George Washington takes the oath of office in New York City on April 30, 1789.
Presidential inaugurations are a time for the country to reflect upon where it has been and where it is going. When George Washington took the oath of office to become the first president of the United States, the country had been through years of a bloody war for independence followed by years of uncertainty as to what course the newly formed country would take.
When his term began, Washington was the unanimous choice to be the country’s first president under the recently ratified United States Constitution. The role of the executive was extensively debated among delegates of the Constitutional Convention. Some sought greater executive power, while others feared too much power in the hands of one person would be a return to the same system they fought to overcome. In the end, a balanced approach consisting of three branches with enumerated powers was adopted. However, because the Constitution was new, how Washington approached the duties of his office set a precedent for all future presidents.
Approximately 10,000 people came to see Washington take the oath of office. Washington seemed in awe of the duties that were to be bestowed on him. From the second-floor balcony of Freedom Hall in New York, he placed his hand on the bible and, in a low voice, recited the oath of office as specified in the Constitution. He then kissed the Bible and went inside to give his inaugural address to a joint session of Congress. Little has changed about this process since.
What were Washington’s priorities for the new nation? As he began his inaugural address, he did what he often did. He thanked the Almighty for the blessings bestowed upon the country and for the Constitution. “No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore the Invisible Hand which conducts the affairs of men more than those of the United States.” Washington respected the role of elected representatives in a constitutional republic, cautioning members of Congress that character and virtue make for the best policy-making. “Thus will the foundations of our national policy…be laid in the pure and immutable principles of private morality.” Rather than a list of specific policy recommendations, Washington’s address was principally a message of thanks to God and a call for elected representatives and those who elect them to show good character and humility. The entire address is below:
After his inaugural address, George Washington led a delegation down the street to St. Paul’s Chapel to pray. He later commented that his presidency and the nation itself were an experiment. Little would he know how well that experiment would turn out.