Washington's End

December 15, 2019
A scholar of American history and former presidential speechwriter delves into the last poignant years of the first president and his struggle to define his legacy. Finally leaving the nation's capital of Philadelphia upon his successor's inauguration on March 4, 1797, bound for his beloved Virginia home, Mount Vernon, George Washington did not realize how arduous his retirement was going to prove after eight years as president. He was 65 and healthy, yet the pressures were enormous, as Horn (The Man Who Would Not Be Washington: Robert E. Lee's Civil War and His Decision That Changed American History, 2016) clearly delineates in this welcome new biography of "America's first post-presidency." Mount Vernon was bleeding money and in disarray, requiring countless repairs. Washington was in debt and could not rid himself of his numerous slaves because they belonged to the estate of his wife's first husband. Furthermore, the construction of the new capital, Washington, was proving a headache of epic proportions--as was tension with France, prompting the new president, John Adams, to appoint Washington as commander in chief just when he was hoping to be left alone as a private citizen. In addition to entertaining numerous guests, including "a party of French princes, cousins to the guillotined king," at Mount Vernon, Washington had to deal with his stepson "Wash," who was turning out to be a loafer and miscreant. His dear friend the Marquis de Lafayette was imprisoned in Austria amid the French Revolution, prompting his wife to send the marquis' teenage son to America to live with the former president as a refugee, though the president felt guilty for not being able to publicly shelter the boy sooner. In a readable style that includes an appropriate amount of quoting from primary sources, Horn ably captures the tension of Washington's inner turmoil as he continued to deal with urgent dispatches and unwanted news from the capital. A useful biography that provides an honest reckoning of Washington's life and legacy.

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December 23, 2019
Horn (The Man Who Would Not Be Washington), a former speechwriter for George W. Bush, chronicles George Washington’s post-presidency years in this insightful if somewhat meandering biography. Beginning with the March 1797 transfer of power between Washington and his successor, John Adams, Horn follows the ex-president home to his Mount Vernon estate, where he planned to occupy himself with, in his words, “rural amusements,” but instead was drawn into political squabbles between Republicans and Federalists and rising tensions between the U.S. and France. Asked by Adams to resume command of the armed forces in preparation for a French invasion that never happened, Washington agreed so long as he could select his own general staff. His decision to install Alexander Hamilton as his second-in-command infuriated Adams and led to a string of disputes between the current and former presidents that lasted until Washington’s death in 1799. Quoting extensively from diaries, letters, newspaper accounts, and memoirs, Horn presents an intimate portrait of Washington’s relationships with his wife, Martha; his nieces and nephews; his friend and rumored romantic interest, Sally Fairfax; and his political rivals and supporters. Though general interest readers may be disappointed by the book’s lack of drama, presidential history buffs curious about this neglected chapter of Washington’s life will savor this immersive account.

January 1, 2020

Former White House speechwriter Horn (The Man Who Would Not Be Washington) examines the last two years (1797-1799) of George Washington's life, providing a portrait of a figure who still held political influence upon leaving office. The author is at his best when revealing the political dynamics of the Federalists as well as the Democratic-Republican Party founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in the early 1790s. Bitterness and intrigue developed between political factions, which Washington warned about in his notable 1796 farewell address, and the former president's stance of neutrality towards the French Revolution and the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte only added to the divide. Horn details the politician's efforts to return to private life at Mount Vernon, and considers the role of slavery and Washington's views on the institution. Of note is a fascinating section on how Washington influenced the development of his namesake city: Washington, DC. VERDICT An outstanding biographical work on one of America's most prominent leaders. Highly recommended for those who want to better understand the early republic.--Jacob Sherman, John Peace Lib., Univ. of Texas at San Antonio

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