Continued to meet with political figures in the new capitol in the district of columbia and often called upon to craft policy. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation Hosted this hour and 15 minute event. Our speaker tonight. Dr. Peter henriques is professor of history emeritus from george mason university, peter lectures widely on subjects relating to George Washington and has recorded at least five other lectures for cspan. And we greatly appreciate their being here this evening for this lecture. He is the author of realistic visionary, a portrait of George Washington, which of course is available in our museum store. But please join me in welcoming professor peter henriques. [ applause ] i dont think i can top that. Thank you very much. Have a good evening. You know, theres a touch of sadness actually for me coming to this particular presentation since weve been going through the different stages of washingtons life. Ive so enjoyed the opportunity and the privilege really to speak to you. That its kind of sad that this particular chapter is coming to an end. But as trish says, i hope to be back in the fall with a different lecture. You know, its been a great life that weve seen washington live, but even heroes grow old. And even heroes go somewhat downhill, like all of us. And we know how quickly time goes by. Its true the older you get, you know, the faster time seems to go by. I look out at the audience, i see almost all of us are exactly the same age. [ laughter ] between 50 and death. Now, of course one sign of old age is forgetfulness. Did i take my pills . Or did i just think i took my pills . Where are my glasses . Why did i come into this room . You know. And that of course reminds me of a story, because i have to have a tradition of one little joke at the beginning of each presentation. An elderly couple had dinner at another couples house. And after eating the wives went off to the kitchen leaving the gentlemen at the table. And they were talking and one said, you know, last night my wife and i went out to a restaurant it was new restaurant, it was really great. And i would highly recommend it. The other guy said, really, whats the name of it . Its um, um, he was thinking, you know, whats the name of that flower that you give someone you love, you know, the one thats red and has thorns. Do you mean rose . Yes, thats the one. Rose, what was the name of that restaurant we went to . [ laughter ] well, as we get ready to give our last talk on the final stages of washingtons life and using this portrait by Gilbert Stewart showing the aging washington, i want to at the outset make a brief acknowledgment to my professor at the university of virginia, the late bill abbott who is editor of washington papers entire series and was one of my professors and shared some of his insights which im dwelling on in part tonight. Now, one of my major themes in examining the later stages of washingtons life has to have been to note the constant tension between two conflicting impulses within this man. On the one hand there is washingtons desire for autonomy and independence as the squire of mt. Vernon. On the other hand, there is the desire to be at the center of power and influence. And these two things are in tension and conflict. He wants to be, to quote as i think ive mentioned last time we were excited about seeing the new broadway sensation hamilton in may, hamilton washington wants to be in the words of the song, he wants to be in the room where it happens. Washington wants to be in the room where it happens. He wants to be a player. But you cant be a player in the room where it happens and completely retire and doing what you want. It is a tension. Now, one might logically expect that this tension would finally no longer be operational in his final retirement following an exhausting eight years as president. Washingtons certainly ready to relax, to smell the roses and enjoy his very hard earned retirement. But such an expectation would be mistaken in my view. However strongly washington insisted that his only wish was to live and die an honest man on his own farm, his actions belie that assertion. As abbott put it, washington was not quite ready to watch the world pass him by without giving it a nudge or two. Id like to explore this tension focusing first on washington as a private famous citizen. And then on his involvement in public affairs, which will end only with his death in december of 1799. Having published his farewell address with its core message of independence abroad and unity at home, washington prepared to return to mt. Vernon in the spring of 1797, in those days the president was inaugurated in march, not in january. To give you an idea, this is a big deal. I was surprised looking washington rented a space on a ship to sale em, this is some of what he took back with him to mt. Vernon, 97 boxes, 14 trunks, 43 casts, 13 packages, three hampers, a ton of iron, 24 plow plates, three bed spates, a heater, bird cage, wooden pillars, fire box, venetian carpets and tin shower bath among other things. Must have been quite a gathering getting back and forth. Apparently for the most part he kept his sense of humor as he noted to his faithful secretary to buy a sleer. On the one side im called upon to remember the parrot, on the other side to remember the dog. For my own part i should not pine much if both were forgotten. Well, his return to virginia he states his views clearly and more than once. And that is oops, im sorry. I got ahead of myself here. I thought i had a quote there, but i guess not. His quote at mt. Vernon is this way. I am once more seated under my vine and fig tree. Thats his favorite biblical analogy by the way. And washington quotes the bible more than most people realize. Im under my own vine and fig tree, and i hope to spend the remainder of my days in peaceful retirement making political pursuits yield to the more rational amusements of cultivating the earth. His goal was to view things in the common light of philosophy, ie, dont get involved in what is going on. As joe ellis notes, this image of the vine and fig tree kind of gives you the idea of bucolic splendor, afternoon naps in the shade, relaxed routines aligned with the undulating contours of rolling hills, but nothing could have been more alien for his temperament. Washingtons personality was such he would not go gentle into that good night. Perhaps not surprisingly he found most of the things at mt. Vernon sadly out of repair. He wrote, ive been gone for eight years i am messing this up on the quotes. I thought i had that in there but i left that out. I apologize. Eight years absence from home except for short visits had so deranged my private affairs, so dispoiled my buildings, thrown my domestic concerns in to such d disorder as in mo period of my life as i ever have been as busy as i have been since i retire. You think retirement doesnt end up quite the way you expect it. And he was very frustrated frankly with trying to find workman to do what he wanted to do and blamed a lot. He sounds a little bit like a workmen in most countries, i i believe, are necessary plagues. In this where in treaties as much as money must be used to obtain their work and keep them to their duty, they baffle all calculation in t accomplishment of any plan or repairs they are engaged in. And they require more attention and looking after than can be well conceived. He says, im up with the rising of the sun and work to the setting of it in trying to keep these guys at their job. Remember, washingtons farm he has five farms. It totals over 8,000 acres. Its five times as large as the mt. Vernon you see now with over nine miles of fences, to give you just an idea of what hes dealing with. You can imagine how full his days would be. In one sense, hes almost running a hotel because everyone, friends, curious, visitors want to stop hes the greatest man of the age and they want to see him. Theres an interesting note he wrote in 1797 in his diary. He said if no one pops in for dinner, it will be the first time in 20 years that martha and i have dined alone. So that gives you a little idea of the kind of different schedule that he might have as opposed to the rest of us. And hes working on his remember. He owns over 50,000 acres of land out west. Hes writing, trying to collect his rents. Hes dealing with the potomac water cankcanal company, trying find that waterway to connect the east to the west. Hes got lots in the capital city thats going to be named, of course, for him, and hes deeply involved in the building and in investing in the city. He has a manager, James Anderson, and he writes constantly, trying to andersons a very interesting guy. Hes honest, hardworking, committed, but not particularly well organized, and washington and very sensitive. Washington is always writing, we need to do this, so on and so forth. By the way, its anderson who set up the distillery thats now in operation at mt. Vernon, and washington ran the largest distillery in the United States at the time of his death. He works hard to collect money thats due to him, and he tries to avoid loaning money to family and friends, which are always writing, saying, i need this or that. Washingtons so tough in some days, you might be surprised hes a rather soft touch. When you actually read the letter, he ends up usually not suing the debtors, letting them postpone it, and usually giving money to the family, even though hes not very confident that its going to be used particularly well. One shadow that looms over washington in his serenity, or supposed serenity, is what to do with his enslaved workers, now numbering over 300. They were more numerous than he could affectively employ, but he was philosophically opposed to selling them and breaking up families. And he privately and its something that really needs more work. He explores different ways to see if he can free them and lease them out as workers. Never happens because washington, frankly, is not willing to give up his own Financial Independence in an effort to do that. His vow to never purchase another slave, he writes, is now going to be tested because his famous chef hercules and this is a supposed portrait of hercules. I dont know whether it is or not, hercules was a real ooh colorful individual. He escaped actually from mt. Vernon, went to philadelphia. Washington tried hard to get this very clever man back, never did, and said i need a chef and he was thinking he was going to have to purchase one, explored it, found a different house maker to do it so it didnt end up he did not actually buy another another slave. Hercules vanishes from the historical record. No one ever knows what happens to him except in this picture he lives on and is often discussed. Marthas favorite servant was a girl by the name of olney judge who escaped, and in the last year of washingtons life, he still tried to get her back. His nephew Burwell Bassett went to New Hampshire and said, it would really please your aunt if you could get her. He was unsuccessful. Then shortly before his fatal illness, he learned that his own personal body servant, christopher shields, a man who replaced billy lee whos now injured, was planning to run away. Washington had spent a great deal of money. Christopher had been bitten by a rabid dog. Washington had sent him up to pennsylvania to a supposed expert doctor to fix him and now he learns that his favorite servant is planning to run away. With all this, you might say, who can you trust now. Washington its kind of a blow, you know. You think these are the people im taking care of. Hes not as sensitive to their needs as you wish he might be. Now another glimpse of washington can be seen in his relationship with George Washington park custis. Now, the washingtons never had any children of their own, as most of you know, but they raised two different sets of children. First, marthas two surviving children, patsy who tragically dies of epilepsy at the age of 17, and her son jackie who dies at the yorktown campaign, but not until after hes married, has four children of his own in rapid fashion. By the way, his wife then marries someone else and has 16 more children, just as a package for a nice way to spend a life. This picture and how many of you have been to mt. Vernon. You know, when you go into the hall to welcome you, you see the older washingtons with two young children. Thats marthas grandchildren, washingtons step grandchildren, nelly custis and George Washington park custis, who were focusing on who were focusing on now. Washington, probably his greatest regret was the lack of a good education. He often talked about his defective education. He wants so much for first jackie and then now George Washington park custis to be the beneficiary of a thorough education he wished he had had but was not able to have, and hes so frustrated as some of you might be with grandchildren or children. They dont take advantage of the opportunities youre more than happy to give them. Wash seems to have inherited some of the laziness that is very prominent in his father. This is a picture that mt. Vernon has of him as a young boy. The other three were all his sisters. He was the only boy to jackie. And theres no question marsha spoils him rotten. There are a couple of interesting letters. And, frankly, washington doesnt like it, but he would rather have a spoiled grandson than an unhappy wife, and seems to go along with that kind of that kind of analogy. Theres an interesting little tidbit of light into the relationship between washington and his wife when after George Washington park custis drops out of princeton. Washington feels the best place to send him for the best education was in massachusetts to harvard, but thats far away from georgia. And he writes to washingtons stepfather David Stewart and says martha would submit to this. This is 18th century virginia, remember. Wives do submit. But he then says, it would be a heartrending stroke on her to have him go away. So washington says, let him stay in the area, go to st. Johns college in annapolis instead. That did not work out well either. You read washingtons letters. Hes basic. Will you hit the books, for gods sakes. This is your chance to develop. Thats not an exact quote, by the way. Since were on since were on cspan, id better where did he say that. There are so many false quotes about washington, i do not want to add to those that are out there. Hes unfortunately just not motivated. Hes uninterested, and he doesnt remember the things he learned for any length of time at all. He really goes through a time of depression. At one Point Washington writes to stewart, he appears to me to be moped and stupid, says nothing, is always in some hole or corner excluded from company, playing on his i no, thats not right. Anyway, by the way, just as an aside, George Washington park custis does grow up to be a playwright, minor renowned, a speaker, he writes a huge resonance of washington thats very influential and often off base and perhaps most interesting to you, his daughter marries robert e. Lee, and thats why the Custis Lee Mansion is at arlington. Now, after dropping out of st. Johns, washington then used his influence to win young custis a position in the military. This is a picture of him as a corne cornett. Washington was able to do this particularly easily because and this is something maybe many of you know, but my guess is probably not all of you do, by any means. Believe it or not, washington in the end of his life is once again called back to be the Lieutenant General and commander in chief of all the new American Army as the country prepares for possible war with france. This is not a particularly well known aspect of washingtons life, and, frankly, its not the brightest chapter in his remarkable and illustrious career. Lets examine briefly this chapter of washington back on the public stage again. When i was going through the papers of washingtons retirement series, three things kind of struck me. One was especially with this point that im looking at about involvement. Its surprising how quickly he wants to be involved after he retires. He still subscribes to ten newspapers, for example. Thats not a perfect way to cut off all connection with the outside world. And within a month hes writing to his former aide, secretary to the treasurer john mchenry, and suggesting, if you dont mind, would you communicate to me occasionally such matters as are interesting in the government. Well, mchenry is only too happy. So is the secretary of state, Timothy Pickering, and washington is in the loop from a very early stage. A second thing that surprised me, not that i didnt know it, but the force of it, is that George Washington, we think of as the father of our country, nonpartisan, above party, had, in fact, during this period had become a very vitis part isan. I understand why this happened, but as we look at washingtons story, remember were hearing one side of a complicated story. Obviously if you hear the donald trump image of the obama presidency, its going to be different if you listen to msnbc interpret it, and this is the case. If i gave your jeffersons perspective of whats happening, its very different than washington, and some of this will have a modern ring to you, i think. What happens is, from washingtons perspective, remember when he signed jays treaty, which we touched on last time, to avoid war with england, hes severely criticized for this, and his popularity suffers a significant hit. Then Thomas Jefferson writes a letter that becomes public in which jefferson accuses washington of having his republican principles shorn by the harlet england. In other words, in dealing with england, hes given up his own republican values. Then washingtons former ambassador to france, james monroe, and well touch on this more in october, with jeffersons help and blessing writes a exact scathing book attack washingtons foreign policy. Washington usually doesnt make comments on writings. It, this is b. S. Another nonquote. But hes really upset at what he says. As abbott puts it, the uncharacteristically angry, sarcastic, and acidly contemptuous tone of his comments rebutting monroes charges reveals how great a personal and emotional stake washington had in the conduct of American Foreign policy. Reading it in similar text, this strikes washington at his core, and he responds viscerally and really sees his opponents not simply as wrong but really as treasonous in their attitude. Dangerous in their views. From washingtons perspective, it looks like the french government is controlling the administration or trying to control the administration of the United States. The Republican Party, to quote him, has become the french party. Its the curse of the country. And it threatens or stability and our independence. A couple of letters. And there are many along this line. A party exists in the United States who opposes the government in all its measures, those orchestrating this conspiracy are devoid of honor or principle accept the acquisition of power, or again, but the more the views of those who are opposed the measures of our government are developed, the less surprised i am at the attempt and the means cowardly,eliberal, and assassinlike, which are used to subvert it. Washington told one correspondent hes as convinced that the republicans want to subvert their own government as i am now writing you this letter. Finally i was struck how rather shabbily washington treated john adams, his successor to the presidency. And i want to look at this just in a little bit more detail with you. When the french learned of jays treaty, they were, as you can guess, extremely angry. They immediately began seizing american ships, confiscating their cargo. When adams succeeded as president , they got even worse. Not only would they not receive an ambassador, they warned any american sailor who was captured impressed on a british ship and captured by the french, that they would be treated as pirates and dealt with accordingly. There was a real possibility of war, although, jefferson and the republicans were sympathetic to france, see this as an absolute disaster. Adams feels that the french actions unless they could stop this were going hit and go to war with them. So he takes a page out of washingtons book. Remember, washington, when there was danger of congress threatening relations with england, he send s john jay. What adams does is send a threeman envoy over to france in an effort to see if we could find a way out of this very serious dilemma. The stage is set for what is called the xyz affair in the history books. The american envoys, john marshall, charles c. Pinckney, and Elbridge Gerry by the way, we get the term gerrymandering from this particular individual, were met with a series of humiliating conditions before negotiations would even begin. Not only would adams have to apologize for things he said, but france is going to be given a huge loan and theres going to be a lot of personal bribery involved for the right to meet with him. And the american reaction was no way. Adams, when they told him about it, said that unfortunately the Peace Commission has been unsuccessful. Now, the republicans feel, why is it unsuccessful. Because adams probably made unreasonable demands. Adams really in this case, you want to know what happened snanld then he releases the commissioners statements. And then when the American People read just how rotten they had been treated by france, the country went wild with anger at france. Theres a real significant shift in the attitude, as you might guess. The famous quote, millions for defense but not one cent for tribute, that expressed the american position in this crisis. A burst of patriotism swept through congress. They passed an act for a new army of up to 10,000 men. They also, by the way, passed rather draconian laws known as the alien and sedition act, dealing with aliens in the country, giving the president power to remove them, sedition for treasonous actions, newspaper articles that were bad, you could be put in prison. Its a very controversial question. Their view is, there are enemies within, we must deal with them. This is not a new issue. It comes up time and time again. Well, who would command the new army and save the country from france . Two guesses. Who else but the man who saved the country from great brittain. Now, before even receiving washingtons agreement to serve, president adams nominated him to be and the senate, by the way, unanimously confirmed him. Every time i look at washington, its unanimous. Unanimously commander in chief, unanimously the constitution of the convention, unanimously the president of the United States, you nan mussily reelected president of the United States, unanimously appointed as the Lieutenant General and commander in chief of all the armies raised or ought to be raised for service in the United States. What a record. Would he sep. Would he accept. Now, theres no question hes livid at what france is doing. One of the visitors there quotes washington as saying though old, i will pour out the last drop of blood which is yet in my veins to defend us against these french violations. The guest who made that comment wrote, ive never heard him speak with so much candor, nor with such heat. Now, its clear if you look at his correspondence long before hes actually appointed, hes explored the option with mchenry. Hes exploring the option with Alexander Hamilton as to whether he should take it and what should he expect to do if he is going to take it. Now, the first, of course, washington, every time, always starts, i dont want to leave mt. Vernon. Please dont ask me. I dont want to do it. He told hamilton, i would go with as much reluctance from my present peaceful abode as i should go to the tombs of my ancestors. He worried about could he succeed, is he now too old, will it be viewed as a restless act . He makes an interesting comment. He says, as much as we would like to, one cannot simply strike 40 years off ones age. Wouldnt that be sweet if we could. But when you look at his response in my view, hes more eager to get back in 1798 than he was in 1775 or in 1789. One point of real importance to washington, does he have the power to pick his immediate subordinates and have the people around him that he wants to have. And at the absolute top of his wish list is Alexander Hamilton. Washington has just the high by the way, it is official today. The hamilton stays on the 10 bill. Andrew jackson bit the dust, but hamilton is going to be there. [ applause ] i think there really would have been a rebellion if that had not been the case. He wants hamilton to be his secretary his second in command, and since washington says im not going to actually take the field unless france invades, for all practical purpose, hamilton will be in charge of this army. Now, this insistence is going to cause him trouble on two different fronts. One, its going to cause him trouble with one of his dearest friends, henry knox, who had been his artillery commander during the revolutionary war. Knox took the fact that he would be ranked under hamilton. Of course, knox was a brigadier major general. Hamilton was a colonel in the war. This was an insult that knox simply would not take. He writes a very impassioned how could you do it to me kind of breakup letter with washington, and he refuses to serve. From washingtons perspective, hes not apologetic. He later is quoted this is a good view on how washington views things. With respect to general knox, i can say with truth theres not a man in the United States with whom i have been in habits of greater intimacy. No one whom i love more or more sincerely, but esteem, love, and friendship can have no influence on my mind when i can see the subjugation of our government and independence are the object aimed at by the enemies of our peace when possibly our all is at stake. And washington is always going to do what he thinks is right for the country and let the critics be damned. But the bigger problem comes with john adams and this decision that hamilton must be the number two in command. Adams had, i think, both a deep distrust and a visceral dislike of Alexander Hamilton. He once called him that bastard brat of a scottish peddler. Abigail adams is more scathing if you want to read. He has has le siddousness in th eye, that man. In his eyes, that man, and the idea that adams is going to pick him rubs adams the wrong way and he feels as commander in chief he has the right to appoint the order in which he wishes. However, its equally clear from washingtons perspective that he accepted the position only with a clear if not explicitly stated, but very clearly stated view that he would have the right to pick these people, which he felt was absolutely essential. He said hamiltons services ought to be secured at almost any price. He gives a long letter of recommendation really to hamilton. Adams. Why hamilton. This man is enterprising, quick in perceptions, his judgments intuitively great. Qualities essential to great military character. His loss will be irreparable. We must have him and i must have him as the number two. Well, really, he really puts the screws to adams because adams needs washington, and washington will not do it unless he goes along with hamilton. And washington adams makes, i think, a fairly interesting point. He said, if i could make washington president of the United States, i would be glad to do so, but i never said i would hold the office and be responsible for its exercise while he should execute it. And thats where some of the tension comes here. He indicates this goes on for several months he is going to rank hamilton third, and washington writes a letter to one of the cabinet members, the president ought to ponder well before he can sense to a change in the arrangement. It just seems to me a rather thinly veiled threat to resign if his wishes were ignored. And eventually adams did cave in on this key point. He signed them all on the same day. He said if theres a dispute, washington as commander can decide how to rank them. So he does give in. But i wonder h washington would have responded if someone had treated him in a similar way when he was actually president. Well, the whole quasi war, this, as i say, not his brightest chapter. It turns out to be something of a fiasco. Washington spent six weeks in philadelphia. Youve got an officer, this army, a list of all the other people, people applying. Washington, by the way, is a very tough judge. He puts his notes, you know, fat, drunk, good for nothing, depending in some and one of the things thats very important is he listed government man, opponent. Washington does not want and neither did the federalist leaders leaders want any of the officers in the service to be other than federalists, which is of course, if youre not a federalist, you can see how you might be a little uncomfortable on the other side of the coin. He explained why the secretary mchenry when he said this. One could as soon scrub the blackamore, black man white as to change the principle of a professed democrat. Such persons, he wrote, will leave nothing unattempted to overturn the government of this country. The jefferson republicans call themselves the republicans republican democrats. The opponents call them the Opposition Party or democrats. Eventually, of course, jeffersons Republican Party becomes the modern democratic party, but its kind of tricky a tricky exchange and use of the term. We can touch on it if you want in the q and a. The point is, i think washington really kind of doubts the patriotism of his opponents. It really comes to this as bill abbott put it. The judicious nonpartisan and moderate George Washington acting and talking like the most partisan of the very ill land reactionary federalist. Well, neither the french invasion nor the American Army materialized, and washington returns to mt. Vernon, by the way, having spent a lot of time trying to get a brandnew uniform. His stepdaughter nelly was marrying his nephew Lawrence Lewis on washingtons birthday in february of 1799. He wanted the uniform to come, but in those days as now, things dont always work out. They couldnt get the gold embroidery and it failed. I dont think he ever saw that, but im not 100 positive. But he doesnt leave politics. Hes now writing patrick henry, whos now moved over to the federalists column. Richard henry lee unlike horseman harry lee, run for the legislature, we need good federalists. Virginia is going the wrong way. Virginia is under the control of the jeffersonian republicans. Would he himself consider running again . Theres a fascinating letter in july of 1799 from john trumbull, the governor of connecticut, and many other federalists saying to washington you must one more time go into the breach to save us, as they put it, from a french president. Only washington could do it. Washingtons letter back is an interesting one, and he says why he does not see it that way. And the reason is because good politics are changing dramatically during the rise of Political Parties and the rise of popular participation. In this new era of democratic politics, washington says personal influence and distinctions of character no longer matter, and he went on to make an interesting comment. He said, if members of the jeffersonian Republican Party set up a broomstick as their candidate, called it a true son of liberty or a democrat or any other epitaph that would suit their purpose, it would still command their voices in total. In other words, its no longer an issue of man, but it is the parties, and washington doesnt want to be involved. Would anything change his mind about this decision . Its interesting he does not rule out further involvement when he he writes to Lawrence Lewis about his plans. This is only two months before he dies. And he has plans for mt. Vernon, but he qualifies it by saying, this is what im going to do if i should not be called again into the Public Service of my country. So he hasnt closed the door because the situation with france is still up in the air, let alone the political situation. There would be more pressure to heed the Federalist Party called. Guv nor morris, one of the most interesting men to study among the Founding Fathers and a good friend of washington, he wrote washington, i think, the best letter in 1789 why washington must accept the presidency. He writes another letter at the end of 1799 urging why washington must run in 1800. Interestingly washington never read it. He died two days before it came to his to mt. Vernon. You know, people concept would he have run again . My own assessment, thats all it is, i dont think so. I certainly hope not. It would have been the wrong way to end this remarkable administration, and i dont think he would have, but we didnt run the film through, so we cant be sure. And on the other side, john adams said, if washington had lived, he would have run again. So thats where i leave it. I think hes mistaken, but we never can be sure. Hes not going to have to make that decision because of his sudden death in december of 1799. And before we examine that death, i want to touch briefly on his attitude toward death as well as the question of life after death. Washington is particularly rhett sant on religious questions and hes not always consistent, thus his views are subject to different interpretations. Everybody wants washington to believe what they believe, and they are a subject of considerable controversy, some of which i have been involved in. Where with that qualifier, heres a summary of my take on them, and we can, of course, discuss them more in the q and a if you wish. Theres several points to be made about washingtons attitude toward death. First, for whatever combination of reasons, he was not afraid of dying. Thomas jefferson wrote that washington was incapable of fear. His legendary courage as commander in chief of the Continental Army might have worried his aides, but it inspired his men. His actions at princeton where this pangt is taken. He was as close to enemy lines as a pitcher is to a batter when the firing burst out at princeton. At places like brandywine, monmouth. His response to falling shells at yorktown. Someone said hes cool like a bishop at prayer. Demonstrate a man seemingly immune from normal fear in the presence of death. I think his response to his baptism by fire is telling. How many would respond the same way. I heard the bullets whistle. Believe me, theres something charming in the sound. Not many men are wired that way. Washington was long enamored with what we would call heroic death. If you go to mt. Vernon, there are a number of portraits around mt. Vernon. This one is of general montgomery. But heroic death is a worthy death. As he put it to Sally Carrick fairfax during the war when a british officer died, this was his view. Theres a fairly young officer dead. Who is there who does not envy rather than regret a death that gives birth to honor and to glorious memory. Let me explain briefly why i chose tonights talk. It its let me explain briefly why i chose the title i did for tonights talk which some of you may be a little puzzled, not gently into the good night. Its drawn, as many of you may know, from Dylan Thomass famous poem. Do not go gently into that good night. I chose it because i wanted to emphasize how active and future looking washington was right up until the time of his death. When you look at his papers, all of a sudden theres 20 pages of instructions to James Anderson setting out what to do with every farm and every field and every meadow wooden pasture for the next three years. He writes it days literally days before his own death. Washington was not done living when he died. And, by the way, his mind was extremely sharp. Dont buy it that hes getting senile as hes president. You read his papers. If thats senility, im looking forward to it, ill tell you that. Now, whether he would agree with the major stanza of Dylan Thomass poem, thats another question. This is the first stanza. Do not go gently into that good night. Old age should burn and rage at close of day. Rage rage against the dine of the light. Now, publicly, washington would never rage against the dine of the light. As far as one can tell from all extanlt records, washington always confronted the prospect of his own death with remarkable equanimity and composure. As president , you might or might not know, he almost died twice, once from a malignant car buckle on his thigh that got infected and the following year with a very severe case of pneumonia. In both cases washingtons recordable responses were stoical in the extreme. In the first circumstance, dr. Samuel bard recalled washingtons reaction in a later book when bard wrote washington said do not flatter me with vain hopes. Im not afraid to die. And i can, therefore, hear the worst. Whether tonight or 20 years hence makes no difference. I know i am in the hands of a good providence. When his sole surviving brother washington had three brothers and a sister. He was first born and outlived them all. Then he writes, i was the first and now the last of my fathers children by the second marriage. When i shall be called upon to follow them is known only to the giver of life. When the summon comes, i shall endeavor to obey it with good grace. Now, that obviously is not raging against the dying of the light. But i do in reading through washingtons attitudes toward death, i see myself there is a subconscious touch of rage in his attitude. He called death the grim king when he was injured or sick in the french and indian war. Whom washington is not yet 30 years old very near what he called his last gasp, feared that the grim king would master my utmost efforts and cause them to synch in spite of a noble struggle. Death was the enemy. When you look for terms that he uses to describe death, there are a mode of words, a stroke, a severe stroke, a blow, a test, a trial, an aflick afflictive trial, a debt we have to pay. And when people die, he almost always referred to them as poor green, poor lawrence, poor colonel harrison, or pore mr. Custis. Referring to his own death, he used these terms. He wrote about his approaching decay. The hour of my disillusion. Of going to the shades of darkness, to sleep with my fathers, to the shades below. To the tomb of my ancestors. To the dreary mansions of my fathers. Death was that country from whence no traveler returns. This image is not a bright one, certainly not a christian one, and there is in it, i think, an element, just an element of raging against the dying of the light. Now, washington, without any question, believes in life after death. Although it is not clear exactly what is involved in that. Depending on what passages you read when patsy dies, shes going to a happier place. Hes in the hands of a good providence, and a number of times he writes about happiness hereafter. But the happiness hereafter is almost always connected as far as i can tell with being virtuous in this world as opposed to more saved by the sacrifice of jesus. Approach. Its more works than faith in washingtons interpretation of washingtons hereafter. But i was struck that perhaps the most striking aspect of washingtons view of life after death centers on what he did not say. Not once in all of his authentic extant correspondence did he explicitly indicate his belief in the reunion of loved ones in heaven. Certainly the greatest comfort of religion in general of christianity in particular is this hope. Washington urges people to get consolation from religion, but he never writes the specific kind of actions that might give comfort to them or to himself when his favorite brother jack dies. He writes, i have made an eternal farewell with my beloved brother. When he saw his mother on her death bed, he wrote, never expecting to see her more. And theyre not moderated by in this world or other such phrases. Well, how is washington going to face when death actually comes to seek him . Theres a wonderful snippet in the play, the lion in winter, and it goes this way. What does it matter its interesting from all of us as we get older. What does it matter how a man falls, how man dies. The answer is one in which washington would have agreed with completely. It matters a great deal when falling is the only thing left to do. Its very important to washington to have lived his life with honor, and its very important that he end his life with honor. As the italian poet and patriarch expressed it, a good death does honor to an entire life. Now, this would be the last act of a remarkable and washington is always using a stage in theater analogy. He wants to exit the stage in a proper manner, and he had fully expected as he had demonstrated so many times before, he would meet the final summit with good grace. Little did he imagine just how difficult that final challenge would be. One of the surprises i found when i did research on this for a book on this subject is just how painful George Washingtons excruciatingly painful George Washingtons last day on earth was. Here this gives a very different image, peacefully. If you read mason rheems, he closes his arms over his chest, father of mercy, take me. Very peaceful, calm, going to sleep. An actual fact the truth is really quite different. And it is very quick and unexpected. Washington was in Excellent Health on december 12th. This, by the way, is the last drawing of washington taken early in 1799. And he went out to check on his farms. He remained outside for approximately five hours even though as he recorded in his journal, the weather was very disagreeab disagreeable. Constant fall of rain, snow, and hail with a high wind. Despite getting wet and chilled from snow and rain with the snow still clinging to his hair and coat, washington decided not to change clothes before dinner, already showed signs of a cough and cold and sore throat the following morning, despite bad weather, he still went outside to mark some trees that he wanted to have cut down. By the evening of the 13th, he was very hoarse, still in good spirits, reading sections of the newspaper, incidentally dumping on jeffersons lieutenants, monroe and madison, for their actions in the virginia legislature. By the early hours of saturday the 14th, the disease had progressed so rapidly that washington feverish awoke very uncomfortable with labored breathing. He would be dead before the day ended. Why . Certainly its impossible to know for sure, but the most convincing evidence in my mind is he died of whats called acute even glot tie it is. The epiglottis is the cartilage tissue going down your throat into your windpipe. Its an extremely serious thing. Now it can be dealt with with penicillin. But in those days its a very, very serious thing, if youre unfortunate enough to get it because it can impact on your airway and compromise breathing. This is the really frightening thing about acute eppiglotitis. Because the first thing an infant learns to do is to breathe and the second is to swallow. And to have these two absolutely basic functions dramatically impaired is very frightening to anyone no matter how brave or courageous he or she may be. Like any other mortal, washington had to face the terror of air hunger. Of gasping for each breath. And his constant restless necessary and changing position throughout the day was part of this endless effort to meet this most basic of needs. Essentially he slowly and painfully essentially suffocates to death over a long period of time. Hes not able to speak hardly at all, whiching a gra which just aggravates the situation that much more. Now, theres not one thing that was done to washington or for washington that was not done in love, in the best medical practice of the day by dr. James craik, his friend of over 40 years and the others, but virtually everything they did made a bad situation worse. Let me illustrate. Washington was bled four different times, over 80 ounces of blood were removed. He had blisters applied to his body to try to get rid of the bad hue morris. He was given various per gaives and medics causing both vomiting and diarrhediarrhea. Now, how much discomfort these actions would have caused to a man who had great difficulty swallowing and struggling for each and every breath is easier to imagine than to describe. The way one faces death is revealing of ones character. We dont have time go into it. I do in my book in more depth. But washingtons courage, his concern for others, his sense of duty, his modesty shines through in remarkable fashion. And, believe me, hes going to need every one of his resources to try to deal with this ordeal. He knew it. As he said to dr. Craik, i go hard, but im not afraid to go. Now, as the microbial storm raged unabated throughout his body, it became increasingly clear that this was one storm that even the heroic George Washington could not weather. Although i imagine his bodily strength prolonged the act of dying. As the end approached, washington, who was something as ive said before, of a control freak, was afraid he was going to be buried alive and he wanted to emphasize to lee that he was not to be buried at least until two days after he died. Leer who was so choked up with emotion was not able to respond. He just nodded. Washington then pressed him. Do you understand me . Leer said he did. And then washington uttered his last recorded words, tis well. The losing struggle for oxygen and the corresponding buildup of Carbon Dioxide ultimately overwhelmed the great general. Dr. Craik was by the fireplace lost in grief with the pain that he could do nothing to save the man he so loved and felt, im sure as many of you have experienced in your life, the truth of gebrons words and the prophet, love knows not its own death until the hour of separation. As washington lapsed into unconsciousness, he closed his eyes. The hand that had been taking his pulse fell to his side. His down tell nance changed, and he then expired without a struggle or a sigh. The great body, which had endured so much, the great mind so steady in its operation, so sure in its conclusions was all stilled. Here was no more than an empty vessel, drained for the sub sis tense of a nation. When a revolutionary war veteran received what he referred to as the melancholy intelligence of washingtons demise, he dropped an honest tear and then he exclaimed, well, i rejoice that i have been a soldier under washington. We can rejoice that we are citizens of the great country that he founded. And let us forever be grateful that the father of our great nation left us a lasting example of love for a united country, a desire to expand freedom, respect for others, the importance of courage and duty, and the desire to live and die for the type of honor and character that wins respect and admiration from all those left behind. Thank you very much. Blk [ applause ] as you know, we have a first, anyone can get up and leave. Cspan is taping tonights talk and q and a, so i guess we want to use pg language, but and they have someone that will hand a microphone over to you. Ill try to remember to repeat the questions if you speak into the micro phone. That would be fine. I will repeat one last time because some of you are new. Perfectly fine to ask any question. Not necessarily on tonights topic, but if theres something youre interested in about washington, you can do that. Ill do the best i can to answer. There are no foolish questions. Just the questions i may not be able to respond to as well as id like. With that background, well give one more minute for the people who wish to leave, and then well stay another ten minutes or so, depending on the q and a session. As were waiting, have any of you seen the play hamilton yet on broadway . Is there anyone whos done that . Just curious. Okay. I think its quiet enough for us to start a q and a session. Does someone have a microphone right there . Yes. Ive got a question for you relating to the depth of the slave from rabies. This may be more than you anticipated, but i was not aware that folks can recover from rabies because it was almost 100 fatal. Do you know anything about that disease process and the question is the question is whether the survival of christopher shields, the slave who was bitten by a rabid dog. And the question based its a legitimate question. Was the dog actually rabid or not. Washington thought he was. He sent him to all the way to pennsylvania, gave christopher shield 25 to cover his expenses. Its kind of interesting. The guy was going to run away a year later because he got married in the meantime. But he gave him 25. And washington, by the way, has a little note in his expense account book, christopher gave me back 12 after the trip. A rather interesting nonessential but tidbit fact of the day. Whether it was rabid or not, i dont know. Theres no question he recovered and washington later wrote, hes not afraid of being bitten by a mad dog again. But whether he was actually rabid, i dont know. Other questions. Yes. Theres a question im sorry, with the microphone. Go on. What can you tell us about his wills . Did he leave his wills or what to do about the former will . Thats a question about whether washington wrote a will. Washington wrote a will after he was made commander in chief of the Continental Army. And that was probably the will he had throughout the remainder of his life until the summer of 1799. He decided to write his own will, 28 or 29page handwritten will, done, by the way, he apologizes, without any lawyers help. So if theres a mistake, washington, im always, sorry, if theres ooh mace stake. And he tries to divide up mt. Vernon. And its fascinating will because one time i gave a talk on the last lecture. His will is almost his farewell address because he stresses his love of country, that hes the supreme nationalist. He also said hes freeing all of his slaves and it should be religiously carried out during that time. When he when he was dying, he called martha and was able to speak, even with its very painful, but its not complete hoarseness. And he asks martha to get two wills that were in his office. When martha came up with the two wills, he came up with this is the operative one, burn the other one, and that is what she that is what she did. Theres a yeah, we need do you need maybe speak and ill repeat if theres not a microphone. What do you think you would say about the what appears to be a call for kind of a new revolution in some sense both right and left in Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton today . What was you know, its always hard to do. What would washington think of the current move for kind of a revolutionary movement on the right and the left. Washington, you know, he is a bit of an elitist in his philosophy. He would he hes a strong believer in republican government, a government of the people and for the people. Hes not a great champion of just by the people. He hes a little bit he would be nervous that hes always worried the dangers of licentiousness. If you get too too far out on the sides. Hes essentially a moderate person. You know, theres hamilton on the right and jefferson on the left and washington in the middle. But he is a champion that legitimate government comes from the people and follows the will of the people, and, therefore, thats the case. When he wants to change the articles of confederation, which he feels is leading to a crisis situation, he says in a democrat cal form of government, the people have to feel before they will act. The question is have they felt enough to act. The revolutionaries on the side may say most of us in the middle will say, well, it isnt so bad. I dont know how many of you would say, we can change it, but im kind of pleased. Thats another topic. So his approach would be worry, worry. Yes. I think you touched on it a little bit, but maybe we can go a little further when you expressed the view that you didnt think washington would run again. Lets suppose he survived this, the threat of a jefferson presidency, do you think he would have done anything else and by not running, would prevent that from happening . I think really the only effective thung he could have done is to run. And the reason i think i hope he wouldnt and he he wanted to show he was disposable. It was important for him to give up power and step back. Now, you could argue he did that and therefore now in an manufacture just like when he came when france might invade us, you could make the case. I mean one of the i mean it would have been nice if we could run the film and go back and say, im not going to go on that date or its not going to work out, whatever the case may be. We cant do it. Thats informed speculation. So i find it so hard to try to figure out what happened. The idea of what might have happened, ill leave that to somebody else. Yes. [ inaudible ] the question is as we get in bad terms with france, how did it affect his relationship with lafayette. Lafayette was someone washington loved almost like a son. Theres wonderful correspondence between them. Lafayette tried to lead france into a moderate revolution, ended up ultimately trying to escape, was captured, thrown in prison for many, many years along with his family. When he comes out, tally rand, the great French Foreign ministry, lafayette writes to washington and says, i want to come to america to see you and to help smooth things out. And interestingly washington writes lafayette who he loves, dont come, because if you come, youll be involved. You cannot come without being used by people and messing things up, which would damage her reputation and yours. Really at the end, washington says very few negative things about laugh yacht. But he says he has a side thats equal to attack, and thats vanke. Washington was afraid it would hurt him and america. Another example, country first. Laugh yacht shouldnt come, and he doesnt. Though we do come in 1994 and were treated like a godlike foundation, go to mt. Vernon and elsewhere. Theres a question, yes. Even though he used the cabinet, over time adams distrusted him. Did he use abigail as his closest adviser. The question is how did adams feel. He inherited washingtons cabinet and what about abigails role. As far as i know, washington would have had no idea about that. I dont know if many people would have known it at the time. Adams is increasingly angry at especially Timothy Pickering and mchenry, and he ultimately will. And what happens in this story and adams to his dying day said this is what he was most proud of. The french indicated that if they sent this is when napoleon is coming to power. They said if america treats another envoy this one will be treated properly and adams without asking the cabinet and of course the federalists dont want that. The excitement of the day for the federalist is were fighting, you know, against france. We rallied this allows the army, if theres no threat of france, dies down. Adams sends an envoy. Actually, a peace treaty is worked out, the treaty in 1800, but word of the peace treaty comes too late to help adams in reelection and loses to jefferson and was always proud of that and very, very angry at what he felt business the underhanded treatment of his own cabinet members. Are there anymore questions . Yes, sir. He had considerable property in ohio. What did he ultimately do with all of those dispersal of all those lands . He had a lot of question, what did he do with the land in ohio and elsewhere. He sold a lot of it in his presidency. Still had a large amount and gives it to different members of his family. It is a fairly complicated will he breaks up. But he envisions mt. Vernon being broken up. He doesnt expect mt. Vernon to be the secular shrine it is. In terms of washingtons desire for immorality. And this is not absolute. I think its accurate but im not positive, there is a plan that washington is party to to have his body put in the center of the capitol after he dies as a Unifying Force because his wife agrees. Theres a move to do that. And the fact that martha says thats okay with me as long as im next to him, indicates this was talked about before so i think washington really envisioned himself in his death still as a symbol of united fight right in the center of the capitol would be his coffin. Now, it isnt there. The secular shrines mt. Vernon. But, you know, think what a person we have been studying and reading. Someone used the analogy of a you think of a great star. Thats burned out. But the lights still shines and reflects. And sometimes i think of washington, hes gone but the light of his example, his insights, his gift to us of this we would not have been one country. We would have broken up into many different countries. I mean, you know, it is not politically correct to talk on what they call the great man theory of history. You know . Its more mass movements and so on. Im convinced, you know, Nelson Mandelas of the world and George Washington. Independent man can make a dramatic difference and no case in American History has one single individual made a more profound, lasting and i would say beneficial impact than our own George Washington. Thanks so much. [ applause ] interested in American History tv . Visit our website cspan. O cspan. Org history. American artifacts, road to the washington rewind, lectures in history and more. At cspan. Org history. This month, watch cspans coverage of the 2016 republican and Democratic National conventions. And every saturday night at 8 00 eastern, well look back at past conventions and the president ial candidate who is went on to win their partys nomination. This saturday, well focus on incumbent president s who ran for reelection, Dwight Eisenhower in san francisco. The 1964 Democratic Convention in Atlantic City with lyndon johnson. Richard nixon at the 1972 Republican Convention in miami beach. The 1980 Democratic Convention with jimmy carter in new york city. George h. W. Bush at the 1992 Republican Convention in houston. Bill clinton in chicago for the 1996 Democratic Convention. And the 2004 Republican Convention in new york city with george w. Bush. Past republican and Democratic National conventions. Saturday night at 8 00 eastern on cspan. Tonight on the communicators, cathy, senior for example as verizon in washington. On the key issues in telecom like 5g and the need for more spectrum joined by Technology Reporter john mckinnon. Theres some characteristics that make it complicated in the environment and narrow line of sight. Doesnt go through walls very well . Exactly. Theres issues with that. But theres actually a lot of kind of complex Engineering Developments that have developed the new antennas. Beam forming. So theres actually a way to kind of adjust for that kind of issu