I've always found it odd that some people don't consider tough decisions like those admirable. To me, the point is George Washington was able to make tough decisions---which unarguably harmed many people---in order that the nation succeed in the future.

I think reasoning along the lines of "this decision negatively affects X group in an immediately unjust way, therefore it shouldn't be done" is naïve and conceited. People who use this type of reasoning are either knowingly playing the "I'm more moral than you" card and incidentally causing a net worse situation in the future, or they are just naïve and don't understand that local immorality can lead to net positives in the future.