Seriously, the weird veneration we have for the founders is very bizarre mainly because once they got in power, they largely acted like any other ruler.
I don't think their intent was ever to act unlike a government. But then again who can really divine intent? All we can do is live by laws.
But even a self-limiting government has to play politics internationally, and that requires a specific set of tools. I don't see anything here that trips alarms to me.
Their practical actions clarified and tempered their espoused dogma. Wise individuals are frequently misunderstood thanks to the ambiguity of language, and listeners reasonably prefer assumption over nuance.
