Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton, who bitterly disagreed with each other, both resigned from Washington’s cabinet as casualties of this debate.
Edmund Randolph assumed Jefferson’s position as secretary of state.
1794
James Monroe sent to France. Ultimately Washington deeply disagreed with Monroe’s views. Along with Jefferson’s resignation, this helped to create a new American political party that consciously distanced itself from Washington’s (and Adams’ and Hamilton’s) “federalist” policies, coming to full expression under the presidencies of Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, and Jackson.
Randolph resigned, and Timothy Pickering took his place. Jay’s Treaty: Supreme Court Chief Justice John Jay negotiated with the British with the goal of forcing the British to leave western forts as required by the Treaty of Paris that had ended the Revolutionary War.
Whiskey Rebellion—conflict over the enforcement of excise taxes on distilleries. Washington, in military uniform, personally led the American Army to western Pennsylvania to quell the insurrection.
Gen. Anthony Wayne (“Mad” Anthony Wayne) defeated Indians at Fallen Timbers (Toledo, Ohio).
1795
Signed Treaty of San Lorenzo with Spain opening Mississippi River to American shipping and establishing America’s southern boundary.
Treaty of Greenville: Indian nations yield lands of what is today Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan.
Jay’s Treaty ratified.
1796
Charles Cotesworth Pinckney appointed minister to France, but French government refused to receive him, due to French anger over Jay’s Treaty with England that partly voided some of America’s agreements with France, resulting in American ships being seized by French privateers.
Farewell Address published.
1797
Washington retired as president and returned home to Mount Vernon.
XYZ mission to France. President John Adams sent a three-man commission that included Pinckney, which Talleyrand refused to receive. Three parties got involved with the intention of raising loans or bribes of about $250,000 to open the diplomatic doors. Their names were concealed as X, Y, and Z. Pinckney is supposed to have retorted “millions for defense, sir, but not one cent for tribute.”
Preparation for war with France begun by President Adams’ contact with Washington.
1798
Washington appointed commander in chief of the Armies of the United States of America by President John Adams, in the event of war with post-French Revolutionary government. The army never assembled.
1799
Washington died as he desired—“as an honest man” at Mount Vernon.
WAS WASHINGTON A “GODLY” LEADER?
The purpose of this chapter is to assess how Washington’s religion surfaced while he served in public office. Simply put, can we call Washington a “godly” leader? His contemporaries thought so. Consider one of the earliest publications on the life of Washington, by the Reverend Dr. Jedidiah Morse, a clergyman-scholar and correspondent of Washington. At the end of his thirty-three-page long summary of General Washington’s life, based upon the anonymously written and approved life of Washington, by David Humphreys, we find the following poem, which probably came from the pen of Humphreys as well.
GENERAL WASHINGTON
GREAT without pomp, without ambition brave—
Proud, not to conquer fellow men, but save—
Friend to the weak—a foe to none but those,
Who plan their greatness on their brethren’s woes—
