Title: George Washington’s Farewell Address
Author: George Washington
Date of Origin: 19 September 1796
Link: https://context.montpelier.org/document/715#passage-2
Document Excerpt:
[1]Why forego the advantages of so peculiar a situation? [2]Why quit our own to stand upon foreign ground? [3]Why, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European Ambition, Rivalship, Interest, Humour or Caprice?
[4]‘Tis our true policy to steer clear of permanent Alliances, with any portion of the foreign World–So far, I mean, as we are now at liberty to do it–[5]for let me not be understood as capable of patronising infidility to existing engagements, [6](I hold the maxim no less applicable to public than to private affairs, that honesty is always the best policy)–[7]I repeat it therefore, Let those engagements. be observed in their genuine sense. [8]But in my opinion, it is unnecessary and would be unwise to extend them.
[9]Taking care always to keep ourselves, by suitable establishments, on a respectably defensive posture, we may safely trust to temporary alliances for extraordinary emergencies.
[10]Harmony, liberal intercourse with all Nations, are recommended by policy, humanity and interest. [11]But even our Commercial policy should hold an equal and impartial hand: neither seeking nor granting exclusive favours or preferences; consulting the natural course of things; [12]diffusing & deversifying by gentle means the streams of Commerce, but forcing nothing; establishing with Powers so disposed–in order to give to trade a stable course, [13]to define the rights of our Merchants, and to enable the Government to support them–conventional rules of intercourse; [14]the best that present circumstances and mutual opinion will permit, but temporary, & liable to be from time to time abandoned or varied, as experience and circumstances shall dictate; [15]constantly keeping in view, that ’tis folly in one Nation to look for disinterested favors from another–[16]that it must pay with a portion of its Independence for whatever it may accept under that character–[17]that by such acceptance, it may place itself in the condition of having given equivalents for nominal favours and yet of being reproached with ingratitude for not giving more. [18]There can be no greater error than to expect, or calculate upon real favours from Nation to Nation. [19]‘Tis an illusion which experience must cure, which a just pride ought to discard.
[20]In offering to you, my Countrymen, these counsels of an old and affectionate friend, I dare not hope they will make the strong and lasting impression, [21]I could wish–that they will controul the usual current of the passions, or prevent our Nation from running the course which has hitherto marked the Destiny of Nations: [22]But if I may even flatter myself, that they may be productive of some partial benefit, some occasional good; [23]that they may now & then recur to moderate the fury of party spirit, to warn against the mischiefs of foreign Intriegue, to guard against the Impostures of pretended patriotism–[24]this hope will be a full recompence for the solicitude for your welfare, by which they have been dictated.
[25]How far in the discharge of my Official duties, I have been guided by the principles which have been delineated, [26]the public Records and other evidences of my conduct must witness to You and to the world. [27]To myself, the assurance of my own conscience is, that I have at least believed myself to be guided by them.
[28]In relation to the still subsisting War in Europe, my Proclamation of the 22d of April 1793 is the index to my Plan. [29]Sanctioned by your approving voice and by that of Your Representatives in both Houses of Congress, [30]the spirit of that measure has continually governed me; uninfluenced by any attempts to deter or divert me from it.
Works Cited
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Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “Monroe Doctrine.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 18 Dec. 2017, www.britannica.com/event/Monroe-Doctrine.
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Erb, Kelly Phillips. “How Former President Washington Dealt With The First Real Tax Crisis In America.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 15 Feb. 2016, www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphillipserb/2016/02/15/how-former-president-washington-dealt-with-the-first-real-tax-crisis-in-america/#2034094d2943.
Freeman, Joanne B. “Challenges George Washington Faced as America’s First President.” George Washington’s Mount Vernon, www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/the-first-president/5-challenges-of-being-americas-first-president/.
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“George Washington’s Farewell Address.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 13 June 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington%27s_Farewell_Address.
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“Hamilton’s Financial Plan.” Ushistory.org, Independence Hall Association, 2018, www.ushistory.org/us/18b.asp.
Hostetler, Michael J. “Washington’s Farewell Address: Distance as Bane and Blessing.” Rhetoric & Public Affairs, vol. 5 no. 3, 2002, pp. 393-407. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/rap.2002.0048
Jamison, Denis. “George Washington’s Views on Political Parties in America.” The Washington Times, The Washington Times, 31 Dec. 2014, www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/31/george-washingtons-views-political-parties-america/.
Kober, Stanley. “NATO: The End of the Permanent Alliance.” Global Dialogue, vol. 11, 2009, pp. 74-81. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/docview/211513616?accountid=11107.
Malanson, Jeffrey J. “”if I had it in His Hand-Writing I would Burn it”: Federalists and the Authorship Controversy Over George Washington’s Farewell Address, 1808-1859.” Journal of the Early Republic, vol. 34, no. 2, 2014, pp. 219-242. ProQuest, http://prx.library.gatech.edu/login?url=https://search-proquest-com.prx.library.gatech.edu/docview/1523929489?accountid=11107.
Richardson, J.D. “FAREWELL ADDRESS (1796).” About the USA > Arts > Music, usa.usembassy.de/etexts/democrac/49.htm.
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“Washington’s Farewell Address, 1796.” U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State, 2017, history.state.gov/milestones/1784-1800/washington-farewell.
[1] Washington begins this section with several rhetorical questions. Scholars believe that Washington had a very complex rhetorical style. Generally, he starts with inspirational connotation. Here he uses words such “advantageous.” Near the end of his rhetorical statements, Washington expresses his main point. Here his main point is to avoid political relationships with Europe.
[2] Washington lists several rhetorical questions at the beginning of this section. He wants the citizens of America to consider the benefits (if any) of war with other countries. This statement is the beginning of Washington’s argument for American Isolationism. A policy that continued for more than one hundred and fifty years.
[3] Due to the constant war between European powers especially England and France, Washington wanted to avoid alliances specially with Europe. He believed that foreign nations would have their own agendas and, therefore, could not be trusted. This meant that the previous alliance with France had to be dissolved.
[4] In 1997, the post-Cold War United States Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, admitted that the United States was part of a permanent alliance with the other countries of NATO. This goes directly against Washington’s wish despite his realization that the United States now has the ability to choose its allies.
[5] Here Washington would like to dissolve political connections with foreign nations and promote a period of American Isolationism—a policy later adopted by Federalists. Legislation such as the Treaty of Mortefontaine ended the alliance established in the 1778 Treaty of Alliance with France. However, economic trading with France and other European countries still continued.
[6] Washington agreed to a second term in office despite his desire to retire. However, after the second term he wanted to return to private life back at Mt. Vernon due to the continued stress of public life. Here he hopes that the principles that guide his personal life can also guide the nation.
[7] The alliance between the U.S. and France determined by the Treaty of Alliance in 1778 continued until 1800. This alliance was still in place during the Quasi-war, an incident between the United States and France where France began to commandeer U.S. trading ships. This event, however, took place during the Adams administration, which Washington had no control over.
[8] Washington agreed that previous alliances such as with France should be upheld until they expire. However, these alliances should not be renewed upon expiration. The Convention of 1800 did lead to the dissolution of the alliance between the U.S. and France. Additionally, the U.S. followed this isolationist policy for over a century.
[9] Washington once again points towards the importance of isolationism. This policy would be pursued by James Monroe, who despite being an anti-Federalist put into place the Monroe Doctrine. The Monroe Doctrine had five major points, which declared the western hemisphere separate from the east and closed to any colonization of existing civilizations.
[10] As Treasury Secretary, established writer, and personal advisor to Washington, Alexander Hamilton is thought to have written and revised large portions of Washington’s Farewell Address. As Treasury Secretary, there is a good chance that he assisted with clauses in the farewell address that dealt with economic policy. Federalists desperately tried to prevent the public from knowing Hamilton’s influence on this document in order to make the document seem like universal policy.
[11] Washington believed in free trade with all nations without any barriers to entry. This includes limited but equal tariffs with all other nations and no trade embargos. These policies differed from that of the anti-Federalists including the Jefferson administration, which heavily favored domestic farming and limited manufacturing to support the United States economy.
[12] Compared to the Jefferson Administration, the Washington Administration believed in establishing a diversified economy capable of competing with other nations. This policy, however, led to foreign competition, which Jefferson saw as a threat to domestic enterprise. Jefferson, however, did remove certain taxes such as the tax on whiskey, which he believed contradicted the beliefs that led to the Revolutionary War.
[13] Washington and many of the founding fathers believed in a strongly capitalist economy with no intervention from the federal government. This was in large part due to the strongly economically centralized governments of Europe. Washington and other founding fathers believed that merchants could help the U.S. economy without taxation from the federal government.
[14] Hamilton is credited with editing and writing portions of Washington’s Farewell Address. As Treasury Secretary, Hamilton put in place policies to pay back money the government borrowed during the Revolutionary War as credit. For example, he put in place a government bond system to pay back creditors despite the value of their credit becoming useless after the war. His willingness to pay back bonds at full value helped garner trust between the people and the federal government.
[15] While Washington was against choosing favorites when it came to building economic or political alliances with other countries, he was completely comfortable in choosing his domestic political allies. For example, he clearly favored Alexander Hamilton over Thomas Jefferson. However, this preference would become one of the reasons why Federalists built their principles based on Washington’s texts.
[16] Washington believes that unfair economic favors relate to a countries independence. Specially, he believes that a country that provides unfair economic favors with one country over another trades their freedom because that country would no longer be neutral in future conflicts. This statement summarizes Washington’s view of free global trade.
[17]Here Washington believes that providing unfair advantages to countries would make the United States look untrustworthy. Other countries would seek constant favors from the United States seeing their trading alliance as a political alliance. Additionally, Washington believes this would make the United States an easy target for enemies of their trading partners.
[18] Among his top advisors, Washington chose Hamilton to be Treasury Secretary first because the two of them agreed on many policies. Other advisors were Henry Knox, who was chosen as Secretary of War and Thomas Jefferson chosen as Secretary of State. Henry Knox was chosen exactly one day after Alexander Hamilton.
[19] After the Revolutionary War, plays were created across the country that reenacted the events of the War and development of the Constitution. The Founding Fathers were not amused by the plays because they believed the plays would misrepresent the meaning of independence. They wanted the nation to slowly build itself up on the world stage through experience.
[20] Washington faced many challenges as the first president of the United States. Most importantly, he had to establish presidential authority. Many of the precedents that he set for the Executive Branch have endured the test of time and have helped maintain a balance of power between the three branches of government.
[21] Washington begins his list of hopes and wishes for the nation. Washington could not imagine the United States as a world superpower; therefore, he believed any foreign action would destroy the independence that the founders worked hard to create and defend.
[22] Despite his attempts to stay neutral, Washington occasionally had to take sides. For example, when securing trade agreements with Great Britain he aligned himself with Federalists. This displeased many anti-Federalists including Thomas Jefferson who resigned as Secretary of State shortly after Washington made the agreement with Great Britain.
[23] While Washington did not believe in strong overbearing political parties, he realized the importance of strength in numbers when passing and enforcing legislation. From ratifying the constitution to Jay’s Treaty, Washington may not have wished for strong political parties, but political parties ultimately helped pass major legislation during his presidency.
[24] Washington is expressing the capitalistic beliefs of the Founding Fathers. They believed that the government should avoid involvement in the welfare of any citizen. This strayed from many other governments and put a lot of trust in the hands of the citizens in order to build the economy.
[25] Being of English descent, Washington was a loyal British citizen. However, after witnessing the taxation of goods by the British, he met with the Virginia delegation to boycott British goods. This lead to his rise in prominence in the colonies and his eventually role as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.
[26] George Washington hopes to leave behind a legacy not only for future generations of Americans but also for the entire world. He wishes that his experiences and beliefs will live through his writings and public accounts of his character. Moreover, he hopes that he has put his country on the right path to success.
[27] Since he was 21 years old, Washington led others. He commanded a surprise attack on the French during the French and Indian War. Although he was successfully at first, the French retaliated and forced Washington to retreat. This early experience and failure would establish Washington as a strong leader and build his political philosophy.
[28] On April 22nd, 1793, Washington issued the Neutrality Proclamation. This proclamation, firstly, stated that the United States would remain neutral in any conflicts between France and Great Britain. In addition, the proclamation made it illegal for an American citizen to provide aid if any two countries were at war not involving the United States.
[29] Washington is defending his 1793 Proclamation of Neutrality by indirectly stating that it was the people who chose this path forward. He does this by pointing to Congress, a representative body for the people of the United States. Here he is expressing how the government should work: the people vote on representatives who express the views of their constituents on the floor of Congress.
[30] At the end of this section, Washington has once again added his complex rhetorical style. Washington’s belief in the newly established government has convinced him that the country can continue to succeed with his leadership. He is ending this section by inspiring and revealing the main idea of this section—the United States will prosper if it follows the path he and the other founders have laid.
