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thinks is always for joining me if you'd like to help keep history that doesn't suck going please head over to patreon.com forward slash history that doesn't suck that again is patreon.com for it slash history that doesn't suck and if you'd like to follow us on social media just search history that doesn't suck the posts are great i promise unless they're not in that case josh posted it not me [Music] welcome to history that doesn't suck I'm your professor Greg Jackson and I'd like to tell you a story the explosion of artillery at New York's Fort George welcomes the sunrise with a military salute today April 30th 1789 is the day that George Washington becomes the first ever to swear an oath to uphold the US Constitution as president of the United States truly given his role as the Continental Army's commander-in-chief as The Virginian who led Americans hailing from all over the colonies to military victory and independence having a military salute signal the beginning of a new day and the executive branch's debut could not be more appropriate the days chock-full of celebration at 9:00 a.m. church bells ring out across New York City for a full half-hour [Music] but we don't need to listen to that for 30 minutes you get the point meanwhile George has been up since early this morning preparing for the big day at his New York residence ever the resplendent dresser George is bringing his a-game with his brown suit and powdered hair of special note that suits American and that's quite a feat it's hard to find material woven in non-industrialized nearly exclusively agricultural America but he did it the now civilian president-elect where's but one thing that nods to his warrior ways this morning the ceremonial sword hanging from his side come 12:30 that afternoon George gets in a yellow carriage pulled by six white horses Cinderella would be jealous and sets off with quite the entourage this includes members of Congress New York Chancellor Robert Livingston as well as two foreign dignitaries ministers from France and Spain but the parade is far bigger than George's immediate crew in all its glory the procession also has Colonel Morgan Lewis serving as the grand marshal and a whole slew of military including a 500 man militia artillery grenadiers and some Scottish Highlanders beyond that regular citizens follow as well as you can see this is no small to do at one o'clock vice president John Adams and the rest of Congress welcome George to Federal Hall though it'll later get torn down Federal Hall is a gorgeous red brick structure with two long rectangular windows on each side of its four massive two-story columns at two o'clock George steps out onto federal halls second-story balcony overlooking Wall Street some 10,000 New Yorkers have packed themselves into the crowded city streets with hopes of witnessing this historic oath can you imagine the ruckus of the cheering crowd it's here on this red and white curtain adorned balcony and in full sight of the American people that George takes the oath of office john adams and possibly some congressmen stand by his side george places his right hand on the bible provided by the local Masonic Lodge which is opened randomly to Genesis 49 and 50 as a mason himself I'm sure George appreciates the local lodges contribution New York Chancellor Livingston now administers the oath found in article 2 section 1.8 of the US Constitution - George as it reads I do solemnly swear or affirm that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States and will to the best of my ability preserve protect and defend the Constitution of the United States upon completing this sacrament of the Republic our brown sooted sword clad president leans down and kisses the Bible legend claims he also said so help me God but like the cherry tree this story is likely a fabrication of the 19th century it is done long live George Washington President of the United States Chancellor Livingston calls out so everyone knows the soft-spoken barely audible George has finished the oath church bells ring once again and the crowd goes wild back inside federal hall George gives the first inaugural address George being George some of his words are self effacing and being a deist he refers to God as the almighty being but funny enough it's obvious to Congress and the few other invited guests present that this leader of men who's charged straight an enemy fire is quite nervous why I wonder my best guess is the pressure he feels about this republic succeeding in his speech George says and I quote the preservation of the sacred fire of Liberty and the destiny of the Republican model of government are justly considered as deeply perhaps as finely staked on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people well that's a heavy thought George is Atlas the fate of representative government rests on his aging rounding arthritic shoulders as monarchies around the world pray for his failure perhaps the presidency is scarier than charging into battle and on that auspicious note welcome to the presidency of George Washington as you can see from this speech he's feeling the weight of his first term in office and there is much to do during this episode alone we still need to ratify the Constitution create a bill of rights organize a presidential cabinet move the US Capitol and try to get the young nation's finances which are faltering back on track the brilliant new secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton has a plan for that but it's going to put him at odds with two other powerful founding fathers Thomas Jefferson and James Madison by the end of George's first term as president they're fracturing relationship will give way to infighting that makes Cagefighting look like a walk in the park and lay the foundation for America's first political party's good times right okay then let's get into George's first term by heading back to 1787 and now how this Constitution is getting ratified you know the drill rewind here we are back at the end of the sweaty sweltering Philadelphians summer of 1787 where the Constitutional Convention has just come to a close we learned about this in episode 15 remember well within days of the September 17th signing the conventions delegates send the proposed Constitution to the Continental Congress in New York and in uncharacteristic style Congress moves quickly it approves the US Constitution and sends it to the States for ratification before the end of the month three states ratified in December Delaware's first letting Delawareans forevermore brag with their slogan the first state on their car's license plates next comes Pennsylvania not that the Constitution doesn't have its haters which are known as anti federalists and remember that but with the support of the legendary Ben Franklin who's also currently the president of the state supreme executive council things move quickly with a vote of 43 in favor of ratification and 23 against then New Jersey follows like Delaware its wooed by equals state representation in the Senate and ratifies unanimously in January 1788 Georgia ratifies unanimously - sharing a border with Spain and American Indians the Peach State is stoked to join a strong union that might offer it protection small State Connecticut also hops on board by the end of the month Kaneda cutters love how the constitution hems in New York's and Massachusetts port taxes on goods destined for their state so they ratify 128 in 240 but after these five states ratification gets bogged down Massachusetts previous Constitutional Convention delegate then now anti federalists Elbridge Gerry loses his temper at the state's ratifying convention a full-on fist fight breaks out just think of that the next time you want to romanticize the politics of yesteryear as being more highbrow than what we do today the Federalists swing things in their favor by winning over two local boys we haven't heard from since the early episodes the wealthy good-looking ambitious and now current and governor of Massachusetts John Hancock and the likely tea party throwing radical founding father we now mostly associate with beer Sam Adams they seduced John partly with talk of putting his name forward for vice president Sam gets pressure from his friends the real kicker though is talk of amendments John and Sam say they support the Constitution but add that they want to see amended immediately come February 1788 the base state ratifies by a narrow majority 187 for and 168 against Maryland defeats the high functioning alcoholic anti federalists Luther Martin and pushes through ratification in April with 63 votes in favor to 11 against meanwhile South Carolina which scored a lot of protection for slavery during the Constitutional Convention ratifies in May 149 in favor 273 against and in both of these states we have more suggested amendments then things get really heated in Virginia not only are there some well-respected anti-federalists here like Patrick Henry who fights tooth and nail against the Constitution during the 22 day ratifying convention but with eight states having ratified one more ratification will bring the proposed US federal government to life Virginia ratified by a narrow 89 to 79 but in doing so they to note that they want some serious amendments in fact the anti-federalists here suggests 40 and thus Virginia becomes the tenth to ratify yes tenth because unbeknownst to the Virginians fiercely independent New Hampshire secured the role of being the crucial ninth state by ratifying on June 21st Virginia follows New Hampshire four days later New York's another tough win there's even an unsubstantiated story that Federalist leaders Alexander Hamilton and John Jay started planning to lead a New York City secession movement from the rest of the state if the anti-federalists reps shot the Constitution down thankfully it doesn't come to that despite kicking around an astounding 55 amendments news of Virginia's ratification undermines the anti-federalists efforts here after all were they really ready to stand outside this union of states when New York could be a leader within it in July 1788 New York ratifies it by a truly thin margin 32:27 but before we move on let's note that the Empire State's ratification process also inspired the ever opinionated Alexander to team up with Virginia's James Madison and fellow New Yorker John Jay to write newspaper articles in support of the Constitution together they're 85 essays 5 by John 29 by James and in astonishing 51 by Alex are the Federalist Papers they published them under the pseudonym Publius in New York newspapers between October 1787 and May 1788 the fascinating thing is that while they are written as pro Constitution propaganda intended to sway undecided voters and while they likely had little if any influence on ratification the Federalist Papers will go on to influence constitutional thought and legal decisions for centuries to come at this point only two states are holding out Rhode Island and North Carolina but we have a ratified Constitution it officially takes effect on March 4th 1789 and it's about this time that the Sageman chosen to select the President of the United States of America through the electoral college unanimously elect George Washington and that just about brings us back to where we met George today he arrives in New York City roughly a week before his swearing-in and moves his massive household which includes his wife Martha her two grandchildren one secretary fourteen white servants and six black slave into a place on the corner of cherry and Dover streets nothing more than a plaque will note that no longer existing mansion in the 21st century but right now it's a beautiful three-story brick colonial with modern furniture fresh new carpets seven fireplaces and an enlarged drawing-room ready to accommodate presidential entertaining and let's get personal with George for a second by noting his role as Entertainer he has a constant stream of houseguests callers and looky-loos all wanting a minute of the president's time and a peek at the presidential house well something's got to give has a Republican head of state he wants to be accessible unlike a monarch but poor George can't get anything done like this so he discusses the dilemma with a number of people these include John Adams and Alexander Hamilton which probably isn't the best idea if you're looking for a Republican not at all man our kacal way forward since these two are known for being elitists I mean there's a reason some like to mock the somewhat overweight vice president from Braintree Massachusetts by calling him his rotundity and the Duke of Braintree behind his back anyhow George decides to hold a LaVey every Tuesday from 3 to 4 p.m. so it cuts his visitors down to a one-hour window but he's still accessible because any respectable gentleman may attend the formality of the levees make them really boring it's skiff bringing quite a bit of criticism from people like Thomas Jefferson who think they stink of monarchy and can I just point out if you're trying to not come off as elitist maybe don't use a French word for the weekly get-together I mean really yeah they call it George's mancave hour and have them at the grill with an apron that reads America's favorite commander in chef oh well that's what happens when Alex and John weigh in on your get-together I guess George also hosts weekly official dinners for important government figures you know members of Congress diplomats that crowd he rotates through who's invited so none of the politicians get bent out of shape these are actually more fun than the LaVey partly because George has good friends and old war buddies in government whom he enjoys seeing but don't get the idea that these are blasts either thankfully Martha's at these dinners and being is well-read well-bred and affable as she is the first lady carries the conversation and let's just take a moment to thank the Almighty author of the universe for Martha in addition to making George's weekly state dinners not entirely suck she hosts her own weekly tea party every Friday evening men and women are invited all you have to do is show up formally attired and these tea parties are off the hook people actually enjoy themselves George regularly attends and is way more comfortable here than at his leve he smiles he chats he even cracks the occasional joke and brilliantly the first lady also sits next to the second lady Abigail Adams at these tea parties see their husbands don't really get along as smart as John Adams is the New Englander curmudgeon isn't the best at making friends and he and George have a history not all of which is positive so the bond between Martha and Abigail really is a service to the nation Martha is a peacemaker who keeps friendships alive among the opinionated men serving in George's administration as she bonds with their wives such as Lucy Knox Eliza Hamilton and Sarah J too bad Thomas Jefferson is a widower and James Madison is still a bachelor and in case you're not following that's called foreshadowing okay so now that we've peeked into the Washington's private life what's going on in Congress they're crushing it they pass bills to pay the president and the Dept secretaries they also create three new departments Foreign Affairs aka state war and last but not least treasury kind of hard for any future Congress to say they did better you know I mean when you pass a bill to name a post office after some famous person do you really feel as accomplished as the people who invented the Department of the Treasury that said there's still plenty of drama in the first session of Congress on June 8th 1789 James Madison presents his ideas for amending the Constitution to the house remember how several of the eleven states in the Union thus far made clear that they wanted amendments with New York's anti-federalists even suggesting 55 of them well this short Baldy Virginian means to attend to these demands he stands before the house and says he considers himself quote bound in honor and in duty to bring the amendments before you as soon as possible close quote James has spent the last few months studying the recommendations from the state ratifying conventions especially those of New York
nd Virginia and whittled them down to nine umbrella statements of 19 amendments which he presents to the house now James did oppose a bill of rights at the Constitutional Convention but the ratification debates changed his views besides that his home state of Virginia ratified the Constitution with a formal list of recommended amendments James then ran for Congress on the promise of introducing and fighting for amendments to protect the liberties of the people of Virginia and the United States so it's time to make good on those promises immediately James meets opposition many congressmen don't agree many congressmen don't think amendments are necessary or even a good idea Georgia's James Jackson argues that the Constitution hasn't even been tested yet why amends something that's untried connecticut's Roger Sherman says they have more pressing matters like funding the government and paying debts and so the amendments get put off but the next month on July 21st James in defiance of his timid reputation and nickname of Little Jimmy puts forward his amendments once again when the same arguments arise James is ready to rebuff them he gets his amendments to a selection committee with one representative per state including himself reppin Virginia the committee wrestles James 19 amendments into twelve succinct amendments when they present their work to the house on August 12th fierce debate ensues in fact South Carolina's William Smith says quote there has been more ill humor and rudeness displayed today that has existed since the meeting of Congress and to make matters worse the weather is intensely hot close quote well suck it up William if you've been in Philly during the summer of 87 you'd know Americans only taught constitutional topics when it's hot and for two long weeks Congress debates the content wording and placement of these 12 amendments finally come August 24th 1789 the house Inns them to the Senate which in turn sends them to the state legislators with only a few minor changes side note now that the Bill of Rights is finally happening North Carolina and Rhode Island will finally ratify the Constitution it still takes over a year but in December 1791 that necessary 11 states ratified 10 of the 12 amendments and these ratified 10 amendments are the Bill of Rights that we know and love or love to argue about today now why do early Americans choose to explicitly protect these rights they are a combination of long-standing anglo-american political traditions and responses to the specific ways in which the British abused Americans during the 1760s and 70s the First Amendment protects freedom of religion speech and the press since the amendment only specifies that quote Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion close quote several state-funded churches and state-level religious requirements to hold office will continue for a few decades the 2nd and 3rd amendments are what happens when your congressman still have bad memories and recurring nightmares of their last government trying to seize the militias munitions and force the people to quarter soldiers if that doesn't ring a bell go re listen to episodes 5 & 6 Amendments 4 through 8 make clear the rights citizens have if arrested such as protection from unreasonable search and seizures if you remember how john hancock ship got seized in Episode three vishen surprise you at all nine and ten dot the i's and cross the t's they note that these stated rights do not necessarily mean there aren't other rights and that any powers not specifically assigned to the federal government rest with the state governments and with their passage james madison has achieved a true rarity he's a politician who delivers on promises you might be wondering what george is up to during all this talk of billa rights well he's staying out of it first he's keenly aware of the principles separation of powers and respects the legislators domain but besides that he's in no condition to govern george is fighting for his life in june 1789 George develops a large carbuncle which is an infected abscess in his left thigh and an accompanying high fever a worried Martha calls for doctors a father-and-son medical team examined George and conclude that the president is infected with anthrax now don't panic anthrax infections are fairly common among farmers in these days but this does mean surgically removing the growth and it's a grueling operation cut away deeper deeper still don't be afraid you see how well he bears it urges on the father almost sadistically like he's enjoying this power over the American president in these days before anesthesia George fully feels each cut and slice of the young doctors scalpel as it severs his flesh the sun's aggressive attack on the abscess proves successful but the recovery is long Georgia doesn't get out of bed and back to business for several weeks officials string rope across Cherry Street to block traffic and spreads straw on the sidewalk near the house to deaden the noise of carts and passers-by all with the hope of making the president's recovery a bit more tolerable poor George this illness struck him down as he was picking advisors during the summer of 1789 but now he's getting back to it these are big decisions as George says in a letter to his and Katherine Graham quote there is scarcely any part of my conduct which may not hereafter be drawn into precedent close quote he's right whom he includes and whom he leaves out will set the tone for every u.s. president that follows for one thing he chooses to leave vice president John Adams out in the cold to not bring him in as an adviser we already touched on the importance of Martha and Abigail's friendship because these two don't get on you need to remember that at this point in US history the president and VP don't run together on a ticket so you can end up with two guys who aren't buds and you know in an alternate world where George might have liked his vice president the office could have grown into an important prime minister sort of office and you know in an alternate world where George might have liked his vice president the office could have grown into an important prime minister sort of role instead it becomes less vital in fact John will later complained to his dear wife Abigail that the office of vice president is and I quote the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived close quote I'd say it's evolved to have some importance today but by and large precedent set VP will never have the importance it could have so whom does George a point in positions of influence that is in the presidential cabinet that's not a term yet by the way but it's such a useful description we'll just run with it we have some familiar names first George keeps the bookish Bostonian and King of cannons Henry Knox as Secretary of War as for the small part-time task of Attorney General he appoints his buddy the fellow Virginian who introduced the Virginia Plan then didn't sign the Constitution then supported the Constitution at the ratifying convention Edmund Randolph seriously indecisive much George asks the lanky negotiating New York lawyer John J to be Secretary of State but he responds that he prefer to be Chief Justice of the new Supreme Court George is good with that but now who will run state his second choice is Thomas Jefferson I was naturally led to contemplate the talents and dispositions which I knew you to possess I was determined to nominate you for Department of State George writes to Thomas just returned from serving his foreign minister to France Tom doesn't reply to George immediately he'll fill the role but he won't show up until next year in March 1790 by the way Tom's delay leaves George to hammer out the first treaty the United States makes with the creek nation in August 1789 the Constitution only gives a few broadly worded instructions about how the Senate and the president should work together to make treaties leaving George a lot of room to invent how this works however the collaborator George goes to the Senate chamber the Senators live up to every stereotype you can think of regarding Congress lots of talk with little accomplished finally George gives up as he barges out of the Senate chambers he's heard muttering to quote George I'll be damned if I ever go there again close quote and with that George sets yet another presidential precedent no other president will ever go to the Senate to be advised on a treaty treaties are strictly the president's domain the Senate only approves a resolution of ratification but back to setting up that cabinet George offers the crucial position of Treasury Secretary to the informal financier of the Revolution Philadelphia's Robert Morris Robert turns him down ironically he's headed for bankruptcy but he points George in another direction according to one account of their conversation Robert replies My dear general you will be no loser by my declining the secretary ship of the Treasury for I can recommend to you a far cleverer fellow than I am for your Minister of Finance in the person of your former aide-de-camp Colonel Hamilton this takes George by surprise I always knew Colonel Hamilton to be a man of superior Talent but never supposed that he had any knowledge of finance George answers he knows everything sir to a mind like his nothing comes amiss Robert responds now how he and Alex never talked finances during the war is beyond me it seems they really didn't but now so informed George calls once again upon the talents of the Caribbean born swashbuckling wielder of words and financial genius Alexander Hamilton for the last seven years Alexander has been practicing law in New York he and his wife he Liza have four small children and in his spare time he instigates constitutional conventions writes over 50 essays in defense of the Constitution and studies economic theory all in a day's work right yeah if Alex lived in the 21st century I don't think he'd have time for Netflix with his exceptional intellect and endless energy Alexander has the US Treasury Department moving forward almost immediately after his September 1789 appointment he gets loans from tubing so that the government has ready cash and when Congress asks him to prepare a report on government debt by January alex cranks out his 51 page report on public credit this is far more than a rundown on the government's current economic position pulling from a variety of European and American scholars theorists and experts alex has created a detailed plan to pay America's combined seventy nine million dollar debt build its credit and create a desperately needed currency I'll break this down into two major points one the federal government issues bonds and two the federal government assumes state debts 0.1 bonds if you're unfamiliar with bonds these are certificates sold by a company or a government basically selling a part of its debt to the buyer which we typically call an investor so after the federal government sells these interest bearing bonds Alex wants to set aside a portion of the revenue regularly to make interest payments on the government's crushing debts meanwhile the government guarantees full repayment of its bonds and this is really important while it only buys back 2% of these bonds per year this will in turn make the bonds a sort of permanent fixture in the economy and that matters because it will quell speculation and wild fluctuations in the market and make the bonds a type of currency point two so I told you America has a total debt of 79 million that breaks down into a national debt of 54 million and state debts of 25 million these are the debts Alexander wants to use the bonds to pay off and yes he wants the federal government to absorb or assume the state's debts there's a few reasons for this practically speaking assumption will make payment more efficient politically Alexander wants to shift Americans loyalty from their home states to America and how do you get the rich to do that get their money involved in it if the federal government owes the wealthy money they'll be invested in the government success this will also keep the states from competing with the federal government for tax revenue as for the fairness of it all Alex will also point out that all Americans equally enjoy the fruits of the war but the debt caused by the war was not equal doesn't debt-ridden massachusetts in new york where much of the occupation and fighting happened deserve help then if you didn't follow all that here's all you really need to know Alexander is a financial wizard who has a plan to consolidate America's debt and pay it off with government bonds to make everything better and if you didn't follow it well don't worry you're not alone when Alexander's plan is read to Congress its members brains start to short-circuit as they utterly fail to understand the Carribean born lawyers brilliance first many in Congress think Alexander's plan means permanent debt hell some people still think that's a day Alexander says he and I quote ardently wishes to see it incorporated as a fundamental maxim in the system of public credit of the United States that the creation of debt should always be accompanied with the means of extinguishment close quote and he plans to extinguish the current debt with the revenue from the postal system and the 5% federal duty on imports that were passed the previous year it's also obvious that Alexander's plan borrows heavily from the British financial system he owns that fact alex is simply trying to enable America to beat Britain at its own economic game it's as Pablo Picasso probably didn't say quote good artists copy great artists steal clothes probably incorrect quote Alex wants to steal but many congressmen don't get this and worried the alex is trying to make america subservient to britain okay so those are the big picture misunderstandings others have problems with the specifics this is where the relationship between Alexander and his old constitution-making buddy James Madison's start to fracture James hates the idea of the government's debts much of which exists in io u--'s written during or after the war being paid in full to whomever currently holds them this is because many of those holding these IOUs are speculators who bought them for pennies on the dollar from patriots and soldiers who needed vast cash around the end of the war we saw this at the end of episode 14 remember watching speculators pocket a windfall while veterans get nothing sickens James during the February 1790 debates on the financial plan James says and I quote there must be something wrong radically and morally and politically wrong in a system that transfers the reward from those who paid the most valuable of all considerations to those who scarcely paid any consideration at all close quote to fix this James suggests discrimination that doesn't mean what you think buy discrimination James means the original IOU holders like the Continental soldiers will still get some of the payment at the speculators expense it's a great idea but impossible to execute so it gets defeated and as this debate rages Alex feels completely blindsided by his once Federalist Papers collaborator this is the beginning of the end of their friendship regional fractures are spraying across Congress too because James isn't the only southern opponent of Alexander's financial policies see the north and the south have distinct economies that are only becoming more different every day for now just keep in mind that the north while still mostly agrarian is more urban than the south which is super agrarian like almost exclusively so with these distinctions southern congressmen believe that many of the speculators who bought government securities were northerners who swindled unsuspecting Patriots southerners it's not true but they believe it and they don't trust Alex's plan but it's federal assumption of state debts that faces the greatest opposition see states that have already paid their debts like Virginia think assumption is unfair since their tax dollars would essentially go towards paying off another state's debt like that of indebted Massachusetts or New York and like James's discrimination idea it's becoming a north/south
issue after the initial vote in April 1790 it looks like assumption isn't going to make it through the house Alexander is freaking out as he puts it quote credit is an entire thing wound one limb and the whole tree shrinks and decays he's got to find a way to get Assumption through Congress he needs leverage to win over these southerners and he finds something the United States permanent capital way back at the Constitutional Convention the delegates decided to create a federal district for the new nation's capital in a location to be determined currently New York Philadelphia and somewhere along the Potomac River are contenders southerners want the capital to move south so to the Potomac because they fear a northern capital will favor urban mercantile interests at the expense of their agrarian ways Alexander is pro New York no surprise there but he's willing to deal it's time to bring Thomas Jefferson back into the story according to the late to the game Virginian and Secretary of State he finds a haggard and dejected Alexander leaving the president's home one calm summer evening in 1790 our beleaguered treasurer paces back and forth talking for nearly half an hour about his fear that the assumption bill is almost surely dead and how that could lead to northern states secession and kill the Union Alexander begs Thomas to use his influence with the Virginian congressman to move the assumption bill forward ever the capable politician Tom suggests he could host a dinner party to bring Alexander and James Madison to the table literally and see if they can't come to some kind of arrangement so Thomas invites Alexander James and a few other senators to dine at his New York home on Maiden Lane this dinner that will forever change America happens On June 20th now the details are non-existent here because that's how secretive behind closed doors deals work but knowing Tom there's probably eight varieties of wine being served that's his usual thing and given that he brought 288 bottles back from France last year I'll bet his guests are in bidding a bit of it perhaps a Pinot Noir from burgundy but then again Tom would know his fellow Americans don't have his French tastes so I'm sure the well mannered southerner has some madera on hand too the meal itself is undoubtedly scrumptious I'll guess it's a French cuisine after all what was the point in having his slave James Hemings trained as a chef in France if not to prepare for such delectable dishes here and mr. Hemmings is with town in New York so I'm sure he's cooking this evening perhaps a beautiful woman with long dark hair moves between the kitchen and the dining room as she serves the guests if so that's Sally but we don't know for sure amid the undoubtedly witty banter and flowing wine Alexander and James Madison finalized an agreement likely well in the works before tonight Alex will get his Assumption bill and the South will get the nation's capital today we call this city Washington DC James and Alexander stay true to their word within a few weeks the resident Act passes making Philadelphia the temporary capital while a permanent site is built on Potomac River then on July 26th the house narrowly passes the Assumption Bill James Madison doesn't vote for it but he makes sure four other congressmen from Virginia and Maryland do Wow how house of cards is that joking aside Alex James or Little Jimmy gotta love that nickname and Tom just made some important compromises to move the country forward George Washington is proud of them as he should be it really is a shame they're going to split into two camps Alex versus Tom and Little Jimmy and savagely try to destroy each other see despite this deal Alexander and Thomas are coming to hate each other to loathe each other it's almost like the Supreme architect made them to fight they only have two things in common one both men are alphas who can't stand being wrong and to both see George Washington as a replacement father that they aren't willing to share with the other so even where they do have commonalities they're in competition otherwise they are as different as night and day Alexander sees things linearly Thomas is a circuitous philosopher alex is a doer tom is a dreamer alex is a war hero Tom didn't fight Alex is an immigrant and northerner Tom's an old blood southerner alex dresses sharp tom can be so sloppy even his fans think he should dial back the absent-minded professor look the good thing is their differences have enabled them to do very different but important things for America Tom's philosophical mind gave us the lofty ideals of the Declaration of Independence while Alexander's logical mind produced most of the Federalist Papers and is now trying to fix the economy but they can't even grasp each others worlds as they conjure up mutually exclusive visions of America's future Alexander foresees a strong federal government with an intellectual elite at its helm Thomas dreams of a simplistic Republic of virtuous farmers and as their disagreement grows into a full-scale battle James Madison who can't wrap his head around Alex's financial plans bails on his old constitution defending friend to cozy up with his fellow Virginian Tom oh and on that note James is about to blow a gasket over the next part of Alexander's financial plan creating a National Bank it's now December 1790 we're in America's new capital city Philadelphia where Alexander is asking Congress to create a central bank like most other parts of Alexander's system this Bank is based on a European model but has some unique twists in this case the twist is that Alexander's Bank will be almost entirely privately owned the government will only hold a 1/5 of the bank's capital the government will only choose one-fifth of its directors ooh so the private sector will basically control this thing how will the government have any say well the Treasury secretary will always have access to its books and Congress could always choose to not renew the bank which means the mostly private bank will in the long run do what's in the nation's interests like act as a depository for tax income when the government money and issue paper money backed by hard currency that last ones crucial cash is so scarce in some parts of the country farmers are using tobacco warehouse receipts to barter for supplies alexander hopes that by creating well circulating paper money everyone from farmers to manufacturers will be able to participate in a growing economy again Alex's brilliance is to from many in Congress the bank has two major obstacles first farmers they distrust and rarely understand banks and buy distrust I mean they see banks as the tool of Satan himself farmers and planters at this time are by and large creatures of debt which leads them to think the lenders are trying to cheat them at every turn and with a barter economy still existing in parts of the country like pockets of the agricultural South even intellectual James Madison doesn't get banks to quote would any plain man suppose a bank had anything to do with trade close quote Oh Little Jimmy so again the regional nature of America's economy rears its ugly head as Alexander tries to convince Congress with plenty of Southerners who mistrust banks to vote for a National Bank thankfully he has enough votes in the north and the bank passes but there's another problem with support from Thomas Jefferson James Madison continues to assail the bank presented by his former northerner friend on constitutional grounds he argues that in quote reviewing the Constitution it was not possible to discover in it the power to incorporate a bank close quote the bill lands on George's desk in February 1791 he has ten days to sign or veto it George asks Edmund Randolph for an opinion Edmund gives a poorly reason bs response in which he says the bank probably is in constitutional thanks for nothing Edie George asks Thomas what he thinks and the Secretary of State rips Alexander's bank apart in fact he gets Madison to help him write a memo urging George to veto the bill Thomas insists that the bank is unconstitutional citing the Necessary and Proper Clause in article one section eight Tom defines necessary as indispensable and while he doesn't put this in his memo Thomas as an agrarian southerner thinks banks are truly abhorrent institutions created to swindle the poor chain farmers to their credit lines and create a greedy anti-republican society this is probably as good a point as any to point out the worldview of eighteenth-century Southerners Tom like many other southerners sees the South as virtuous I know what you might be thinking but they enslave people yes they do and I'm not defending that we're just trying to understand their view they see themselves as honest farmers in fact the immoral ones in the southern mind are those northerners who pursue filthy lucre through banks and business not honest farm work I'm not asking you to agree I sure as hell don't but we have to understand how they view themselves if we want to understand the past but back to the story George then asks Alexander for his opinion Alexander characteristically spends the next five days riding a fifteen thousand yes thousand word essay in defense of the bank basically he argues that the Constitution contains implied powers so that the government can carry out its necessary business he hands the defense pamphlet to George on Wednesday and that's it game over George is sold on the bank he signs the bill that Friday February 25th 1791 and that's the straw that breaks the camel's back after the bank Thomas is fed up with feeling sidelined he's convinced that Alexander has George wrapped around his corrupt little banking finger Thomas Jefferson and James Madison are organizing an opposition party yes we have the roots of our first political parties now forming and while James and Alexander have been on the outs for a long time this National Bank just crushed any hope of reconciliation created by that dinner deal it's a damn shame their friendship had so much promise they could have had a great cup name like Madeline or Hamilton but no the National Bank puts the kibosh on all that up to this point Tom and James have only opposed the president's Hamiltonian policies but now they're getting personal and they're doing so through the press in October 1791 Thomas and James hire a satirical writer and friend of James Philip Freneau to attack George and Alex in the National Gazette Thomas puts Philip on the state department's payroll as a translator the audacity of Thomas and James is incredible putting in an opposition newspaper editor in a government position with a government stipend would be grounds for immediate resignation today and in fact Alex calls on Tom to resign over this but Thomas doesn't do it in fact he doesn't see this as disloyal or dishonorable he thinks he is being loyal to the greater American ideals of the revolution by opposing programs and practices with which he disagrees so how does Alexander respond well it's not like he's a stranger to knocking people through newspapers he's an old pro in fact unlike Tom Alex doesn't need someone to do his dirty work he responds in kind through The Gazette of the United States by the summer of 1792 everyone's under attack Thomas James and Alexander are all using newspapers to attack one another and George is taking hits from opposition newspapers they write under thinly veiled pseudonyms so that they can claim deniability but the readers understand exactly who is attacking whom I know real mature founding fathers hey would you care for a taste of it in August Alex goes for the jugular and a knock against Thomas check this out I quote is it possible that mr. Jefferson the head of a principle Department of the government can be the patron of a paper the evident object of which is to decry the government and its measures if he disapproves of the leading measures could he reconcile it with the principles of delicacy and propriety - can in you to hold a place in that administration and at the same time be instrumental in vilifying measures which have been adopted by majorities of both branches of the legislature and sanctioned by the chief magistrate of the Union did you follow all of this Tom and Alex are both founding fathers serving in the same presidential cabinet no less I told you when we started this episode they were going to make cage fighting look like a walk in the park I think we just lived not to that George has to step in before his cabinet members rip each other to shreds in August he writes to Alexander and Thomas and begs them to stop making these irritating charges against each other - Thomas George adds and I quote I have a great a sincere esteem and regard for you both close quote but these two accomplished founders just can't see the good in each other the stress of George's first term nearly does him in he's ready to step down as the still fighting like jealous kids Alexander and Thomas plead with their surrogate father to stay in for one more term the nation still fragile with regional infighting and foreign intrigues threatening at every turn Tom implores quote north and south will hang together if they have you to hang on close quote meanwhile Alexander appeals to George's ego to quote him your declining the office would be deplored as the greatest evil that could befall the country at the present juncture and is critically hazardous to your own reputation close quote George has survived deadly diseases ambushes insubordination Valley Forge and charging straight into enemy fire he's never flagged when his country calls will it really be the bickering of two other founding fathers that breaks him join me in two weeks where I'd like to tell you a story [Music] you
