To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 15 May 1796
From George Washington
Philadelphia 15th May 1796
My dear Sir,
On this day week, I wrote you a letter on the subject of the information received from G—— M——, and put it with some other Papers respecting the case of Mr. De la Fayette, under cover to Mr Jay: to whom also I had occasion to write.1 But in my hurry (making up the dispatches for the Post Office next morning) I forgot to give it a Superscription; of course it had to return from N: York for one, & to encounter all the delay occasioned thereby, before it could reach your hands.
Since then, I have been favored with your letter of the 10th. instt.; & enclose (in its rough State) the paper mentioned therein,2 with some alteration in the first page (since you saw it) relative to the reference at foot.3 Having no copy by me (except of the quoted part)—nor the notes from wch it was drawn, I beg leave to recommend the draught now sent, to your particular attention.
Even if you should think it best to throw the whole into a different form, let me request, notwithstanding, that my draught may be returned to me (along with yours) with such amendments & corrections, as to render it as perfect as the formation is susceptible of; curtailed, if too verbose; and relieved of all tautology, not necessary to enforce the ideas in the original or quoted part. My wish is, that the whole may appear in a plain stile; and be handed to the public in an honest; unaffected; simple garb.
It will be perceived from hence, that I am attached to the quotation.4 My reasons for it are, that as it is not only a fact that such an Address was written, and on the point of being published, but known also to one or two of those characters5 who are now stronger, & foremost in the opposition to the Government; and consequently to the person Administering of it contrary to their views; the promulgation thereof, as an evidence that it was much against my inclination that I continued in Office, will cause it more readily to be believed, that I could have no view in extending the Powers of the Executive beyond the limits prescribed by the Constitution; and will serve to lessen, in the public estimation the pretensions of that Party to the patriotic zeal & watchfulness, on which they endeavor to build their own consequence at the expence of others, who have differed from them in sentiment. And besides, it may contribute to blunt, if it does not turn aside, some of the shafts which it may be presumed will be aimed at my annunciation of this event; among which—conviction of fallen popularity, and despair of being reelected, will be levelled at me with dexterity & keeness.
Having struck out the reference to a particular character6 in the first page of the Address, I have less (if any) objection to expunging those words which are contained within parenthesis’s in pages 5,7 7 & 88 in the quoted part,9 and those in the 18th page of what follows.10 Nor to the discarding the egotism (however just they may be) if you think them liable to fair criticism, and that they had better be omitted; notwithstanding some of them relate facts which are but little known to the Community.
My object has been, and must continue to be, to avoid personalities; allusions to particular measures, which may appear pointed; and to expressions which could not fail to draw upon me attacks which I should wish to avoid, and might not find agreeable to repel.
As there will be another Session of Congress before the Political existence of the present House of Representatives, or my own, will constitutionally expire, it was not my design to say a word to the Legislature on this subject; but to withhold the promulgation of my intention until the period, when it shall become indispensably necessary for the information of the Electors, previous to the Election (which, this year, will be delayed until the 7th. of December). This makes it a little difficult, and uncertain what to say, so long beforehand, on the part marked with a pencil in the last paragraph of the 2d page.11
All these ideas, and observations are confined, as you will readily perceive, to my draft of the validictory Address. If you form one anew, it will, of course, assume such a shape as you may be disposed to give it, predicated upon the Sentiments contained in the enclosed Paper.
With respect to the Gentleman you have mentioned as Successor to Mr. P——12 there can be no doubt of his abilities, nor in my mind is there any of his fitness. But you know as well as I, what has been said of his political sentiments, with respect to another form of Government; and from thence, can be at no loss to guess at the Interpretation which would be given to the nomination of him. However, the subject shall have due consideration; but a previous resignation would, in my opinion, carry with it too much the appearance of Concert; and would have a bad, rather than a good effect.
Always, & sincerely I am Yours
Go: Washington
Colo. A. Hamilton
ALS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress; two copies, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
1. See Washington to H, May 8, 1796. Washington’s letter to John Jay is also dated May 8, 1796 (ALS, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress; LC, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress).
2. This is a reference to Washington’s first draft of a farewell address (ADfS, from the original in the New York State Library, Albany; printed in , 164–73). See the introductory note to H to Washington, May 10, 1796.
3. The “reference at foot” to which Washington is referring reads: “*Mr. Madison,” with the asterisk referring to a crossed-out phrase in Washington’s manuscript which reads: “(particularly in one who was privy to the draught)” (ADfS, from the original in the New York State Library, Albany; printed in , 164).
For James Madison’s draft of a farewell address for Washington, which Madison wrote in 1792, see , 160–63.
4. The quotation in Washington’s first draft of his Farewell Address is from a draft which Madison had prepared in the summer of 1792 when Washington believed that he would not seek a second term. See the introductory note to H to Washington, May 10, 1796, and , 160–63, 165–68.
5. Madison and Thomas Jefferson.
6. Madison. See note 3.
7. This is a reference to the following sentence: “May I be allowed further to add as a consideration far more important, that an early example of rotation in an office of so high and delicate a nature, may equally accord with the republican spirit of our Constitution, and the ideas of liberty and safety entertained by the people” (ADfS, from the original in the New York State Library, Albany; printed in , 166).
8. Washington is referring to the words in parentheses in the following paragraph on pages 7 and 8 of his first draft: “To confirm these motives to an affectionate and permanent Union, and to secure the great objects of it, we have established a common Government, which being free in its principles, being founded in our own choice, being intended as the guardian of our common rights—and the patron of our common interests—and wisely containing within itself a provision for its own amendment, as experience may point out its errors, seems to promise every thing that can be expected from such an institution; (and if supported by wise Councils—by virtuous conduct—and by mutual and friendly allowances, must approach as near to perfection as any human work can aspire, and nearer than any which the annals of mankind have recorded)” (ADfS, from the original in the New York State Library, Albany; printed in , 167).
9. This is a reference to Madison’s draft, which was embodied in Washington’s first draft. See notes 3 and 4.
10. Washington is referring to the last two sentences in the following paragraph of his first draft: “To conclude, and I feel proud in having it in my power to do so with truth, that it was not from ambitious views; it was not from ignorance of the hazard to which I knew I was exposing my reputation; it was not from an expectation of pecuniary compensation that I have yielded to the calls of my country; and that, if my country has derived no benefit from my services, my fortune, in a pecuniary point of view, has received no augmentation from my country. But in delivering this last sentiment, let me be unequivocally understood as not intending to express any discontent on my part, or to imply any reproach on my country on that account. The first wd be untrue—the other ungrateful. And no occasion more fit than the present may ever occur perhaps to declare, as I now do declare, that nothing but the principle upon which I set out—and from which I have, in no instance departed—not to receive more from the public than my expences has restrained the bounty of several Legislatures at the close of the War with Great Britain from adding considerably to my pecuniary resources” (ADfS, from the original in the New York State Library, Albany; printed in , 172–73). In the margin next to the last two sentences, Washington wrote: “This may, or not, be omitted.”
11. The pencil marks to which Washington is referring are no longer visible on the draft of his address. The last paragraph on the second page reads: “In this hope, as fondly entertained as it was conceived, I entered upon the execution of the duties of my second administration. But if the causes wch produced this postponement had any weight in them at that period it will readily be acknowledged that there has been no diminution in them since, until very lately, and it will serve to account for the delay wch has taken place in communicating the sentiments which were then committed to writing and are now found in the following words” (ADfS, from the original in the New York State Library, Albany; printed in , 154). The part that Washington marked with a pencil presumably referred to “postponement” and “delay” in making a decision about retiring from office.
12. This is a reference to H’s suggestion that Rufus King succeeded Thomas Pinckney as United States Minister Plenipotentiary to Great Britain. See H to Washington, May 10, 1796.