According to Ron Chernow’s “Washington : A Life” (p 791)
"One day in February 1799 Senator Theodore Sedgwick, a convinced Federalist happened to ask Adams whether Washington would carry the title General in the new army. The mere question kindled an explosive retort from the president. "What, are you going to appoint him general over the president?. Adams sputtered, his voice throbbing g: “I have not been so blind but I have seen a combined effect among those who call themselves the friends the friends of government to annihilate the essential powers given by the president. The relationship between the first and second presidents never improved”.
According to everything I had previously read, George Washington accepted the commission of Lieutenant General, Commander-in-Chief of the new United States Army. I had read also that it was not a demotion as such because the rank of Lt. General had never been formally awarded to anyone in the Continental Army. My question is whether Adams awarded Washington the rank of Lt. General son that he wouldn’t outrank Adams as president. That is what the above excerpt sounds like to me. Have I misread it?
"One day in February 1799 Senator Theodore Sedgwick, a convinced Federalist happened to ask Adams whether Washington would carry the title General in the new army. The mere question kindled an explosive retort from the president. "What, are you going to appoint him general over the president?. Adams sputtered, his voice throbbing “I have not been so blind but I have seen a combined effect among those who call themselves the friends the of government to annihilate the essential powers given by the president. The relationship between the first and second presidents never improved”.
This seems strange given that the Constitution (II:2) explicitly says, " The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States…"
Washington and Adams were never close friends, and Adams always felt the disadvantage of having to follow Washington as President. It shouldn’t be surprising that the specter of Washington coming out of retirement to lead the army again would have inspired jealousy on the part of Adams; he had the legal authority as President but did not inspire the same public adulation. Washington was a glamorous war leader, while Adams was a shlumpy citified lawyer.
Yep. Adams wrote: " “The History of our Revolution will be one continued Lye from one End to the other. The Essence of the whole will be that Dr Franklins electrical Rod, Smote the Earth and out Spring General Washington. That Franklin electrified him with his Rod—and thence forward these two conducted all the Policy Negotiations Legislation and War.” - John Adams, Letter to Benjamin Rush, 4 April 1790 " which gives some indication of how Adams felt about his reputation as compared to Washington (and Franklin). Fans of “1776” will recognize the above as having inspired lines in the play/movie.
Thanks Tom Tildrum, but the heart of my question is whether the rank of Lt. General and Commander-in-Chief was the highest rank Washington could have been given legally/under the Constitution or was given to him because Adams would have otherwise felt outranked? Ron Chernow’s book is the only one where I have read the above quotes remark. I didn’t come across it in David McCollough’s biography of Adams.
The founding fathers were paranoid about the danger of a standing army, and I don’t think anyone would have thought that a military commander could have been legally appointed to powers that outranked the president. Adams is just complaining about the public-relations aspect of having the rock-star former president seem to outrank him and erode Adams’ presidential authority, because of Washington’s reputation and how good he looked on a horse.
Giving Washington the qualified title of Lt. General was an internally diplomatic gesture, I think. He was still the top military commander and did not answer to anyone except the elected government.
It wasn’t until 1976 that he was promoted to “6 Star” or General of the Armies of the united States by Congress. There was talk of his promotion to 5 Star when the rank was introduced in WWII but I find no indication it happened.