The Madness of 'King' George
The year was 1796. For the previous seven years, George Washington had been serving out his position as President of the United States with the familiar vigour and his own form of unbroken ethnics that had assisted him during his years within the British and Continental Armies. Through crisis after crisis in this newborn land, Washington had attempted beyond his station to ensure that the stability of his republic remained rigid and steadfast in the face of growing dangers and new ideals that were flourishing during this period of time; the most dangerous of all being those of the revolutionary ideals of Europe that were beginning to seep into the moral framework of American society, something the first President had succeeded in stemming during his administration.
However, the struggles that Washington had to put himself up against after the '88 and '92 elections were so immense in so many ways that it left the former general exhausted, demoralized, and prostrated beyond any form of physical exertion that he would have faced during his time in the military, and soon, most thought, it would be his time to step down (as he originally wished before his re-election campaign). However, as what happened only four years prior, events would only transpire to ensure that the first President of the United States would remain in his place.
Fearing the influx of revolutionary zeal into the fabric of the increasingly partisan Republican Party (as the 'anti-administration' group within Congress was beginning to be christened), a number of Federalists began to rally behind the incumbent as they had done so in 1792 in an attempt to 'keep the peace' in their young republic, particularly after a series of high-profile attacks on American vessels (believed to be carried out on the orders of the new directorial French government in Paris). Indeed, in some Republican groups at the time, revolutionary zeal had become a commonplace element of their state-level assemblies, support for the overthrow of the French monarchy being followed up in some circles with calls to enter the recently formed conflict in Europe on the side of their 'democratic brothers' across the Atlantic sea; a vision that was abhorred universally by both the Federalists and George Washington himself.
This fear would ultimately be furthered by the actions and words of the de facto Republican leader and former Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, who, despite having 'retired' three years before the lead up to the '96 election season, remained extremely active within national politics, his refusal to disassociate himself from the violence and destruction of the French Revolution only serving to distance himself further from both Washington and the cabinet to which he used to belong.
Ultimately, the coalescing actions of the French Directory and Navy (real or imagined in 1796), members of the Republican party, and Thomas Jefferson himself ultimately led George Washington into a wall which saw members of congress (primarily partisan, but led by the Federalists) begin to urge their incumbent to run once again; a third term to ensure that the safety and neutrality of the young American republic would not be unhinged by the actions of the pro-British Vice President John Adams, or the pro-French Republican leader Thomas Jefferson. Washington himself was at first extremely reluctant to devote his efforts to run again, believing that the times were right for his peers to raise themselves to the highest levels of their nation and resolve the issues facing the United States, particularly the growing aggressions of the French Republic.
However, in the aftermath of several more weeks of belligerent displays by the French Navy on the high seas (against US shipping vessels), coupled with a number of conspiracies and minor 'protests' that were relayed back to Washington as being in 'support of the French revolutionary spirit', began to weaken the sixty-four year-old's resistance to the idea of a third term, enough so that further urging by the former Secretary of the Treasury (Alexander Hamilton) ultimately saw the incumbent President bend to the will of many across the nation and reluctantly run for a third term.
The Presidential election of 1796 would ultimately be the first in American history that would feature the first opposition to the primary frontrunner, at least early on that was; a number of prominent Republicans across the Union (Thomas Jefferson above all else it seemed) were urged to finally run for their nation's highest office in spite of Washington's semi-bipartisan support. This avocation was primarily brought about due to the growing animosity a number of high-ranking 'Republicans' felt in regards to the President's advancing age and term of office (despite the sense of 'unity' he had brought to both tables over the previous seven years); this furthered by the increasingly 'Federalist policies' he was willing to back during his time as President despite his own personal calls for the position to remain one "above national politics".
Nevertheless, with the turn of each moon the suggestions and rallying cries by the Republicans for the incumbent to cease running had began to simmer, the fears of 'revolutionary justice' sweeping across America (as well as the lack of any other de facto opposition to the former General) propelling Washington into the voting months fearful but diligent of his next steps; his initial unwillingness giving way to reluctant candidacy as states and citizens decided to elect the incumbent President to a third term of office; another unanimous victory for Washington in terms of both popular and electoral vote followed again by his incumbent Vice President, John Adams. The following March, Washington once again accepted and recited the oath of his office in a strained, almost-unsure voice as he begun yet another term as President of the United States of America.
The year was 1796. For the previous seven years, George Washington had been serving out his position as President of the United States with the familiar vigour and his own form of unbroken ethnics that had assisted him during his years within the British and Continental Armies. Through crisis after crisis in this newborn land, Washington had attempted beyond his station to ensure that the stability of his republic remained rigid and steadfast in the face of growing dangers and new ideals that were flourishing during this period of time; the most dangerous of all being those of the revolutionary ideals of Europe that were beginning to seep into the moral framework of American society, something the first President had succeeded in stemming during his administration.
However, the struggles that Washington had to put himself up against after the '88 and '92 elections were so immense in so many ways that it left the former general exhausted, demoralized, and prostrated beyond any form of physical exertion that he would have faced during his time in the military, and soon, most thought, it would be his time to step down (as he originally wished before his re-election campaign). However, as what happened only four years prior, events would only transpire to ensure that the first President of the United States would remain in his place.
Fearing the influx of revolutionary zeal into the fabric of the increasingly partisan Republican Party (as the 'anti-administration' group within Congress was beginning to be christened), a number of Federalists began to rally behind the incumbent as they had done so in 1792 in an attempt to 'keep the peace' in their young republic, particularly after a series of high-profile attacks on American vessels (believed to be carried out on the orders of the new directorial French government in Paris). Indeed, in some Republican groups at the time, revolutionary zeal had become a commonplace element of their state-level assemblies, support for the overthrow of the French monarchy being followed up in some circles with calls to enter the recently formed conflict in Europe on the side of their 'democratic brothers' across the Atlantic sea; a vision that was abhorred universally by both the Federalists and George Washington himself.
This fear would ultimately be furthered by the actions and words of the de facto Republican leader and former Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, who, despite having 'retired' three years before the lead up to the '96 election season, remained extremely active within national politics, his refusal to disassociate himself from the violence and destruction of the French Revolution only serving to distance himself further from both Washington and the cabinet to which he used to belong.
Ultimately, the coalescing actions of the French Directory and Navy (real or imagined in 1796), members of the Republican party, and Thomas Jefferson himself ultimately led George Washington into a wall which saw members of congress (primarily partisan, but led by the Federalists) begin to urge their incumbent to run once again; a third term to ensure that the safety and neutrality of the young American republic would not be unhinged by the actions of the pro-British Vice President John Adams, or the pro-French Republican leader Thomas Jefferson. Washington himself was at first extremely reluctant to devote his efforts to run again, believing that the times were right for his peers to raise themselves to the highest levels of their nation and resolve the issues facing the United States, particularly the growing aggressions of the French Republic.
However, in the aftermath of several more weeks of belligerent displays by the French Navy on the high seas (against US shipping vessels), coupled with a number of conspiracies and minor 'protests' that were relayed back to Washington as being in 'support of the French revolutionary spirit', began to weaken the sixty-four year-old's resistance to the idea of a third term, enough so that further urging by the former Secretary of the Treasury (Alexander Hamilton) ultimately saw the incumbent President bend to the will of many across the nation and reluctantly run for a third term.
The Presidential election of 1796 would ultimately be the first in American history that would feature the first opposition to the primary frontrunner, at least early on that was; a number of prominent Republicans across the Union (Thomas Jefferson above all else it seemed) were urged to finally run for their nation's highest office in spite of Washington's semi-bipartisan support. This avocation was primarily brought about due to the growing animosity a number of high-ranking 'Republicans' felt in regards to the President's advancing age and term of office (despite the sense of 'unity' he had brought to both tables over the previous seven years); this furthered by the increasingly 'Federalist policies' he was willing to back during his time as President despite his own personal calls for the position to remain one "above national politics".
Nevertheless, with the turn of each moon the suggestions and rallying cries by the Republicans for the incumbent to cease running had began to simmer, the fears of 'revolutionary justice' sweeping across America (as well as the lack of any other de facto opposition to the former General) propelling Washington into the voting months fearful but diligent of his next steps; his initial unwillingness giving way to reluctant candidacy as states and citizens decided to elect the incumbent President to a third term of office; another unanimous victory for Washington in terms of both popular and electoral vote followed again by his incumbent Vice President, John Adams. The following March, Washington once again accepted and recited the oath of his office in a strained, almost-unsure voice as he begun yet another term as President of the United States of America.