This Day in History: February 4, 1789
Before looking at this day in history, February 4, 1789, it will behoove us to step back to January 7, 1789 to fully understand the significance of the two dates. On January 7, 1789, the first
U.S. presidential election was held – so to speak. While generally considered to be the date of the first election,
January 7 was actually the deadline established for the original states to
elect their electors. Those electors then cast their vote in February as
part of the
Electoral College.
1789 Election Results
| Candidate | | Party | | Electoral Votes | |
|
| George Washington | | Federalist | | 69 | | |
| Others | | Independent | | 35 | | |
| John Adams | | Federalist | | 34 | |
In this election, the enormously popular Washington essentially ran unopposed.
George Washington overwhelmingly won that first election and was inaugurated in April 1789 along with
John Adams as Vice-President. This was not the ultimate goal of Washington at the time. In the wake of America winning her independence, as well as overseeing the formation of a solid government, Washington truly felt like he had done enough. He did throw his hat into the ring at a big convention nor did he endure a lengthy, expensive campaign for the Presidency. It was the people who decided Washington was the man for the job. In fact, no other individual was even considered.
America's first presidential campaign was really its citizens' efforts
to convince Washington to accept the office. Letters poured into Mount
Vernon—from citizens great and small, from former comrades in arms, even
from other shores. Many told Washington that his country needed him
more than ever and that there was no justification for his refusal.
While he warmed slightly to the idea, he still told a friend, "I feel
very much like a man who is condemned to death does when the time of his
execution draws nigh."
Source: American President: A Reference Resource
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