Washingtons Farewell Address 1796.docx

Washingtons Farewell Address 1796.docx

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WashingtonsFarewellAddress1796

Washington'sFarewellAddress1796

1796

FriendsandCitizens:

TheperiodforanewelectionofacitizentoadministertheexecutivegovernmentoftheUnitedStatesbeingnotfardistant,andthetimeactuallyarrivedwhenyourthoughtsmustbeemployedindesignatingthepersonwhoistobeclothedwiththatimportanttrust,itappearstomeproper,especiallyasitmayconducetoamoredistinctexpressionofthepublicvoice,thatIshouldnowappriseyouoftheresolutionIhaveformed,todeclinebeingconsideredamongthenumberofthoseoutofwhomachoiceistobemade.

Ibegyou,atthesametime,todomethejusticetobeassuredthatthisresolutionhasnotbeentakenwithoutastrictregardtoalltheconsiderationsappertainingtotherelationwhichbindsadutifulcitizentohiscountry;andthatinwithdrawingthetenderofservice,whichsilenceinmysituationmightimply,Iaminfluencedbynodiminutionofzealforyourfutureinterest,nodeficiencyofgratefulrespectforyourpastkindness,butamsupportedbyafullconvictionthatthestepiscompatiblewithboth.

Theacceptanceof,andcontinuancehithertoin,theofficetowhichyoursuffrageshavetwicecalledmehavebeenauniformsacrificeofinclinationtotheopinionofdutyandtoadeferenceforwhatappearedtobeyourdesire.Iconstantlyhopedthatitwouldhavebeenmuchearlierinmypower,consistentlywithmotiveswhichIwasnotatlibertytodisregard,toreturntothatretirementfromwhichIhadbeenreluctantlydrawn.Thestrengthofmyinclinationtodothis,previoustothelastelection,hadevenledtothepreparationofanaddresstodeclareittoyou;butmaturereflectiononthethenperplexedandcriticalpostureofouraffairswithforeignnations,andtheunanimousadviceofpersonsentitledtomyconfidence,impelledmetoabandontheidea.

Irejoicethatthestateofyourconcerns,externalaswellasinternal,nolongerrendersthepursuitofinclinationincompatiblewiththesentimentofdutyorpropriety,andampersuaded,whateverpartialitymayberetainedformyservices,that,inthepresentcircumstancesofourcountry,youwillnotdisapprovemydeterminationtoretire.

TheimpressionswithwhichIfirstundertookthearduoustrustwereexplainedontheproperoccasion.Inthedischargeofthistrust,IwillonlysaythatIhave,withgoodintentions,contributedtowardstheorganizationandadministrationofthegovernmentthebestexertionsofwhichaveryfalliblejudgmentwascapable.Notunconsciousintheoutsetoftheinferiorityofmyqualifications,experienceinmyowneyes,perhapsstillmoreintheeyesofothers,hasstrengthenedthemotivestodiffidenceofmyself;andeverydaytheincreasingweightofyearsadmonishesmemoreandmorethattheshadeofretirementisasnecessarytomeasitwillbewelcome.Satisfiedthatifanycircumstanceshavegivenpeculiarvaluetomyservices,theyweretemporary,Ihavetheconsolationtobelievethat,whilechoiceandprudenceinvitemetoquitthepoliticalscene,patriotismdoesnotforbidit.

Inlookingforwardtothemomentwhichisintendedtoterminatethecareerofmypubliclife,myfeelingsdonotpermitmetosuspendthedeepacknowledgmentofthatdebtofgratitudewhichIowetomybelovedcountryforthemanyhonorsithasconferreduponme;stillmoreforthesteadfastconfidencewithwhichithassupportedme;andfortheopportunitiesIhavethenceenjoyedofmanifestingmyinviolableattachment,byservicesfaithfulandpersevering,thoughinusefulnessunequaltomyzeal.Ifbenefitshaveresultedtoourcountryfromtheseservices,letitalwaysberememberedtoyourpraise,andasaninstructiveexampleinourannals,thatundercircumstancesinwhichthepassions,agitatedineverydirection,wereliabletomislead,amidstappearancessometimesdubious,vicissitudesoffortuneoftendiscouraging,insituationsinwhichnotunfrequentlywantofsuccesshascountenancedthespiritofcriticism,theconstancyofyoursupportwastheessentialpropoftheefforts,andaguaranteeoftheplansbywhichtheywereeffected.Profoundlypenetratedwiththisidea,Ishallcarryitwithmetomygrave,asastrongincitementtounceasingvowsthatheavenmaycontinuetoyouthechoicesttokensofitsbeneficence;thatyourunionandbrotherlyaffectionmaybeperpetual;thatthefreeConstitution,whichistheworkofyourhands,maybesacredlymaintained;thatitsadministrationineverydepartmentmaybestampedwithwisdomandvirtue;that,infine,thehappinessofthepeopleoftheseStates,undertheauspicesofliberty,maybemadecompletebysocarefulapreservationandsoprudentauseofthisblessingaswillacquiretothemthegloryofrecommendingittotheapplause,theaffection,andadoptionofeverynationwhichisyetastrangertoit.

Here,perhaps,Ioughttostop.Butasolicitudeforyourwelfare,whichcannotendbutwithmylife,andtheapprehensionofdanger,naturaltothatsolicitude,urgeme,onanoccasionlikethepresent,tooffertoyoursolemncontemplation,andtorecommendtoyourfrequentreview,somesentimentswhicharetheresultofmuchreflection,ofnoinconsiderableobservation,andwhichappeartomeall-importanttothepermanencyofyourfelicityasapeople.Thesewillbeofferedtoyouwiththemorefreedom,asyoucanonlyseeinthemthedisinterestedwarningsofapartingfriend,whocanpossiblyhavenopersonalmotivetobiashiscounsel.NorcanIforget,asanencouragementtoit,yourindulgentreceptionofmysentimentsonaformerandnotdissimilaroccasion.

Interwovenasistheloveoflibertywitheveryligamentofyourhearts,norecommendationofmineisnecessarytofortifyorconfirmtheattachment.

Theunityofgovernmentwhichconstitutesyouonepeopleisalsonowdeartoyou.Itisjustlyso,foritisamainpillarintheedificeofyourrealindependence,thesupportofyourtranquilityathome,yourpeaceabroad;ofyoursafety;ofyourprosperity;ofthatverylibertywhichyousohighlyprize.Butasitiseasytoforeseethat,fromdifferentcausesandfromdifferentquarters,muchpainswillbetaken,manyartificesemployedtoweakeninyourmindstheconvictionofthistruth;asthisisthepointinyourpoliticalfortressagainstwhichthebatteriesofinternalandexternalenemieswillbemostconstantlyandactively（thoughoftencovertlyandinsidiously）directed,itisofinfinitemomentthatyoushouldproperlyestimatetheimmensevalueofyournationaluniontoyourcollectiveandindividualhappiness;thatyoushouldcherishacordial,habitual,andimmovableattachmenttoit;accustomingyourselvestothinkandspeakofitasofthepalladiumofyourpoliticalsafetyandprosperity;watchingforitspreservationwithjealousanxiety;discountenancingwhatevermaysuggestevenasuspicionthatitcaninanyeventbeabandoned;andindignantlyfrowninguponthefirstdawningofeveryattempttoalienateanyportionofourcountryfromtherest,ortoenfeeblethesacredtieswhichnowlinktogetherthevariousparts.

Forthisyouhaveeveryinducementofsympathyandinterest.Citizens,bybirthorchoice,ofacommoncountry,thatcountryhasarighttoconcentrateyouraffections.ThenameofAmerican,whichbelongstoyouinyournationalcapacity,mustalwaysexaltthejustprideofpatriotismmorethananyappellationderivedfromlocaldiscriminations.Withslightshadesofdifference,youhavethesamereligion,manners,habits,andpoliticalprinciples.Youhaveinacommoncausefoughtandtriumphedtogether;theindependenceandlibertyyoupossessaretheworkofjointcounsels,andjointeffortsofcommondangers,sufferings,andsuccesses.

Buttheseconsiderations,howeverpowerfullytheyaddressthemselvestoyoursensibility,aregreatlyoutweighedbythosewhichapplymoreimmediatelytoyourinterest.Hereeveryportionofourcountryfindsthemostcommandingmotivesforcarefullyguardingandpreservingtheunionofthewhole.

TheNorth,inanunrestrainedintercoursewiththeSouth,protectedbytheequallawsofacommongovernment,findsintheproductionsofthelattergreatadditionalresourcesofmaritimeandcommercialenterpriseandpreciousmaterialsofmanufacturingindustry.TheSouth,inthesameintercourse,benefitingbytheagencyoftheNorth,seesitsagriculturegrowanditscommerceexpand.TurningpartlyintoitsownchannelstheseamenoftheNorth,itfindsitsparticularnavigationinvigorated;and,whileitcontributes,indifferentways,tonourishandincreasethegeneralmassofthenationalnavigation,itlooksforwardtotheprotectionofamaritimestrength,towhichitselfisunequallyadapted.TheEast,inalikeintercoursewiththeWest,alreadyfinds,andintheprogressiveimprovementofinteriorcommunicationsbylandandwater,willmoreandmorefindavaluableventforthecommoditieswhichitbringsfromabroad,ormanufacturesathome.TheWestderivesfromtheEastsuppliesrequisitetoitsgrowthandcomfort,and,whatisperhapsofstillgreaterconsequence,itmustofnecessityowethesecureenjoymentofindispensableoutletsforitsownproductionstotheweight,influence,andthefuturemaritimestrengthoftheAtlanticsideoftheUnion,directedbyanindissolublecommunityofinterestasonenation.AnyothertenurebywhichtheWestcanholdthisessentialadvantage,whetherderivedfromitsownseparatestrength,orfromanapostateandunnaturalconnectionwithanyforeignpower,mustbeintrinsicallyprecarious.

While,then,everypartofourcountrythusfeelsanimmediateandparticularinterestinunion,allthepartscombinedcannotfailtofindintheunitedmassofmeansandeffortsgreaterstrength,great