MARTHA WASHINGTON

Martha Washington herself endured the winter hardships of Valley Forge with the troops whose morale was much uplifted by her presence. The Tom Cat howled at night attracting females waking her and others. She gave the name as Alexander Hamilton was one of her husband’s key aids and attractive women were constantly visiting him in the camp. He had always had a very active romantic life. There is no record of whether he thought the appellation humorous or was insulted by it.

By the end of George Washington’s Second term, he and Thomas Jefferson, his Secretary of State, were at odds. Jefferson became concerned at the Federalist policies and directions and their pro British and anti French tilt and became a leader of the attack on the Federalists after John Adams assumed the Presidency. Since Washington was the leading Federalist of his time, Mrs. Washington felt that Jefferson’s attacks on the Federalists were insulting to her husband. Washington had died in 1799, and Adams and the Federalist Party was on their last legs. When Jefferson came to give his condolences, he was on the verge of destroying Washington’s party, and Martha Washington believed that Jefferson had written some material that had attacked her husband’s policy. While Jefferson never attacked Washington by name—no one did—Mrs. Washington felt that there was too much innuendo and implied criticism from Jefferson’s strong attack on the Federalists. In the final analysis, when Jefferson won the presidency, the Federalists were so badly trounced, the party died and most of the nation agreed with Jefferson.

By the end of George Washington’s Second term, he and Thomas Jefferson, his Secretary of State, were at odds. Jefferson became concerned at the Federalist policies and directions and their pro British and anti French tilt and became a leader of the attack on the Federalists after John Adams assumed the Presidency. Since Washington was the leading Federalist of his time, Mrs. Washington felt that Jefferson’s attacks on the Federalists were insulting to her husband. Washington had died in 1799, and Adams and the Federalist Party was on their last legs. When Jefferson came to give his condolences, he was on the verge of destroying Washington’s party, and Martha Washington believed that Jefferson had written some material that had attacked her husband’s policy. While Jefferson never attacked Washington by name—no one did—Mrs. Washington felt that there was too much innuendo and implied criticism from Jefferson’s strong attack on the Federalists. In the final analysis, when Jefferson won the presidency, the Federalists were so badly trounced, the party died and most of the nation agreed with Jefferson.

Martha Washington herself endured the winter hardships of Valley Forge with the troops whose morale was much uplifted by her presence. The Tom Cat howled at night attracting females waking her and others. She gave the name as Alexander Hamilton was one of her husband’s key aids and attractive women were constantly visiting him in the camp. He had always had a very active romantic life. There is no record of whether he thought the appellation humorous or was insulted by it.