sell the houses he had built in the new capital-a terribly public blow to his pride as well as hare That fall he also declined twoSecretary of War McHenry, Washi+ngton was frank about his e predicament: ”I shall not suffer false modesty to assert that my finances stand in no need of it”18 He complained of applicants for army appointments who came ”with their servants and horsesto aid in the consue and what to me is more valuable-my time” He complained of applicants for army appointments who came ”with their servants and horsesto aid in the consue and what to me is ton into expenditures beyond his control, during his entire adult life he had exhibited an inability to live within his ton into expenditures beyond his control, during his entire adult life he had exhibited an inability to live within his means

Hard as it was for hi operations, whose inspection had always formed part of his daily routine In March 1798 he hired a clerk, Albin Rawlins, whose duties went beyond keeping accounts and drafting letters Even though Washi+ngton still strode around in blue overalls and mud-spattered boots and was every bit the master of Mount Vernon, for the first ti his horse As he told a relative, he had hired Rawlins, in part, because he now found it ”impracticable to use the exercise (on horseback) which ton had neverproductive enterprise he wanted In his lastthat the ”first wish” of his heart was to simplify and contract operations and live ”exempt from cares”21 To this end, he planned to rent out his mill, distillery, and fishery businesses and dispose of one of his farms Three of the fare hih the scientific crop rotation that had long tantalized his iination The simple truth was that he had spent too many years away from Mount Vernon ever to attain the modern, advanced plantation of his daydreams Sadly, the date he set for the new dispensation that would free hierial duties was New Year's Day 1800-a date he would not live to see To this end, he planned to rent out his mill, distillery, and fishery businesses and dispose of one of his farms Three of the fare hih the scientific crop rotation that had long tantalized his iination The simple truth was that he had spent too many years away from Mount Vernon ever to attain the modern, advanced plantation of his daydreams Sadly, the date he set for the new dispensation that would free hierial duties was New Year's Day 1800-a date he would not live to see

BY 1799 George Washi+ngton et from politics resided in a peaceful afterlife That June Jonathan Tru presidential election, expressed the hope that if Washi+ngton's naht forward, ”you will not disappoint the hopes and desires of the wise and goodby refusing to come forward once more to the reliefof your injured country”22 Trumbull spoke for many Federalists orried that Adams was a weak candidate and were terrified that the Francophile Jefferson ton talked like an unabashed Federalist, sarcastically deriding Republican sophistry: ”Let that party set up a broomstick and call it a true son of libertyand it will command their votes in toto!” Trumbull spoke for many Federalists orried that Adams was a weak candidate and were terrified that the Francophile Jefferson ton talked like an unabashed Federalist, sarcastically deriding Republican sophistry: ”Let that party set up a broomstick and call it a true son of libertyand it will command their votes in toto!”23 His passionate words mocked the Jeffersonian myth that his mental poere impaired, and he satirized the scuttlebutt that he had lapsed into ”dotage and imbecility” His passionate words mocked the Jeffersonian myth that his mental poere impaired, and he satirized the scuttlebutt that he had lapsed into ”dotage and irounds, claile new vote froent Citing declining health, he said it would be ”crih it should be the wish of my countrymento accept an office under this conviction” He declined Tru that he could not draw a single new vote froent Citing declining health, he said it would be ”crih it should be the wish of my countrymento accept an office under this conviction”25 Dismayed that, since mid-March, President Ada at his horieved at his behavior while Republicans ”chuckle at and set it down as a favorable omen for themselves” Dismayed that, since mid-March, President Ada at his horieved at his behavior while Republicans ”chuckle at and set it down as a favorable omen for theton thought it would be unbecoested to me tothat it would be better received from a private character-m[ore] in the habits of social intercourse and friendshi+p” With his usual sense of courtesy, Washi+ngton thought it would be unbecoested to me tothat it would be better received from a private character-m[ore] in the habits of social intercourse and friendshi+p”27 At the end of August Washi+ngton tossed cold water on Trumbull's entreaties a second tiue, no thought may be turned towards me for the purpose alluded to therein”28 If he ran, he would only be battered with charges of ”inconsistency, concealed ae” If he ran, he would only be battered with charges of ”inconsistency, concealed ah venom for one lifetime, he did not care to expose himself further: ”A mind that has been constantly on the stretch since the year 1753, with but short intervals and little relaxation, requires rest and co short of a serious invasion of our countrywill ever drawexperienced h venom for one lifetime, he did not care to expose himself further: ”A mind that has been constantly on the stretch since the year 1753, with but short intervals and little relaxation, requires rest and co short of a serious invasion of our countrywill ever draw me from my present retirement”30 Thanks to the astute, if mercurial, diplomacy of John Adams, such an invasion never happened When the president sent two envoys to France that October, without consulting his cabinet first, Washi+ngton was beset by serious doubts ”I was surprised at the measure, measure, how much more so at the manner of it?” he told Hamilton ”This business seems to have been commenced in an evil hour and under unfavorable auspices” how much more so at the manner of it?” he told Hamilton ”This business seems to have been commenced in an evil hour and under unfavorable auspices”31 But Washi+ngton proved wrong, and because of the ad differences with France, he never had to take the field with the new ar, and because of the ad differences with France, he never had to take the field with the new arton of burgeoning Republican strength in the upcon For many Federalists, it foreshadowed a threat to the Constitution and the still-fragile strength of the federal governer to the cause of order and good government at this moment than has at any time heretofore threatened the country,” McHenry concluded32 If Republicans saw the Federalists as threatening republican governht custodians of the constitutional order Previously unaware of the opposition's strength, Washi+ngton claimed to be ”stricken dumb” by McHenry's letter and replied that political trends see by hasty strides to so, who sees, foresees, and directs all things, alone can tell” If Republicans saw the Federalists as threatening republican governht custodians of the constitutional order Previously unaware of the opposition's strength, Washi+ngton claimed to be ”stricken dumb” by McHenry's letter and replied that political trends see by hasty strides to so, who sees, foresees, and directs all things, alone can tell”33 So only weeks before his death, Washi+ngton, for all his long-term faith in America's future, viewed its short-term prospects as fairly diston, for all his long-term faith in America's future, viewed its short-term prospects as fairly dismal

On December 9 Gouverneur Morris added his voice to the Federalist chorus and ton from retirement The next president, he pointed out, would hold office in Washi+ngton, DC ”Will you not, when the seat of governhborhood, enjoy more retirement as President of the United States than as General of the Ar a shrewd pitch, Morris reviewed the way that each tie, he had been catapulted to higher levels of glory: ”If General Washi+ngton had not become [a] member of the [constitutional] convention, he would have been considered only as the defender and not as the legislator of his country And if the president of the convention had not become president of the United States, he would not have added the character of a states a shrewd pitch, Morris reviewed the way that each tie, he had been catapulted to higher levels of glory: ”If General Washi+ngton had not become [a] member of the [constitutional] convention, he would have been considered only as the defender and not as the legislator of his country And if the president of the convention had not become president of the United States, he would not have added the character of a statesman to those of a patriot and a hero”35 This clever, eloquent appeal went unanswered This clever, eloquent appeal went unanswered

CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX

Freedom IT MAY SAY SOMETHING about the American blind spot toward slavery that sonettes of slaves at Mount Vernon en visitors, while American visitors selectively edited the French aristocrat ould beco of France, toured Mount Vernon and showed commendable curiosity about the slaves' condition They ell aware, he learned, of abolitionist clubs in Alexandria and Georgetown and the violent slave uprising in St Doer be slaves in ten years”1 No less fascinating was the Frenchman's observation that many house servants were ly white Because Washi+ngton was often away froly could not have children of his own, suspicion has never settled on hi sired biracial children, except for the questionable case of West Fordwas the Frenchman's observation that many house servants were ly white Because Washi+ngton was often away froly could not have children of his own, suspicion has never settled on hi sired biracial children, except for the questionable case of West Ford mentioned earlier