Analysis: George Washington’s First Inaugural Address

Date: April 30, 1789

Author: Washington, George

Genre: Address; speech

Summary Overview

George Washington’s inaugural address of 1789 was the first by an American president. Although the setting has changed through the years—Washington’s was given on Wall Street in New York City—every inauguration has featured a speech by the incoming president. Many of them have followed the same general pattern as Washington’s: a mixture of modesty, reflection on what has come before, and thoughts on what lies ahead. Knowing that there was great uncertainty about the new system, Washington tried to assure everyone that he did not want any more power than the Constitution gave him. Understanding the struggles through which the country had come, Washington had confidence that the various factions within the government would come together to find the “enlarged views” that would make the government and the nation successful.

Document Analysis

George Washington opened his first term as president of the United States with an inaugural address that laid out his approach to this new task given him by his country. While his introduction and conclusion should not be ignored, the heart of his address dealt with the issues facing the new Congress and the new president. In the nearly six-year period since the Treaty of Paris was signed, recognizing the independence of the United States, the new country had struggled to remain united. Two years prior to Washington’s inauguration, the Constitutional Convention had been called to create a more effective system of government. Seven months prior, enough states had ratified the Constitution to begin its implementation. Washington was standing before the members of Congress who were waiting with great anticipation to hear what he had to say. The Constitutional Convention had tried to seek a way to truly unify the thirteen states by writing a Constitution that put more power in the hands of the federal government and only a few powers in the hands of the states, the opposite approach of the failed Articles of Confederation. The challenge that faced Washington was how to execute the statutes put forth by the Constitution and gain the support of the fiercely independent states. How could the new government overcome “local prejudices” and be unified? This was the task before Washington and Congress, and this was the tone that Washington needed to set as he started his first term.

Washington began his speech with an affirmation that he understood the magnitude of the current situation. For one so familiar with the battlefield, who had commanded a desperate army searching for a way to defeat a major European power, he affirmed the tremendous challenge facing him by stating, “No event could have filled me with greater anxieties than that of which the notification was transmitted by your order.” Although as the result of his earlier leadership, he knew to expect the call to be president, Washington still had to prepare himself for the challenges that lay ahead. In the time between the end of large-scale fighting in 1781 and the signing of the peace treaty in 1783, some within the army offered to support any move he might want to make to become king of the United States. He had refused that offer, but now had been made president—not the king, but the leader nonetheless—of the nation. This speech had to establish the precedent of a republican leader of a strong central government, while at the same time not claiming for himself or Congress more power than was appropriate under the Constitution. This was the challenge of the situation in which he found himself.

Having served Virginia and the united colonies for most of his adult life, Washington declared that in this new phase of the history of the United States he could not refuse another call to service. Since Washington was the only US president who did not campaign for office, his humility was sincere. The country had sought him out; he was “summoned” by his country, who, he states, he could never hear “but with veneration and love.” Yet, his hesitation to accept the presidency is evident. He spoke of his “fondest predilection,” the desire to continue his retirement at Mount Vernon. Fifty-seven was not an exceptionally old age, but his health was failing him. Although he did not explicitly refer to the hardships he had experienced, he said that his health had a “gradual waste committed on it by time.” He went on to comment that any person, even the person with the greatest skills for governing, would question their ability to meet such a call, and that he was far from the most qualified person for the position. Although he admitted to having some experience that would assist him as leader of the new nation, throughout the opening paragraph he is continually modest, and hopes for success even as he wondered if the electors did not take into consideration his limitations and inexperience at this level of government. But even with these uncertainties, Washington proclaimed that he would accept the call. And if he failed, he hoped that Congress would remember that he took the position to serve his country, and not to serve his own interests.

Washington opened the second paragraph of his speech with a statement of thanks to God for the blessings that had brought the nation to this point in history. The religious beliefs of many of the Founding Fathers, including Washington, have been the subject of great debate, especially in recent years. Some have tried to prove that many of the Founders were not Christians at all, while others have asserted that the Founders’ beliefs were devoutly Christian.

In this paragraph and the closing one, Washington made it clear that he was not on either extreme. Those who would call him a deist (one who believed that God’s only action was the creation of the universe, which he then left alone) should be able to clearly see in this passage, as well as in other speeches and writings, that Washington saw God as “the invisible hand, which conducts the Affairs of men.” Thus, as with other members of the Anglican/Episcopalian church, Washington believed that God was active in the world and had blessed the people of the United States by the creation of the new nation. Washington said it would have been wrong not to give thanks to God, “that Almighty Being who rules over the Universe.”

On the other hand, Washington does not refer to Jesus in this speech, and rarely did in any public speech or writing. Thus, when he gave his “pious gratitude” to God, Washington did not use the type of personal language for God that many Christians would use in similar circumstances. As a believer in God, Washington gave thanks, and as a political leader he did not think it inappropriate to do so in the context of an official speech. However, his neutral tone reflected not only his personal faith, but his desire for religious tolerance in the new nation as well.

Within Washington’s thanksgiving to God, he outlined some of the unusual steps that had occurred in the creation of the new nation and this new system of government. He reminded the members of Congress that it was the people as a whole who created “a Government instituted by themselves for these essential purposes.” He stated that while the “providential agency” (God) had been with them throughout the process, it had been a united effort of the people that had allowed the new nation to reach its goal of a “free Government.” For Washington, unity was key. The advancement was only possible because of the “voluntary consent of so many distinct communities.” Unity allowed the constitutional system of government to develop peacefully, unlike the “means by which most Governments have been established.” By this, he meant the hereditary monarchies that were more common in the eighteenth century.

He was optimistic about the future and believed that the past predicted the possibilities of the future. Washington told the members of Congress, and indirectly the population of the United States, that the blessings of this new form of government were the best possible foundation upon which to build the future.

Moving on to specifics, Washington discussed the duties of the executive branch. He clearly understood his responsibilities in making proposals to Congress regarding various issues before the national government. However, he had decided that since this was a ceremonial occasion, he would not make a series of specific requests regarding legislation for what might be considered day-to-day issues. This he would do later. In place of outlining specifics, Washington focused on some of the general issues that would confront him and Congress. He once again called for unity within the nation and the government. In the process of ratifying the Constitution, the Federalist and Anti-Federalist factions had crystallized throughout the country. While most members of Congress represented those in favor of the strong federal system that was being implemented, a minority were elected because of their Anti-Federalist views that emphasized states’ rights. Rather than focusing on the political debates that had preceded the election of the members of Congress, Washington lifted up the qualities that he believed were in all members of Congress. Thus, he stated that he wanted to pay homage to the “talents, the rectitude, and the patriotism” that were found in all the members of Congress. While he was probably sincere in making this statement, it was also an attempt to unify the Congress, since the political process required Congress to pass the laws that Washington proposed.

The second general point Washington made was that Congress was to serve the United States of America. No secondary attributes should come before the desire to create and sustain a truly democratic government. After his previous appeal to lawmakers’ individual characteristics, Washington made a pledge that he would work for the nation, and asked members of Congress to act in a similar fashion. He listed the two most common barriers to cooperation at that time: rivalries among the states and differences of opinion between the emerging political factions. Rather than create legislation based on what Washington saw as negative qualities, he asked Congress to build the new system of government based on “the pure and immutable principles of private morality; and the pre-eminence of a free Government.” In doing so, Washington asserted that the citizens living under this new system of government would proclaim its goodness and other nations would see its integrity and accept the new system of government. Washington’s belief that personal morality and a good and successful government were closely related was in line with many political thinkers of his day.

Washington then proceeded to list what he considered dualities of truth and the challenge that confronted the American people and their system of government. He stated that he was certain and fully satisfied that the new nation could live out these truths and meet the challenges before it. He said, “There is no truth more thoroughly established, than . . . an indissoluble union between virtue and happiness, between duty and advantage, between the genuine maxims of an honest and magnanimous policy, and the solid rewards of public prosperity and felicity.” In other words, living a moral life brings forth happiness; doing one’s duty creates opportunities; open and honest government allows for generosity; all of which combine to create well-being and happiness in all parts of the society. These are maxims in which Washington truly believed, ones that he sought to have members of Congress follow. He also believed that if all citizens of the United States followed these guidelines, then God’s blessings would assist the nation in doing great things.

Washington understood that the entire world was watching this new nation and its experimental government. If the nation’s republican form of government succeeded, others might follow its example, whereas if the United States failed in its experiment, democracy in that form might not survive. The challenge before the nation, and especially before Congress, was the “preservation of the sacred fire of liberty.” This belief in America’s special role in the world has long been a part of its heritage and often its foreign policy.

In the next paragraph Washington took on one the major issue dividing the Federalists and the Anti-Federalists. Although promises had been made to secure the ratification of the Constitution, it was now time for action. Washington referred to the Fifth Article of the Constitution, the article that deals with amendments. The major complaint that Anti-Federalists had concerning the Constitution was that it did not place sufficient limits on the power of the central government—the same issue that led to the American Revolution. In addition, the Constitution did not explicitly guarantee the basic rights of the states or their citizens. Washington indicated his support for changes to the Constitution, but did not try to direct the members of Congress in the specific changes that were to be made, probably because the US president does not have a role to play in amending the Constitution; constitutional amendments are a matter between Congress and the state governments. However, by mentioning the need for additional civil rights, Washington was urging the Congress to add such amendments as quickly as was practical. These must include “reverence for the characteristic rights of freemen, and a regard for public harmony.” Washington asserted that a balance between those two ideals must be reached. Often reminding them of this charge, left over from the campaign for ratification, he stated that he was confident they would deal with this matter in an “expedient” manner.

In the next to last paragraph, Washington addressed the House of Representative regarding something unique to him. This was financial compensation. Throughout his previous service to the colonies, Washington had refused to draw a salary. He had land in Virginia and a plantation, which had been run by his family during his time of service. Even so, the donation of his time and talents meant that he was less financially secure than would have been the case if he had worked full-time on his plantation. Nonetheless, he desired to do the same while he served as president. He did not want people thinking he was using service to the country as a way of getting rich. He addressed this concern to the House, because under the Constitution, all bills appropriating money for expenditure had to originate in the House. He understood that in developing a budget for the United States, Congress had to establish “a permanent provision for the Executive Department.” However, while he served as President, he requested the House only appropriate money to cover “actual expenditures,” expenses having to do specifically with the office of the president.

As in the earlier passage of his speech, Washington closed with a statement of thanksgiving to God, as well as a remembrance of the steps that had been taken by the American people to reach their present situation. Washington believed that a part of this blessing had been the ability of the people’s representatives to peacefully and rationally develop the constitutional system. The previous system of government, the Articles of Confederation, had been put together in the midst of the Revolutionary War, a war fought because the British withheld from the colonies powers of self-government or representation in Parliament. Fearing a strong central government that might usurp power as the British did, the Articles created a very weak central government. Washington spoke positively of the fact that the Constitution was only possible because of the “opportunities for deliberating in perfect tranquility.” Through this unique opportunity, Washington was certain that the nation had created a system giving “security of their Union and the advancement of their happiness.” He closed with the admonition that everyone in the new government must work for the country as a whole, through “temperate consultations” that will ensure “success.” Washington was certain that this new system being inaugurated with him would truly fulfill the Preamble to the Constitution, with implementation leading to “a more perfect union.”

Bibliography

Beschloss, Michael, and Hugh Sidey. “George Washington.” The Presidents of the United States of America. White House Hist. Soc. 2009. Web. 23 Apr. 2012.

Ellis, Joseph J. His Excellency: George Washington. New York: Vintage, 2005. Print.