In the spring of 1791, George Washington was 59 years old. Two years earlier, the man who had led the Continental Army for eight long years in war, had been elected president of the United States. In addition to all his obligations, duties and responsibilities as the leader of the states, Washington found the will and energy to take an 1,800 miles, 62 stops tour of the southern states.
Although it is not a foot-noted book, Warren Bingham pours his lifelong passion and knowledge on this topic and gives us the terrific (2016) book, “George Washington’s 1791 Southern Tour.” No one knows the lay of the land and the topic better.
Bingham’s father immersed his son in historic places, including Mount Vernon, Alexandria and Washington.
The author grew up in the piedmont of North Carolina, where Washington made nine stops, including Greensboro my hometown. (Note: As Bingham points out, Washington visited the village of Martinsville, apparently named after Governor Alexander Martin. In 1808, the village was named Greensboro, after General Greene).
I enjoyed the chapter where Bingham tells us about previous looks and commemorations of Washington’s epic journey. He also provides a good number of his own photographs and lists the 62 places where Washington slept, including pointing out the 7 buildings that have survived. In addition to all the research, Bingham visited each place on Washington’s tour.
Some readers might want more info on each stop, but newspaper coverage was sparse and Washington was sometimes sparing in his diary. And as the author points out, one has to be careful vis a vis apocryphal stories.
Having said that, our founding father was an amazing person, who always wanted to know what was on the other side of the hill. As this book shows, George Washington crossed many in his extraordinary lifetime, including those in the Southern States.
Note:
Bingham shared with me the following about the 1791 tour. He does touch on this aspect in the book.
After learning he had been elected the first president, among several things he wrote to John Adams, the incoming vice-president, was that he hoped to pay a visit to all of the states during his "term" (he assumed he would serve 4 years) to learn from the people and to see the country.
Beyond that basic fact we glean from his writing to Adams, I infer from his diary entries during his travel through the states and through his correspondence that GW desired to promote the new Constitution and the federal government — so I feel that in addition to "being among the people" in "their" communities and through his presence help unite the country.
In essence, GW hoped to gain public favor in support of the Constitution, but he did not make point blank speeches or write point blank statements; it was more of a soft sell. He knew he was a big hero due to his role in the Revolution; he was self-aware that he carried influence--and, I think, he felt his presence and clear support of the new government would bring others along in support.
When he traveled from Mount Vernon to NYC in April 1789 to become president, he couldn't help but notice adoring crowds gathered to hail him. So, though he had the idea of visiting the states perhaps weeks earlier, I suspect these warm greetings along his way to become president, confirmed for him that visiting all the states would be a good thing.
GW felt the travels and the Southern Tour were successful, because it better connected him with the land and the people he governed--and he felt no significant pushback about the new federal government (which included news of the first federal tax, the tax on domestically distilled spirits).
Of course, it was hard to look the 6'3 hero of the American Revolution in the eye and complain. Eventually, journalists would do it in newspapers--but, generally, on these tours, including the Southern Tour, the people he met seemed to be content with the idea and ideal of the federal government.
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