>>212843861

Washington very easily could have set himself up as king if he desired. When asked what title the President should be refereed as suggestions such as your honor or your excellency were put forward but Washington felt such titles stunk of monarchy and instead asked to be refereed to as Mr. President a custom we still follow. During the Whiskey Rebellion Washington delayed sending in troops up to the point that the rebels started seizing courthouses and kidnapping officials because he didn't want to be seen as ruling by force. After his second term he voluntarily stepped down setting the custom of two terms for Presidents when he easily could have been President for life if he wanted.

Washington is autocratic only relative to anti federalist idealists like Jefferson who ultimately found themselves forced to embrace more government authority than they wanted simply out of necessity. Compared to the rampant bloated and ever present government we now suffer under Washington's administration is borderline anarchic.