January 8th, 1790 – Washington delivers the first-ever annual message to Congress – what would later come to be known as the State of the Union.
Though he’d been granted the largest deposit of political capital of any president ever to hold the office, George Washington was unceasingly mindful that every action (or inaction) he took would set a precedent for good or ill. The year before, Washington had confided in a letter to Samuel Vaughn, a London merchant and political activist, who was present in Philadelphia during the Constitutional Convention…
“I have no conception of a more delicate task, than that, which is imposed by the Constitution on the Executive.”
He therefore took seriously the constitutionally mandated, though sparingly worded, duty prescribed in Article II, Section III, Clause I 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.”
Washington arrived at Federal Hall in New York in his elegant cream colored coach pulled by four white horses. He was accorded all the respect due to one who had done more than any other to bring about this moment – one in which neither a monarch nor an emperor, but rather a duly-elected leader, imparted his vision and wishes to representatives of the people.
In his customary commanding but reserved style, Washington took to the podium dressed in a “crow black suit’ (the darkest midnight blue). He was still in mourning from the loss of his mother the previous August. He spoke of his “great satisfaction” that North Carolina, which had initially rejected the ratification of the Constitution owing to there not being a Bill of Rights, had just now ratified it. Rhode Island was the last holdout but would soon follow suit.
The items he conveyed in the remainder of the address could well be recognized today, but for the slight color of the times. He offered that he was to present Alexander Hamilton’s financial plan, the need to embrace new methods of farming and industry, and not be dependent on other nations for “manufacturies… particularly military.”
He added that the United States must maintain a strong national defense, a sentiment which would be echoed two centuries later by President Ronald Reagan and others. Washington gently cajoled that for a nation to be…
“…Prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.”
He continued with a call for Congress to fix the immigration system…
“Various considerations also render it expedient that the terms on which foreigners may be admitted to the rights of Citizens should be speedily ascertained by a uniform rule of naturalization.”
Washington addressed the need for Congress to promote and facilitate the learning of science and literature…
“Nor am I less pursuaded, that you will agree with me in opinion, that there is nothing, which can better deserve your patrionage, than the promotion of Science and Literature. Knowledge is in every Country the surest basis of public happiness.”
Drawing near the end of his speech, President Washington invokes a somewhat fatherly tone, speaking not only to those before him, but also to those who are elected to govern today and tomorrow…
“By convincing those, who are entrusted with the public administration, that every valuable end of Government is best answered by the enlightened confidence of the people: And by teaching the people themselves to know and to value their own rights; to discern and provide against invasions of them; to distinguish between oppression and the necessary exercise of lawful authority; between burthens proceeding from a disregard to their convenience and those resulting from the inevitable exigencies of Society; to discriminate the spirit of liberty from that of licentiousness, cherishing the first, avoiding the last, and uniting a speedy, but temperate vigilence against encroachments, with an inviolable respect to the laws.”
Washington closed with this seemingly simple but elusive plea…
“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.”
Pray it be so.
