VII: IMPERIAL ELECTION OF 1801
Emperor Washington's Funeral
America lost it's father, Washington led the nation as its first Emperor, and now it was time to decide a new one. Between the 5th of July and the 25th of September, heated debates happened in the Senate building, with 4 men seeking to take the throne. Hamilton had the delegates of the "Pure" Federalists, Marshall had the moderates and "Anti-Hamiltonian" Federalists, Burr had taken "Anti-Hamiltonians" from both sides of the spectrum, and Madison had the Whigs.
For days, debates raged from tariffs to insults between Burr and Hamilton, while Marshall became known as "Silent John" due to his quiet atitude during debates, Monroe spent most of his speeches in Anti-British rethoric, promising to take Canada from Britain. No candidate was ideal and all had their defects, but one had to take the crown, and with the 4 being balanced in support, only one man could break the tie: George Washington.
The final will and testament was hidden by his wife Martha, who refused to break the silence on the letter content, only claiming that Washington had a chosen successor. To this day, it isn't known why the silence was kept, probably Martha was still mourning for her husband's death, or even for manipulating the candidates to keep family privileges in return of having his name announced. On the 18th of February, a week before the voting started, Martha Washington, the ex-Queen of the Emperor, broke the silence and released it in a Maryland newspaper called "Tribune of America" owned by a Creole called Henry Bellamy.
WASHINGTON'S LAST ADRESS TO AMERICA
"For years, ever since that Christmas night in Valley Forge, I saw a vision of America, spreading its wings from sea to shinning sea, from the cold Tundra of the Artic to the forests of Yucatán. And all I did was to prepare America to fulfill it's fate, especially Columbia, my grand legacy, a city of marble bordering the Potomac. I wish to die seeing this new America, seeing the sun setting over Columbia, but I know that I'm not immortal, and my great regret was not leaving a son of mine to lead this new Empire. I have seen many men that would be worthy of the throne in Valley Forge, but they are with the Lord now and can't rule in the human realm. Instead, Alexander Hamilton was my chosen successor for many years, but I saw him grow too ambitious, seeking to turn America into another Britain and end the constitution by becoming a dictator. If I am Augustus, Hamilton is Tiberius, and should not have the throne, in fact, I could count on fingers who is capable of having it. There is only one that I could consciously support for the throne: John Marshall. He is a man I know for long years, he is committed to the law and order of the nation, and is the only one of them that would follow the Constitution to the grave, like all Emperors are required to in the Oath. He is the one that won't sell our soul to neither King George nor Napoleon, he is the one that can work both parties and isn't enemy of neither. Burr would not be able to govern with Hamilton and Madison would throw us into a war we might lose. My best wishes for the Nation, and may the Divine Light and Providence guide us into an Era of Gold like never seen before since the days of Rome, for we are a new Rome, and Columbia will be the 3rd Rome."
Washington's letter was a bomb in the Senate, 7 days later, over 50% of the Senators would vote for John Marshall, more than the other 3 combined. John I Marshall humbly accepted the nomination and the "House of Marshall" would take power in America. Even if Emperor John I would start to rule from the 25th of September of 1801, his coronation only happened on the 4th of July following the Washington precedent, taking the oath and being crowned by William White, the same one that crowned Washington. No one was particularly satisfied with the election of Marshall, but the other 3 were mostly relieved that it wasn't one of the others. It was the beggining of the Marshall Dynasty in America.