George Washington on Political Differences

During the first national election under the new US Constitution, Washington also won unanimously. In 1792 he received a whopping 99% of the electoral vote. However, by 1792 some divisions within the founding generation had begun to emerge, but Washington himself never faced any serious political opposition during his time as chief executive. So on the surface this letter seems very obtuse. Surely he was aware of the growing division between the Federalists, his supporters, and the “Democratic-Republican Party” that would soon emerge with leaders such as Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. So what are we to make of this?

First, Washington consciously crafted his legacy. He selected which of his personal letters were to be saved and which were destroyed. This meant he would have been writing this letter to Hamilton, but also to future generations. With that in mind he was very much aware of the growing divisions and wished to position himself as someone who preached moderation even in the face of this emerging rift. Second, note that he is trying to emphasize civil rhetoric in politics. Washington himself was a Southerner and understood that regional differences could fracture the republic he, more than anyone, was very much responsible for founding. While we think of vitriolic politics as a modern phenomenon, in fact American politics has been nasty for quite some time. In a mere eight years, once-friends Jefferson and John Adams would participate in a very poisonous national campaign. Politics in the 19th century became very heated before and after the Civil War. In short, politics is frequently uncivil, but Washington understood the risks of such an environment and advised against it.