[MALE VOICE]
May 1, 1789 New York Packet Yesterday at two ‘clock was solemnly inaugurated
into office our ILLUSTRIOUS PRESIDENT. The ceremony was begun by [a procession] from
the Federal State-House to the President’s House. On their arrival, The President joined the
procession in his carriage, and the whole procession moved through the principal streets
to the State House…When they had reached the State House, the troops opened their ranks
formed an avenue through which, after alighting, the President was conducted to the Senate
chamber, where he was received by both branches of Congress and accompanied to the balcony
or outer gallery in front of the State-House, which was decorated with a canopy and curtains
of red streaked with white for the solemn occasion. In this public manner the oath of office was
administered by the Chancellor of State, and the illustrious Washington there upon declared
by the said Chancellor PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, amidst the repeated huzzahs and acclamations
of a numerous and crowded audience. [HUZZAHS AND CHEERS] [NARRATOR] When Washington arrived in New
York for his inauguration that fateful day in April, he had already been on the road
for weeks. On April 16, 1789, Washington wrote in his
diary: [GEORGE WASHINGTON] About ten o’clock I
bade adieu to Mount Vernon, to private life, and to domestic felicity; and with a mind
oppressed with more anxious and painful sensations than I have words to express, set out for
New York. [NARRATOR] The journey wasn’t cheap; Washington
borrowed 600 pounds from a merchant in Alexandria to cover the cost. Nor would it be a quick trip. Everywhere he went, Washington met with a
rousing public spectacle. [MUSIC LYRICS] To Washington’s health for
he is our glory and pride. [NARRATOR]. Along the route, Washington rode through garlanded
arches as cannons and guns burst overhead. Toasts were raised to the United States and
its new Constitution. In Baltimore, a mounted parade conducted Washington
to celebrations featuring speeches, a banquet, and free-flowing wine. Crowds waving handkerchiefs met Washington
in Wilmington, and in Philadelphia, thousands turned out to watch Washington arrive in the
city. Washington rode into New York surrounded by
a parade of horsemen, soldiers, artillery, clergy, and citizens. And on April 30, 1789, Washington was inaugurated
as the first president of the United States. [MUSIC LYRICS] Oh, long may he live, our hearts
to possess, and freedom still call him her own. [NARRATOR] The inauguration at sunrise with
a military salute and ended at dark with fireworks bursting in the skies above New York. Crowds packed the streets and crowded windows
for a glimpse of Washington’s ceremonial procession as it made its way to Federal Hall. There, Washington took his oath of office
on the balcony in full view of all of New York. Then he retreated into the Senate Chambers
of Federal Hall. Nothing in the Constitutions requires a new
president to speak upon the occasion of their inauguration. But here, to both houses of legislature, Washington
would cement, however, the first of many precedents: the first inaugural address. [GEORGE WASHINGTON] Fellow Citizens of the
Senate and the House of Representatives. No event could have filled me with greater
anxieties than that of which the notification was transmitted by your order, and received
on the fourteenth day of the present month. …I dwell on this prospect with every satisfaction
which an ardent love for my Country can inspire: since there is no truth more thoroughly established,
than that there exists in the economy and course of nature, 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. [NARRATOR] But not everyone was on board. Rhode Island and North Carolina had not yet
ratified the Constitution. Opposition to a Federal Government still bubbled
up in the Southern and Western extremities of the country. And no one—not even George Washington—knew
what laid ahead. In full view of the nation, Washington knew
that every action he took would set a precedent. That his private life became the public purview. Everyone wanted him to act the part of the
ideal President. There was just one thing nobody knew yet: How was a President supposed to act? This is Inventing the Presidency, Episode
2: The First Year [NARRATOR] If you were to travel back in time
to New York City in the 1790s, you might not recognize the place. It wasn’t yet the cultural hub of the United
States—that would be Philadelphia—nor could it compete with the financial powerhouse
of Boston. What it would become, however briefly, was
the first capital of the Untied States. A little over 33,000 people lived in the city
proper, nearly a tenth of whom were enslaved. As for what today makes up the city’s famous
boroughs such as Queens and Brooklyn—all were sparsely populated countryside villages. Brooklyn, while it is today the most populated
part of New York City, back then, had only 1600 inhabitants, a fourth of whom were enslaved. English, Dutch, German, and even West African
languages like Akan would have filled the streets. Fires in the 1770s left some of the most notable
landmarks of the city, including Trinity Church, still in ruins. And good luck finding fresh water in the city,
although if you were seeking a pint of beer, you might be in better spirits at one of its
122 taverns, ale houses, porter houses, and punch houses. One thing you would not see is a grand presidential
mansion. Construction on the White House in what is
today Washington D.C. wouldn’t begin until 1792, and Washington was the only president
to never reside in it. Instead, Congress rented a home from local
merchant named Samuel Osgood at 3 Cherry Street. It was considered at the time the finest available
home in New York City, although it would prove rather confined for Washington, his wife,
two grandchildren, free white servants, enslaved laborers, and the host of secretaries who
would rotate in and out of Washington’s household over the course of his presidency. Washington’s step-grandson would later recall
that the house was so crowded that three of Washington’s secretaries shared one room. Congress spent $8,000 outfitting the house
to be fit for a President. The niece of Samuel Osgood described it to
her friend Kitty Wistar: [SALLY ROBINSON] Every room is furnished in
the most elegant manner. I went the morning before the General's arrival
to look at it. The best of furniture in every room, and the
greatest quantity of plate and china I ever saw; the whole of the first and second stories
is papered and the floors covered with the richest kinds of Turkey and Wilton carpets. There is scarcely anything talked about now
but General Washington and the Palace. [NARRATOR] It took a month for Martha to join
George, accompanied by their two grandchildren, Eleanor Parke Custis—called Nelly—and
George Washington Parke Custis—known as Washy. These were the two younger children of John
Parke Custis, Martha’s son from her first marriage, who had died during the War. Nelly was just ten years old and Washy only
eight when they arrived in New York. Although not biologically related to Washington,
they called him their “Grandpapa.” New York was a grand new experience for the
young children, who had grown up in the rural landscapes of Mount Vernon. Mrs. Washington and the children were greeted
by a salute and crowds of people welcoming them to the city, not unlike George’s own
welcome procession. In a letter to her niece Frances Bassett Washington,
Martha wrote on June the 8th, 1789. [MARTHA WASHINGTON] Dear little Washington
seemed to be lost in amazement at the great parade that was made for us. Nelly is a little wild creature and spends
her time at the windows looking at carriages passing by, which is new to her. [NARRATOR] Martha and the children were not
the only ones living in the Presidential household. Washington’s secretaries also lived with
the family. These included Washington’s friend and poet
David Humphreys, Washington’s nephew Robert Lewis, and the former aide-de-camp William
Jackson. Also accompanying the Washington family were
the enslaved household members. These included Moll, Austin, Giles, Paris,
Christopher Sheels, Ona Judge, Hercules Posey, and Richmond, Hercules’ son. Remember the names Ona Judge and Hercules
Posey. They’ll be important later. Over the course of the presidency, between
9 and 13 enslaved laborers lived with the Washingtons. Here is Ramin Ganeshram, Executive Director
of Westport Museum for History and Culture, and author of The General's Cook. [RAMIN GANESHRAM] For the most part, these
enslaved people were largely owned by his wife Martha. And so just to kind of clarify that, Martha
Washington had been previously married to Daniel Parke Custis who died. And when he died, he left her a considerable
estate that included many enslaved people, and those enslaved people remained essentially
the property of that estate available for her use and to pass along to her children
and grandchildren. Here are nine enslaved people doing works
like cook, ladies’ maid. Working at the carriages, what we call a Postilions
or drivers of the carriages. But in total, it was actually about 13 people,
not all at one time, but a rotation of about 13 people. [NARRATOR] It was a full house at 3 Cherry
Street. But the house would serve as more than just
a residence. It also served as the executive office. Long before there was the oval office, there
was the spare room at 3 Cherry Street, where Washington and his secretaries—and later
his cabinet—would meet to complete their work. And there was much work to be done. One of Washington’s first and most pressing
acts was the creation of a federal workforce. Each week, Washington wrote letters to Congress
with nominations for dozens of new positions. He has to create a Treasury from scratch,
a judiciary from scratch, Departments of War and State from scratch. He nominated the first Supreme Court, with
John Jay as its chief justice. He appointed ambassadors, district attorneys,
military officers, postmasters, and even lighthouse keepers. At this point in the presidency, there was
no presidential cabinet. Washington had almost no advisors to fall
back upon. Recall that during the Constitutional Convention,
whether or not the President would be allowed a Council was a hot issue. [JAMES WILSON] A council more often serves
to cover up than prevent corruption! [NARRATOR] At this point in the Presidency,
Washington exercised a more reserved approach. He was content to let the legislature do their
work without interference from the Executive. And work the legislature did. While the Constitution successfully created
a functioning government, much was still to be decided. Even how to address the president became a
matter of debate that had to be settled by a Congressional Committee. Sara Georgini, Series Editor of the Adams
Papers at the Massachusetts Historical Society, explains: [SARA GEORGINI] So essentially, what happens
is that there’s some confusion about what to call the President. We’ve never seen a President on the world
stage. We have George Washington coming in, for his
swearing in, no one’s quite sure what to do. The Senate and the House, both form committees
to think through what they want to do. The Senate, Adams tries to like kind of railroad
it a little bit. So, he thinks that perhaps Washington should
be referred to as something a little grandiose, something that has a little pomp to it: His
Elective Majesty, His Mightiness, his Highness. All of these sound, pretty darn Royal and
that’s not going to play well. Now, Adam’s argument is that you need something
that elevates an American leader to the same stature as the European leaders that he’s
going to deal with. This is a question of legitimacy. How can you credential the United States’
number one Executive in a way that he can effectively negotiate? His thinking is also a little skewed to what
he thinks about the rest of the Government. The House is having none of it. This sounds terribly pro-aristocratic, terribly
pro-royal, nothing that we just fought a war to end. So it’s defeated. And we end up with very simple plain homespun,
President of the United States of America, which I believe is also Washington’s first
choice. [NARRATOR] Washington wasn’t the only person
figuring out a brand-new role. Just as Washington was learning what it meant
to be president, John Adams had to determine what it meant to be vice-president. [SARA GEORGINI] So essentially, the major
role of the Vice President is to be President of the Senate. That is explicitly what you're meant to do. What other role you may have, is not as clearly
defined in the Constitution at all. That is regarded as merely a Presidential
focus. So things like appointments, foreign policy,
domestic matters, judicial appointments, things like that, that's laid out pretty well, because
the focus is on what's going to happen for the President and how far those powers are
going to extend. But the Constitution is pretty quiet on what
the Vice President should say and do and how he should do it. And in that there is both a great deal of
neglect. But there's a great deal of opportunity. Washington is the soldier, Adams is the statesman. And there is some disparity there to how the
two of them think about leading the country, but they know they have to team up to do it. Adams always knows probably never more so
than in the first year that he is constantly on the wing in case Washington fails. Washington is so ill, he nearly dies twice
his first year in office. And every moment that Washington shows some
sign of personal physical weakness, Adams is terrified because he knows he will have
to step into that role at a moment's notice. [NARRATOR]: That’s right. Before Washington’s work could begin, it
almost ended entirely. Just a few short months after his inauguration,
Washington suffered a violent illness—one so severe that he and many around him feared
it might be his last. [TRAILER] For more on early American history,
visit MountVernon.org, where you’ll find articles, videos, and quizzes on George Washington
and eighteenth-century Life. Plus, take a virtual tour of George Washington’s
Virginia estate Mount Vernon. And play our online game Be Washington to
test your leadership skills during pivotal moments of history. Sign up for our email newsletter to get history
content delivered to your inbox twice monthly. Step into George Washington’s World at MountVernon.org. [TRAILER] These are the books that helped
win a revolution. “So these Germans write about they could
capture an American officer, and there might not be any food in their haversacks but there’s
books.” These are the accounts that imagined a new
nation. “It really gives you a peek into this early
republic. He calls it the nascent United States, and
he’s fascinated by what he’s seeing.” These are the ideas that shaped the first
President of the United States. “Yes, there’s lots in the Constitution
then that had to be figured out, and this is why Washington is creating precedents in
almost every he does.” The George Washington Presidential Library
invites you to step inside its vaults and learn about the treasures stored within its
archives. In the podcast Secrets of Washington’s Archives,
you’ll get a rare peek into the pages of Washington’s life and accomplishments through
the books and special collections held at the George Washington Presidential Library. Plus, check out the video companion, where
you can see these treasures for yourself. “I love how it can represent such a broad
piece of history.” You can listen on your favorite podcast app. Learn more at GeorgeWashingtonPodcast.com. [NARRATOR] Recall that the Presidency was
designed with Washington in mind. That its limits and liberties were set with
the expectation that he would be President, that he would be the first, that he would
establish the precedent that all other presidents would follow. Now imagine just a few short months after
his inauguration, President Washington’s life was on the line. [MALE VOICE] June 27 1789. Boston. The Massachusetts Centinel. The public anxiety has been conspicuously
apparent, from some accounts received from New-York, which have mentioned the indisposition
of our beloved president. That about the 16th inst. His Excellency was attacked with a slow fever,
which continued on him for several days, and was at periods attended with some alarming
symptoms. [NARRATOR] According to accounts from the
Washington family and his New York physician Dr. Samuel Bard, the alarming symptoms reported
in the newspapers were described as a painful wound on his thigh that made it difficult
for Washington to walk. Various sources describe it as a “tumor”
“anthrax” or “malignant carbuncle.” This likely means that he was afflicted by
a painful, infected lesion. The fever had already set in. Washington himself may have expected to die
from it. The biography of Dr. Bard claims that during
his examination Washington faced his physician and stated: [GEORGE WASHINGTON] Do not flatter me with
vain hopes; I am not afraid to die, and therefore, can bear the worst. [NARRATOR] Dr. Bard prescribed surgery, and
Washington underwent a procedure to cut the lesion from his leg. In the eighteenth century, there was no anesthetic
to numb the pain. Turpentine or alcohol might be used to clean
the wound, or maggots might be introduced to eat away the dead skin, a process known
as debridement. With no effective means of antiseptic, infection
was always a risk with surgery. The techniques Dr. Bard used are unknown,
but it was doubtless an excruciating, painful procedure. But it worked. Washington slept on his right side for a while,
but he quickly returned to his duties. This illness was not the only scare of Washington’s
eight years in office. The stress of the Presidency coupled with
long-term medical issues meant that Washington’s health would continue to be a source of anxiety
for his family and his constituents. But Washington was determined not to be bedridden
for long. By October of that year, Washington was well
enough to depart for New England. The trip to New England was a significant
one for Washington. It was the first of many tours of the United
States. Beginning in the first year of his Presidency
in 1789, and continuing to 1791, Washington toured the country, paying special attention
to states that had ratified the Constitution but had not benefited from a visit during
the inaugural journey. Here is Dr. Patrick Spero, Executive Director
of the George Washington Presidential Library. [PATRICK SPERO] One of the most important
parts of Washington's Presidency, not just for his Presidency, but for the nation itself
were his Presidential tours. Washington knew that the Constitution itself
was an extremely controversial document. Some historians have speculated that if you've
done a straight up Democratic poll of Americans that the Constitution probably would have
failed. People in the Eastern seaboard and the cities,
they were more open to this idea of a stronger Federal Government. But the further West you got, the further
south and rural you got, the more opposition you'd find for the Constitution. And one of the great fears was this idea of
the Presidency itself. Critics said, this is just recreating the
British Empire, the very thing we threw off, we now have people in the East trying to foist
this on us. And Washington realized that because of his
reputation, he could personally help establish support for the Constitution and for this
office of the Presidency. And so he traveled throughout New England,
and then down the Eastern seaboard in the South, and then back up through the frontier,
literally bringing the Presidency and the Federal Government to the people so that they
could make a direct connection with Washington and with the Presidency. And at each one of his stops is this incredible
ritual that's played out where the townspeople will offer up a speech that talks about their
beliefs, their political beliefs, their beliefs in Republican Government and what it meant. And Washington would then respond back with
his own, and what they're doing there is solidifying the idea that this Federal Government shares
your same beliefs that this is a Republican form of Government. [NARRATOR] But Washington didn’t visit every
state—at least not at first. When he first became President in 1789, Rhode
Island had not yet ratified the Constitution. Once Rhode Island had successfully ratified
it in 1790, Washington took a new tour. Every action Washington took, including these
tours, was held up against the mirror of the monarchy. The Press picked apart his every action. Sometimes with praise but increasingly with
censure. With the eyes of the nation ever watchful,
Washington carefully crafted his public image to fit an ideal for the new Republic’s leader—even
if nobody quite yet knew what such a leader looked like. Dr. Sandra Moats, Professor Emeritus of History
at University of Wisconsin Parkside and author of two books on Washington’s Presidency,
describes these attempts. [SANDRA MOATS] How do you strike that balance
between accessibility and also a dignity? And you know, he’s a formal, serious guy. And how do you do that? Obviously, he’s not a king, he’s not a
monarch. And that connection between him and the citizenry
are so important. He sends a query out to his cabinet to a couple
of prominent people and say, How do I conduct myself as president, and lets them all report
back in the best way. Hamilton’s response is hilarious. It’s like, never go out, never be seen,
have a, like a prime minister type to kind of keep your ears on—Hamilton’s thinking
of himself. And whereas others are like, no, no, you need
to be seen, you need to interact with people, you need to make some public appearances. People need to see you. [NARRATOR] Washington was inclined to agree. With input from Hamilton, he decided on a
weekly public gathering. These were known as the levees. [MOATS] Levees are … they’re sort of like
a cocktail party. So it’s invited guests, they’re relatively
small, maybe 20-30 people, refreshments are served. But unlike a cocktail party, where everyone’s
interacting with each other, what happens in a levee is everyone stands kind of circularly
in the room. And then Washington walks by, and greets each
of them individually. And it’s a way for him to meet members of
Congress, prominent people, business people. From all reports, these events were deathly
dull, because again, you can’t interact with each other. You can only interact with Washington, and
only when he’s speaking to you. But it was a way for him to be seen. It was a way for him to interact with people. [NARRATOR] In addition, Martha would also
hold her own weekly audience for the women of the city, known as her “Drawing Rooms.” These would also take place at 3 Cherry Street
and provided a slightly less formal way of mingling with the Washingtons. Washy would later write of a humorous incident
that occurred during one of his grandmother’s drawing rooms: [GEORGE WASHINGTON PARKE CUSTIS] Mrs. Washington’s
drawing-rooms, on Friday nights, were attended by the grace and beauty of New York. On one of these occasions an incident occurred
which might have been attended by serious consequences. Owing to the lowness of the ceiling in the
drawing-room, the ostrich features in the head-dress of Miss McIvers, a belle of New
York, took fire from the chandelier, to the no small alarm of the company. Major Jackson, aide-de-camp to the president,
with great presence of mind, and equal gallantry, flew to the rescue of the lady, and by clapping
the burning plumes between his hands, extinguished the flame, and the drawing-room went on as
usual. [NARRATOR] At the beginning of his Presidency,
few dared to criticize the beloved General. But over the course of his presidency, criticism
of his public image would grow. His levees would be called the “mock pageantry
of monarchy.” We’ll discuss more of that in a later episode. But in 1789, when Washington was first starting
out, he seemed entirely above reproach. At least, few dared to openly criticize his
hallowed position. Washington refused to let this rosy reception
go to his head. In November of 1789, on his tour to New Hampshire,
he said to the people of Portsmouth: [GEORGE WASHINGTON] I fear the fond partiality
of my countrymen has too highly appreciated my past exertions, and formed too sanguine
anticipations of my future services—If the former have been successful, much of the success
should be ascribed to those who laboured with me in the common cause. [NARRATOR] Yet with all of these tours, levees,
and speeches, Washington not only had a duty to his people but to the representatives of
his people as well. In the first year of his Presidency, Washington
avoided interfering too much with the affairs of Congress. Much like with the Constitutional Convention,
he may have believed it simply his duty to “preside” rather than to dictate. But while that relationship would undergo
dramatic change in the following years, Washington was consciously thinking about the extent
and limits of his role since the earliest days of his presidency. Nowhere is this more evident than in his first
State of the Union Address. The Constitution states that the President
“shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and
recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient.” There was no formal requirements or instructions
for such a state of the union. So in 1790, Washington sat down to study. His textbook? The Constitution itself. In the margins of the Constitution, Washington
scribbled small notes about the powers and requirements of the presidency. For example, in Article II, Section 2 of the
Constitution it states that: [MALE VOICE] “The President shall be commander
in chief of the army and navy, and of the militia of the several states, when called
into the actual service of the United States; he may require the opinion in writing of the
principal officer in each of the executive departments…he shall have power, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the
Senators present occur.” [NARRATOR] Beside this, Washington wrote: [GEORGE WASHINGTON] President Powers [NARRATOR] But in Article II, Section 3, where
it states [MALE VOICE] “He shall from time to time
give to the Congress information of the state of the union and recommend to their consideration
such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may on extraordinary occasions
convene both houses, or either of them; and in case of disagreement between them, with
respect to the time of adjournment he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think
proper.” [NARRATOR] Washington writes the word: [GEORGE WASHINGTON] Required. [NARRATOR] These notes reveal a conscientious
and deliberate consideration of the limits and requirements of the presidency. What is a power—something that Washington
may do—versus what is a requirement—something that Washington must do. One thing was at least clear. Washington was required to provide Congress
with a state of the union. So on January 8, 1790, Washington delivers
the first State of the Union address. [GEORGE WASHINGTON] Fellow Citizens of the
Senate, and House of Representatives. I embrace with great satisfaction the opportunity,
which now presents itself, of congratulating you on the present favorable prospects of
our public affairs. [NARRATOR] In his speech, Washington asserts
the need for a strong standing army for the defense of the nation, not to fend off European
powers but to support the United States’ expansion westward. Washington also encouraged the development
of American currency, agriculture, industry, and education. Some of his advisements would not come to
fruition; his ask of a national university would fizzle out. Others, however, would be implemented into
law: He asked Congress to expedite the legal terms for naturalization of foreign citizens,
which would lead to the Naturalization Acts of 1790 and 1795, and to invest him with the
powers needed to negotiate with foreign powers. [GEORGE WASHINGTON] The welfare of our Country
is the great object to which our cares and efforts ought to be directed. And I shall derive great satisfaction from
a co-operation with you, in the pleasing though arduous task of ensuring to our fellow Citizens
the blessings, which they have a right to expect, from a free, efficient and equal Government. [NARRATOR] Washington knew the work had just
begun. For now, Washington yields to Congress, trusting
their ability to guide the nascent country. But Washington’s hands-off approach will
not last for long. For there are storms on the horizon for the
young nation. Next time on Inventing the Presidency… Washington pays his first visit to the Senate
to seek advice. It would also be his last. [LINDSAY CHERVINSKY] Washington stood up and
he yelled, "This defeats every purpose of my being here!" Except louder and bigger and scarier because
this was like the most famous man in the world. [NARRATOR] And tensions brew on the western
frontiers of the United States, signaling turmoil for the nation. [COLIN CALLOWAY] Land is of course what it's
all about, and one of the givens is that the United States is a nation built on Indian
land. [NARRATOR] Plus, Washington forms one of the
most significant institutions of the United States Presidency. [SANDRA MOATS] And of course, the cabinet
consists of the famous rivals, Hamilton and Jefferson, who are who are the two leading
members. Washington writes to both Hamilton and Jefferson
basically saying to each of them, I expect you guys to both be constructive and productive
in these meetings. So he sort of gives them a warning at the
outset. [NARRATOR] Inventing the Presidency is a production
of the Mount Vernon Ladies Association and CD Squared Productions. This episode was written and directed by Dr.
Anne Fertig. Audio production was done by Curt Dahl of
CD Squared Productions. Production Assistant was Jacob Cameron. Narration by Tom Plott, with additional voice
acting by Dan Shippey, Matt Mattingly, James Ambuske, Adam Erby, Rachel Samson, and Betty
Brown. Additional Factchecking was performed by Dr.
Alexandra Montgomery, Manager of the Center for Digital History. Our logo was created by Kaitlyn Prange. We would like to thank our contributing scholars
to this episode: Ramin Ganeshram, Dr. Sara Georgini, Dr. Patrick Spero, and Dr. Sandra
Moats. To hear more great podcasts from Mount Vernon
and the George Washington Presidential Library, visit GeorgeWashingtonPodcast.com or go to
www.MountVernon.org.
