it now became the duty of the new republic to seek out the man to preside over it, and george washington seems to have had no rivals. he rather reluctantly left his home at mount vernon, where he was engaged in trying the rotation of crops, and solemnly took the oath to support the constitution of the united states, which had been adopted september 17, 1787. his trip in april, 1789, from mount vernon to the seat of government in new york was a simple but beautiful ovation.