Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of I Heart Radio. Hey brain Stuff, Lauren vog Obam here with a classic episode from our archives. When the founders of the United States created our government, one thing they did was put in place measures to prevent a monarchy from developing. But some contemporary people did suggest that George Washington, our first president, take on the role of king instead. Here's how it all went down, Hey brain Stuff, Lauren vog obam Here.
There's a popular yarn among American history enthusiasts that George Washington, in the waning months of the Revolutionary War, was offered the crown of the fledgling nation by a group of American military officers fed up with an ineffective Congress. Historians even have washington strongly worded rejection letter to prove it, but a closer reading of original historical documents tells a
different story. In this version, the widespread frustration of army officers gets mixed up with the pro monarchy day dreams of one foolhardy Colonel Washington still comes out of hero, but he was never really close to being a king. Let's set the scene. The British suffered a decisive defeat at Yorktown to American and French forces in seventeen eighty one, resulting in the capture of seven thousand British troops and
their leader, General Charles Cornwallis. The end of the war was finally near, but the beleaguer in American Army, under the command of Washington was still considered on duty until the Treaty of Paris was signed in seventeen eighty three. Back in those preconstitution days, the Articles of Confederation handed most power to the States, not the federal government. Congress had no power to tax, for example, which was a problem when it came to paying and equipping the army.
Congress had to constantly request military funding from the States, which were often slow to pay up, if at all. With peace, nearly one the army feared that Congress was going to stiff them on back pay. The officer corps were especially worried about their pensions, which they were romist would secure them financially for the rest of their lives. Could they trust Congress to keep its word an exact
payment from the states. Among those army officers sweating over their pension in seventeen eighty two was Colonel Louis Nicola, a sixty five year old Irish born military veteran who lent significant expertise to Washington's forces during the war. Nicola and Washington corresponded frequently, usually about Nicola's duties as a commander of the Invalid Corps, a garrison of injured soldiers
who were still fit enough to serve. But Nicola's letter to Washington on May seventeen, eight two was something completely different. In this now infamous missive, Nicola opened with a reminder of what would be at stake if the military wasn't properly compensated, namely the threat of open mutiny. Nicola wrote, God forbid we should ever think of involving that country we have, under your conduct and auspices, rescued from oppression into a new scene of blood and confusion. But it
cannot be expected. We should forego claims on which our future subsistence and that of families depend. Then Nicola moved on to what he called his scheme. He admitted to Washington that he wasn't a quote, a violent admirer of a republican form of government, preferring instead a mixed form of government with elected representatives ruled by a benevolent monarch, and who better for such a leading role than Washington himself.
Nicola wrote, some people have so connected the ideas of tyranny and monarchy as to find it very difficult to separate them. It may therefore be requisite to give the head of such a constitution, as I propose, some title apparently more moderate. But if all things were once suggested, I believe strong arguments might be produced for admitting the title of king, which I conceive would be attended with some material advantages. Washington's response, dated the very same day,
was withering. He wrote, be assured, sir, no occurrence in the course of the war has given me more painful sensations than your information of there being such ideas existing in the army as you have expressed, and I must view with a horrens and reprehend with severity. I am much at a loss to conceive what part of my conduct could have given encouragement to an address which seems to me big with the greatest mischiefs that can befall
my country. If I am not deceived in the knowledge of myself, you could not have found a person to whom your schemes are more disagreeable. Washington's rejection of an American monarchy was absolute, but was a single letter from a presumptuous colonel, the equivalent of being offered the crown, as many believe. We spoke with Denver Brunsman, a history professor at George Washington University and scholar of the Revolutionary
War and of Washington. He thinks it would be an exaggeration to say that Washington was ever seriously offered the title of king. He said, Niccolo was not someone who was in the position to do that, and I don't think he was part of any real large movement. That doesn't mean there weren't people who had those sentiments, and I think Niccolo was representative of that. There were other individuals in the officer Corps who were extremely frustrated with
Congress and any hope for a possible solution. Brunsman continued, what's most important is Washington's reaction to even the notion of being king. She shuts down any possibility. I think that's impressive and shows why Washington was able to garner the trust of the American people. Today's episode was written by Dave Ruse and produced by Tristan McNeil and Tyler Clang. For more in listen lots of other topics, visit how stuffworks dot com. Brain Stuff is production of iHeart Radio
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