George Washington

Chapter 7

ASHINGTON'S transition from statesman-general to citizen-statesman occurred almost effortlessly. The year-and-a halfdelay between the decisive victory at Yorktoum and the achievement of a negotiated peace, with the subsequent six-month delay before all appropriate ratifications had been secured, imposed upon Washington the difficult and sensitive task ofmaintaining an army prepared to fight at the same time as the new nation was yearning to reacquire the arts of peace. Washington acted on the principle that the army had to remain standing less for the sake of defending the nation'sfreedom thanfor the sake ofsymbolizing afree nation until the rest ofthe world officially concurred in its existence. From the beginning of this time, however, he inculcated lessonswhich were acts of legislation in all butform-of political responsibility which entailed strengthening the federal union, honoring its debts, and regulating its orderly expansion through the continent. His wide correspondence bears universally the mark of his solicitude -above all for the just compensation of the soldiers. Washington disbanded the anny just as soon as the peace was made final. In taking leave of his troops he no less exhorted them to a republican faith than he had exhorted their fellow-republicans, the civilians, to keep faith with the troops. The war struggle had lasted eight years, and its effect on Washington and the soldiers is best symbolized, perhaps, in Washington's farewell, when he assembled his officers at a tavern and endeavored to utter some parting sentiments . In the end, he could do no more than reach out in a wann embrace of the portly General Henry Knox, who stood nearest. The other officers filed by, silence pervading, and reenacted the ritual. The effect of the war on the country is perhaps best symbolized by Washington's resignation of his commission immediately after disbanding the anny. At that point the United States stood as a free republic under no anned domination. Congress then sat at Annapolis , Maryland, to which Washington journeyed. He inquired how Congress would prefer to receive his farewell, by letter or public address. Congress summoned him to appear and speak; he did so as recorded in this chapter, resigning "with satisfaction the appointment [he] accepted with diffidence." TO JOHN AUGUSTINE WASHINGTON Newburgh, June 15, 1783 My dear Brother: I have received your favor of the 12th. of April from Berkley, and am obliged to you for the Acct. contained in it of our deceased brothers affairs. I have since heard that his Widow survived him but a little while. I am also obliged to you for taking upon you the direction of my mothers Interest at the little Fall Quarter, which I believe has been under most wretched Management. equally burthensome to me, and teazing to her. In answer to the question you have propounded to me, respecting our Nephew Ferdinand, I must observe to you, that the presumption is, for I cannot speak with certainty, that our Navy, if it can be called one, will be laid up, or otherwise disposed of; consequently there can be no birth for Ferdinand there. It follows then, that there is only the other alternative of getting him on board a Merchant Ship, and this, possibly, may be the best of the two; your knowledge, together with that of his mothers friends, of the Trade, and Trading people of Virginia (where his Connections and Interest !yes) will point him much better than I can do, to the proper channel for employment . I wait here with much impatience, the arrival of the Definitive Treaty; this event will put a period not only to my military Service, but also to my public life; as the remainder of my natural one shall be spent in that kind of ease and repose 255 Desire for private life On liberty which a man enjoys that is free from the load of public cares, and subject to no other Controul than that of his own judgment , and a proper conduct for the walk of private Life. It is much to be wished (but I think a good deal to be doubted) that the States would adopt a liberal and proper line of Conduct for the Government of this Country. It should be founded in justice. Prejudices, unreasonable jealousies, and narrow policy should be done away. Competent powers for all general purposes should be bested in the Sovereignty of the United States, or Anarchy and...