BOOK CONTENTS
George Washington was a hero to Theodore Roosevelt. Great people in history tend to have great heroes from history. Our TR American Patriot web site was designed to introduce our visitors to potential heroes. By downloading and listening to these books while you travel in your car or reading them if you have time, you may discover ways to promote something of higher value for your fellow American citizens. Washington inspired TR. The heroes found on our web site have the ability to inspire citizens to help make a better America.
It is worth while to read all of George Washington's messages for the viewpoint of the beginnings of our Government.
It is especially important to read more than once Washington's Farewell Address. (Chapter 12 1797)
On February 18, 1862, the House and Senate passed a concurrent resolution that this Farewell Address be read in joint session of Congress. The provision was further made for reading the Farewell Address, or parts thereof, to the Army and Navy.
On February 19, 1862, Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation recommending that the people all over the country celebrate Washington's birthday by causing his Farewell Address to be read to them.
Knox and Randolph obeyed orders; only Jefferson and Hamilton counseled. Judging by his later eminence, one would presume that Jefferson dominated in the first cabinet. Not so; there was a stronger, clearer, more energetic character there, in the person of Hamilton, The financial policy of the country, the funding of the State debts, the machinery of the executive departments, the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion in a word, all those positive and far reaching measures which make the first Administration so notable in our annals were achieved by Washington and Hamilton. Jefferson's constitutional scruples were uncontrollable; in his eyes, the federal Government had no powers but those specifically conferred by the States; to him, even the founding of a military academy was unconstitutional; but Hamilton, the man of action, chose to consider that the federal Government, either by express declaration or by implication, had been given sufficient power to be respected in the eyes of men.
These two gathered about themselves partisans, Hamilton's being called Federalists and Jefferson's, Republicans. Washington supported neither faction, but relied chiefly upon Hamilton for counsel.
Hamilton's genius is reflected in the words of the Farewell Address, since it was he who elaborated and revised Washington's first draft of that immortal utterance. See the articles entitled "Assumption of State Debts," "Federalist Party," "Whiskey Insurrection," and "Republican Party," in the Encyclopedic Index.
For further suggestions on Washington's administration see Washington, George, Encyclopedic Index.