Of True Republican Character

For George Washington, his home at Mount Vernon was not just a place to live.   The garden there was not just something that would grow food to sustain life or beautify the property for people to adorn.  It was much more than that.  For Washington, Mount Vernon was a trophy or goal.  During the hard times of the war, Washington had his estate manager keep up the property because he said it was “the principal object I have in view during theses troubles.” Even though Washington only saw Mount Vernon one time during the entire eight years of war, he still continued to keep it up.  Mount Vernon served as Washington’s psychological escape from the war.  He even called Mount Vernon his “philosophical retreat.”  Washington knew that if he made it through the war and defeated the British, that he would be able to return to his “trophy” and live a happy life there.  Washington believed that gardens could serve as a therapeutic escape for anyone, and even tried to get his men to create regimental gardens, not only to produce vegetables for rations, but also to comfort the men.

One thing that I thought was particularly interesting from the reading is that Washington wanted his garden to be a kind of All-American garden where British trees were not allowed.  This shows Washington’s hatred towards the British, and also his love for America. 

I thought it was also interesting that at one point Washington changed the orientation of the house at Mount Vernon so that it did not face the east anymore, but now faced the west.  This was an act of turning his back on England, or the Old World, and now facing the New World in the interior of the country. 

Washington was glorified after the war, and even offered the ability to be a dictator.  However, Washington wanted only to return to his garden in retirement.  This idea of not wanting any power was almost unheard of.  This showed the person that Washington truly was, of true republican character.