There is no truth–obviously–that it is only in these modern times that our politics is filled with turmoil and frothiness. (That statement, however, does not not dismiss that never before have we been lower in morals and ethics than we witness with Donald Trump.)
There were deep political factions from the very beginning of our republic which then led to parties. The Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson split shaped a nation. For the record, I am a Hamiltonian with a high regard for a strong central government.
But the reason I post comes from Chapter 48 of Ron Chernow’s Hamilton. President Washington is in his second term but it is noted that the crux of his problem is that the generation of cabinet members was decidedly inferior to the first. There was simply a dearth of qualified people for Washington to consult.
The plague of partisan recriminations had already diminished the incentives of people to serve in government. Washington told Hamilton a woeful tale of trying to replace Edmund Randolph. “What am I to do for Secretary of State?” he asked forlornly, noting that four people has already rejected the post.
A fifth person will also turn down the job and Hamilton will write to Washington “the foul and venomous shafts of calumny” constantly being shot at government officials was the reason why.
It will take seven names before Washington finds Timothy Pickering for the position.
With that pick Washington, (in my opinion) makes the larger correct call and stops pretending that he could straddle the fence of the factions and in so doing aligned himself openly with the Federalists.
Dear reader, if you have made it this far into the post you are like me….interested in history. Please consider the masterpiece of research and writing and pick up Hamilton.
CAFFEINATED POLITICS 