Tobias Lear’s Dubious Dealings

In The Hesperus Prophecy, George Washington and Hesperus discuss the Clypeate’s future. As recorded in Washington’s secret journal, Hesperus recommends Tobias Lear as the future commander of the Clypeate:

I see a path forward with Master Tobias Lear, despite his spotty past he harbors a goodness within that will serve him well.

Hesperus is likely referring to Tobias Lear’s dubious dealings, both past and present. Some instances are less consequential, for instance, Lear’s military title. During John Adams’ presidency, there was the threat of war with France. Tobias Lear was given the title of colonel, and despite the war never happening, he used the military title the rest of his life.

Other examples are serious, like when Tobias stole money from George Washington. Lear began working for George Washington after the Revolutionary War, as his personal secretary. They became good friends, but when Lear had financial troubles, he stole rental money he collected from Washington’s properties. An enraged Washington wrote:

I have not the slightest doubt of my being credited for every farthing you receive on my [account]; but that does not remedy the evil. [It] would be uncandid and inconsistent with the frankness of friendship, no to declare that I have not approved, no cannot approve, of having my money received and applied to uses not my own, without my consent.

Due to their close friendship, Washington forgave Lear.

While Tobias Lear continued his dubious dealings, some were done out of loyalty to George Washington, like when he destroyed Washington and Jefferson’s correspondences arguing the appropriate balance of federal and state power. Washington felt the United States needed a strong federal government, and Jefferson wanted strong states with limited federal power, but the letters likely made both men sound less-than-presidential. Tobias Lear wrote:

I had suppressed certain papers belonging to the late General Washington, and [were] in my charge for some time after his decease, particularly some of the Generals’ Diaries.

Although Lear likely destroyed multiple letters to protect Washington’s and Jefferson’s reputations, he was accused of theft. Lear’s detractors fought a vicious media campaign against him, hoping to politically destroy him. An appreciative President Jefferson got Lear away from the controversy by sending him overseas, first as an envoy to Saint-Domingue, then as a peace envoy to North Africa during the Barbary Wars of the early 1800s.

Even overseas, scandal followed Lear. What should have been a major political win for Lear, negotiating a treaty ending the Barbary War, turned into another dubious deal when he unofficially gave the North African nations four years to comply. This demolished his reputation in the United States. His political party disowned him, and with his future political career limited, he instead focused on his position as Clypeate Commander.