The Return of George Washington, 1783–1789

The narrative of Washington's road from his resignation as commander in chief of the Continental Army in December of 1783 to his inauguration as president in April of 1789 is told in enough detail that one finds it hard to imagine it will need to be told again. What, for instance, is one to make of a letter to his farm manager (that Larson does not include) in January of 1789 in which Washington writes, "For you will permit me to say, that the choice is as yet very far from being certain; and that should it (contrary to all my wishes) fall upon me, I shall certainly be disposed to decline the acceptance, if it may, by any means be done consistently with the dictates of duty."