52681Editorial Note (Washington Papers)
I Alexander Hamilton’s Outline for GW’s Annual Address to Congress, November 1793 II Edmund Randolph’s List of Topics to be Communicated to Congress, November 1793 III GW’s Notes on the Annual Address to Congress, November 1793 IV Edmund Randolph’s Draft for GW’s Annual Address to Congress, November 1793 V Henry Knox’s Draft for GW’s Annual Address to Congress, c.19 November 1793 VI Alexander...
52682From George Washington to William Pearce (Washington Papers)
[This letter was misdated in the volume and will be included in Presidential Series 17 .]
52683GW’s Farewell Address: Editorial Note (Washington Papers)
In the preparation of his farewell address to the American people, GW, as he often did for important documents, sought the assistance of others he thought were superior in literary ability. When he had considered resignation in 1792, he turned to James Madison. In 1796 his primary collaborator was Alexander Hamilton. The starting point for the 1796 address was Madison’s earlier draft. By...
52684Editorial Note (Washington Papers)
After making his decision to retire from office at the conclusion of his second term as president, GW had delivered his Farewell Address to the country via the newspapers, ensuring a wide distribution for his parting advice to the nation. GW’s Farewell Address greatly affected all segments of American society. Reactions in the form of letters and addresses, overwhelmingly favorable, poured in...
52685Editorial Note (Washington Papers)
GW’s Farewell Address, published on 19 Sept. 1796, officially announced his decision not to seek re-election to the U.S. presidency. In his final days in office, which ended on 3 March 1797, GW compared himself to a “wearied traveller.” This sentiment likely was occasioned by the events of the last half of GW’s second term, during which he faced heavy opposition to, and slow implementation of,...
52686Editorial Note (Washington Papers)
George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Charles Cotesworth Pinckney spent six weeks in Philadelphia in November and December 1798, formulating their recommendations to the president for raising and incorporating the twelve additional regiments for which Congress had provided in July 1798 in the “Act to augment the Army of the United States, and for other purposes.” Although there were many...
52687Editorial Note (Washington Papers)
[9 July 1799] George Washington prepared his will alone, without, as he attested, any “professional character” being “consulted” or having “any Agency in the draught.” He dated the will, the work of many “leisure hours,” the “ninth day of July” in 1799, probably the date that he finished making the final copy. And he put his name at the bottom of all but one of its twenty-nine pages. Six...