Potus Geeks Book Review: Making the Presidency by Lindsay Chervinsky
In recent years, historical assessment of John Adams and of his presidency has resulted in an increased appreciation of the second President of the United States and of his place in history, beginning with David McCullough's epic biography of Adams (which was made into an HBO mini-series) and continuing right up this year's wonderful offering entitled Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents that Forged the Republic. Its author, Lindsay Chervinsky, is the Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library. In this well-written volume, she examines the many challenges that Adams faced in his Presidency, as he attempted to fill the very large shoes left by his predecessor, while saddled with a cabinet composed of those who had a different agenda than their President, and who took every opportunity to sabotage many of their President's initiatives.
As Chervinsky notes, for many years Adams was portrayed by many old school historians as a prickly contrarian who failed to win re-election because he couldn't get along with anyone. This was an image cultivated by those who were adoring fans of Thomas Jefferson, oblivious to the many questionable aspects of Jefferson's behavior. This is not the John Adams that Chervinsky describes, nor the one that emerges from Adams' correspondence and that of his friends as well as his enemies. The author demonstrates how Adams bucked a powerful faction of his party known as the "Essex Junto," a faction loyal to former cabinet member Alexander Hamilton. Adams inherited the remnants of Washington's last cabinet and was reluctant to fire any of them for fear of appearing disrespectful of his venerated predecessor. These men would prove to be the biggest obstacle to Adams' successes as President.
Adams desperately wanted to maintain a position of neutrality for his nation, and to avoid war with France through diplomacy. His efforts were met with constant interference by members of the Junto, especially from his Secretary of State Timothy Pickering, whose first loyalty was to Hamilton's agenda, one which longed for a militarized nation and a war with France, with Hamilton leading the army. The underhanded and unscrupulous actions of Pickering and others in the cabinet in disobeying or stalling their instructions, plotting behind Adams' back, revealing confidential government information to those not entitled to it, and outright insubordination, all severely hamstrung Adams from following his charted course for the nation, one in which national unity and safety were valued above petty and selfish politics. Chervinsky also demonstrates, through correspondence and other records, how Adams was not the petulant and uncompromising curmudgeon that he is often made out to be, and how a closer look at his record discloses a man of strong principles and fealty to his nation and its constitution and to the rule of law.
Chervinsky offers a fresh perspective of the most underappreciated of the founding fathers, while acknowledging that the man was not perfect. She addresses the contentious issue of the Alien and Sedition Acts, addressing the puzzling question of why Adams signed the legislation in the first place, as well as looking at his pardoning some of the legislation's most prominent offenders. She offers a fascinating look into a pivotal time in the nation's history, the first peaceful transition of power from a defeated administration to its victor, as well as at the many other unique challenges faced by Adams that required thoughtful precedents to be set.
As the author notes, many of the challenging issues faced by Adams, and the precedents he set in addressing them, provide lessons that are as relevant today as they were in Adams' time. For this reason, this book is more than a lesson in history. It offers a greater understanding of why these lessons should not be forgotten.