Introduction
George Washington is a former president who served the United States for eight years. Washington was a founding father, a military officer, a politician, and a statesman who served as the first president of the country. In his farewell address, the former president urged Americans to let go of their violent likes and dislikes for other nations (Ferdon, n.d). He emphasized more people letting their passion control them and not their emotions, hence promoting unity. This paper focuses on George Washington’s farewell address by considering the contemporary government. The paper also focuses on issues such as warnings and exhortations followed since his presidency, items of utmost importance for Washington as he left office, and the differing points of view preferred or encouraged.
Former President Washington wrote his farewell address on the 17th of September 1796 after his decision not to run for a third time. In this letter, Washington offered advice to Americans with his key points aimed at warning people on the danger of political parties, urged them to remain neutral in foreign conflicts and to celebrate their achievements (Ferdon, n.d). Washington’s remarks on how nations that indulged towards another in hatred were considered as slaves have served as a guiding point to date. For more than a century, his advice on forming alliance and working against foreign nations was heeded, which is evident in United States today.
Additionally, Washington was frustrated by the French meddling in U. S. politics, as such, he warmed the nation to avoid forming permanent alliances with foreigners and instead really on temporary alliances in cases of emergency (Lukinmaa, 2021)His efforts to protect the fragile government of United States back in the 18th century steered a neutral course between England and France during the revolutionary war. However, his efforts were made difficult by the intense rhetoric that had risen from prom the pro-English and the profrench Federalist.
Moreover, in his letter “Friends and Citizens,” he warned that the forces of geographical sections and political factions would threaten the stability of United States at the time. He also urged people to observe good faith and justice towards all nations by cultivating peace and harmony (Lukinmaa, 2021). He cautioned the American people in his farewell speech to be on the lookout for anyone seeking to break the bonds that bind the nation’s constitutional unity, secede a portion of it, or abandon the union. Washington asked many Americans to set aside their fervent dislikes of foreign countries in his farewell speech, warning against letting their emotions rule them. These remarks encouraged American isolationism, and for over a century and a half, his advice against joining a long-term alliance was heeded.
Washington’s parting speech had the greatest influence on the nineteenth century since it set the precedent that presidents shouldn’t hold office for more than two terms. There were numerous factors that contributed to this throughout Washington’s presidency (Ferdon, n.d). George Washington expressed strong concerns about what would happen if he passed away while in office and refused to accept the presidency as something that could be considered a lifetime appointment. Washington’s farewell speech instructs incoming presidents on how to lead the nation and offers direction to follow so that future nations don’t make the same mistakes twice.
Furthermore, the core beliefs outlined by Washington in his letter aimed advocating for unity, avoiding sectionalism and avoiding permanent alliances. This beliefs have continually guided the nation which is evident in foreign policy and political discourse (Schell, 2023). This farewell laid foundation for different core beliefs that have continually shaped United States. The idea of maintaining peace and unity is a reccuring theme in this letter and has been seen as a contemporary effort towards national coherence and embracing diversity. Washington’s warnings on the dangers of sectionalism have continued to echo the ongoing confrontations between political factions in United States today. Recent political debate always highlights Washington’s wisdom about harmony maintenance. Ultimately, his caution against forming long-term foreign alliances has influenced American foreign policy over the ages, preferring bilateral partnerships and diplomacy to enduring, legally-binding alliances.
Despite his efforts to ensure that United States endure a long time of peace and harmony with it’s neighbors, Washington’s letter was disregard by some. It was claimed that his ideas aimed at opposing economic gains as it restricted long term alliances between nations, as such his letter was discredit by some republicans led by southerners (Schell, 2023). In terms of foreign policy, they also disagreed with the Federalists, preferring a closer alliance with France over one with Great Britain. Washington voted with the Federalists in favor of the Jay Treaty with Britain and backed Hamilton’s financial initiatives. By the time of his departure speech, Washington had been subjected to progressively harsher criticism from his Republican opponents, and it served as both a response to them and a broader articulation of his values.
Conclusion
Washington’s farewell speech was based on the particular issues he believed the country was facing at the time, such as growing internal divides and the continuous danger of foreign invasion by more powerful countries (Ferdon, n.d). Today, this farewell address stands as timeless warning on the issues that still affect the democracy of United States. Even while Washington believed the nation was stable, many others feared that without his guidance, it would fall apart. Thus, Washington’s Farewell Address served as a means of advising and motivating the nation’s population.
Reference
Ferdon, G. (n.d). Constitutional Government and Free Enterprise. A Biblical Christian Worldview Approach and Emphasis.
Lukinmaa, V. (2021). Warnings in George Washington’s Farewell Address: Parallels in policies from the 18th century (Master’s thesis, V. Lukinmaa).
Schell, K. P. (2023). Religion and Morality: The Forgotten Lesson of George Washington’s Farewell Address. Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History, 5(2), 2.
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