[279]

Cabinet and executive departments
See also: Cabinet of the United States
The Washington cabinetOfficeNameTermPresidentGeorge Washington1789–1797Vice PresidentJohn Adams1789–1797Secretary of StateJohn Jay (acting)1789–1790Thomas Jefferson1790–1793Edmund Randolph1794–1795Timothy Pickering1795–1797Secretary of the TreasuryAlexander Hamilton1789–1795Oliver Wolcott Jr.1795–1797Secretary of WarHenry Knox1789–1794Timothy Pickering1795James McHenry1796–1797Attorney GeneralEdmund Randolph1789–1794William Bradford1794–1795Charles Lee1795–1797
Congress created executive departments in 1789, including the State Department in July, the War Department in August, and the Treasury Department in September. Washington appointed fellow Virginian Edmund Randolph as Attorney General, Samuel Osgood as Postmaster General, Thomas Jefferson as Secretary of State, and Henry Knox as Secretary of War. Finally, he appointed Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury. Washington's cabinet became a consulting and advisory body, not mandated by the Constitution.[280]
Washington's cabinet members formed rival parties with sharply opposing views, most fiercely illustrated between Hamilton and Jefferson.[281] Washington restricted cabinet discussions to topics of his choosing, without participating in the debate. He occasionally requested cabinet opinions in writing and expected department heads to agreeably carry out his decisions.[277]

Domestic issues
Washington was apolitical and opposed the formation of parties, suspecting that conflict would undermine republicanism.