Reference no: EM133258765

For American politics in the 1790s, style was substance. George Washington surrounded the office of the presidency with formality, which became characteristic of Federalist style. Below is a description of President Washington at a formal reception near the end of his presidency by the Massachusetts writer and public official William Sullivan , who at the time was a young lawyer.

More democratic members of the new government, including Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, considered the Federalist style reminiscent of European court society When he became president in 1801, Jefferson introduced a less formal tone for his administration. In 1804, Sir John Augustus Foster took over his duties as Secretary of the British Legation in Washington. He described President Thomas Jefferson's unassuming Democratic Republican style at an official government function.

Description of George Washington

On entering, he [the visitor] saw the tall manly figure of Washington clad in black velvet; his hair in full dress, powdered and gathered behind in a large silk bagyellow gloves on his hands; holding a cocked hat with cockade in it, and the edges adorned with a black feather about an inch deep. He wore knee and shoe buckles; and a long sword, with a finely wrought and polished steel hilt, which appeared at the left hip; the coat worn over the sword, so that the hilt, and the part below the folds of the coat behind, were in view The scabbard was white polished leather .

He stood always in front of the fire-place, with his face towards the door of entrance He received his visitor with a dignified bow, while his hands were so disposed of as to indicate, that the salutation was not to be accompanied with shaking hands. This ceremony never occurred in these visits, even with his most near friends.

Description of Thomas Jefferson

Having mentioned Mr. Jefferson, it may be interesting to the reader to have the following description of his person as he appeared to me on my arrival in the United States in the year 1804. He was a tall man with a very red freckled face and grey neglected hair his manners goodnatured, frank and rather friendly though he had somewhat of a cynical expression of countenance. He wore a blue coat , a thick grey-coloured hairy waistcoat with a red under waistcoat lapped over it, green velveteen breeches with pearl buttons yarn stockings, and slippers down at the heels; his appearance being very much like that of a tall large- boned farmer. He said he washed his feet as often as he did his hands in order to keep off cold, and appeared to think himself unique in so doing.

1. How did the public presentation of Washington and Jefferson differ? How did their images relate to what the two men wanted to accomplish as president of the United States?

2. Why do you think Washington avoided shaking hands with his guests? Why do you think Jefferson felt free to talk about washing his feet?