Today in History

February 4, 1789

George Washington Elected President

There were giants in those days. The Electoral College unanimously elected Washington, the only time a president has received 100% of the vote, in 1789 with John Adams elected as his vice president. He was not a member of a political party. Washington took office on April 30, 1789, and at first declined and then eventually accepted a salary of $25,000 annually, a very large sum of money for the time. He was elected to a second term, again unanimously, but refused to stand for a third term. In his farewell speech, he argued that America should, to the extent possible, remain free of foreign involvement and warned against partisanship in domestic politics, calling on men to act for the common good. Washington passed away in 1799. Speaking at the funeral, Henry Lee said that of all Americans, he was "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."

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