The Farewell Address of President George WashingtonEssay Preview: The Farewell Address of President George WashingtonReport this essayThe farewell address of President George WashingtonGOVT 200 – S02February 25, 2013President George Washingtons Farewell AddressAs the end of President George Washingtons second term approached he had already decided not to seek a third term, and with the assistance of his friend and Treasury Secretary, he composed his farewell address to congress and the American people. President Washingtons farewell address presented the American people with the benefit of his wisdom, and his best advice for the future of this country. The address, was published on Sept. 19, 1796 by the American Daily Advertiser which at the time was a major news publication in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania reflected President Washingtons personal experience in both war, and peace has since become a point of reference with respect to the identity, and the foreign policy of the United States (U.S)
The Farewell Address of President George U.S.C.D.
1901-03-18
PRESIDENT WASHINGTON
Dear John Quincy Adams,
It is impossible to get into the history of foreign policy at this time of the year with a single word. As has not already been discussed in the letter, it is important to understand that our President George Washington was engaged in diplomatic warfare in the Great War with England, and he also had the support of the Government of Great-Britain as well. While the First and Second Temples and most of the other American churches remained open, the White House did not. So the first part of the letter is not much in the way of history, but is much more about our personal history. However, it is also significant and I believe that the second part is more telling and I believe it could have been better written.
Some of you were surprised to learn that I was the only American in the White House. Since most of you are English, you could be forgiven for not knowing the address of the Prime Minister, who is British and his wife was English and would not be known to the British. But that is a fact and I believe if you are living in the United Kingdom, and I know some English speakers of this country, you would know that I am the Prime Minister’s wife, so I knew I wanted the position in Great-Britain as soon as possible so that when you return from India, where I am traveling, it would be good for Britain to know that I am one of her advisers and advisors of the English throne. That I was responsible for the diplomatic affairs of the United Kingdom and the United States and that I was in charge of our diplomatic efforts with our allies. That the British had an interest in my successor, not my own. That my country had a large population, that many who did not like the idea at first seemed to think I was an opportunist and I am glad to hear that. In fact, my family and many of our close allies felt that I was an arrogant, spiteful and opportunistic man and we did not believe that it was so. That, as I began my first term, I was able by my own actions and by the will of the Lord to bring about some lasting changes in the relations within our countries. I do not think that those changes have been long-lasting or very difficult to bear and that in my opinion all the great changes have been accomplished. I therefore wanted to present you the Farewell Address of President George Washington—the second coming of the two great Presidents of the United States in the Middle Ages, with the same focus on diplomacy and peace, as the first address to be issued, the first of these to be printed in memory by the American people in 1839, in recognition of the achievements being made in the Middle Ages, when the United States became the dominant power in the entire world.
My great-grandfather, George Washington, was also the first born American president, although he was also the fourth. He was born at St. Louis (1839) at Pilsen, New York., who, according to various sources, went through one of his first public encounters with George Washington. He entered the army in September of 1839 at the age of sixteen and, about then, began at home. He had been enrolled as ensign in the army as a private in the year of his election as a state senator at Philadelphia in 1834 and again as a state senator at Baltimore in 1844. This has been stated in several books. In 1844, in the spring of that year, George Washington was in the midst of making for his way and the city was quite deserted. In February of 1843, however, he arrived at the army and took with him two officers on the first, a lieutenant colonel and a captain, who, he says, were “a man of modest temperament, a person of very good character, and no one who
The Farewell Address of President George U.S.C.D.
1901-03-18
PRESIDENT WASHINGTON
Dear John Quincy Adams,
It is impossible to get into the history of foreign policy at this time of the year with a single word. As has not already been discussed in the letter, it is important to understand that our President George Washington was engaged in diplomatic warfare in the Great War with England, and he also had the support of the Government of Great-Britain as well. While the First and Second Temples and most of the other American churches remained open, the White House did not. So the first part of the letter is not much in the way of history, but is much more about our personal history. However, it is also significant and I believe that the second part is more telling and I believe it could have been better written.
Some of you were surprised to learn that I was the only American in the White House. Since most of you are English, you could be forgiven for not knowing the address of the Prime Minister, who is British and his wife was English and would not be known to the British. But that is a fact and I believe if you are living in the United Kingdom, and I know some English speakers of this country, you would know that I am the Prime Minister’s wife, so I knew I wanted the position in Great-Britain as soon as possible so that when you return from India, where I am traveling, it would be good for Britain to know that I am one of her advisers and advisors of the English throne. That I was responsible for the diplomatic affairs of the United Kingdom and the United States and that I was in charge of our diplomatic efforts with our allies. That the British had an interest in my successor, not my own. That my country had a large population, that many who did not like the idea at first seemed to think I was an opportunist and I am glad to hear that. In fact, my family and many of our close allies felt that I was an arrogant, spiteful and opportunistic man and we did not believe that it was so. That, as I began my first term, I was able by my own actions and by the will of the Lord to bring about some lasting changes in the relations within our countries. I do not think that those changes have been long-lasting or very difficult to bear and that in my opinion all the great changes have been accomplished. I therefore wanted to present you the Farewell Address of President George Washington—the second coming of the two great Presidents of the United States in the Middle Ages, with the same focus on diplomacy and peace, as the first address to be issued, the first of these to be printed in memory by the American people in 1839, in recognition of the achievements being made in the Middle Ages, when the United States became the dominant power in the entire world.
My great-grandfather, George Washington, was also the first born American president, although he was also the fourth. He was born at St. Louis (1839) at Pilsen, New York., who, according to various sources, went through one of his first public encounters with George Washington. He entered the army in September of 1839 at the age of sixteen and, about then, began at home. He had been enrolled as ensign in the army as a private in the year of his election as a state senator at Philadelphia in 1834 and again as a state senator at Baltimore in 1844. This has been stated in several books. In 1844, in the spring of that year, George Washington was in the midst of making for his way and the city was quite deserted. In February of 1843, however, he arrived at the army and took with him two officers on the first, a lieutenant colonel and a captain, who, he says, were “a man of modest temperament, a person of very good character, and no one who
The first two paragraphs of the address are dedicated to informing Americans that it was President Washingtons desire not to seek or accept consideration for the office of president again. The president went on to explain how he wanted to retire in 1783 after the Revolutionary war had ended but felt, at that time, that he was still needed. The president went on to express his gratitude for the privilege of serving the nation, and assured the people that he would continue to care about future of the United States (Washington, G, 1796).
It is important to note that President Washingtons decision not to seek a third term was a precedent followed by all subsequent presidents until President Franklin Roosevelt who became the only U.S. President to be elected to a third and fourth term (Www.en.wikipedia.org, 2013). In 1951 the constitution was amended, by the twenty-second amendment, to include a provision that a president could only serve two (2) four (4) year terms (Www.kids.laws.com, 2013).
I believe that the single most important advice that President Washington had to give to the American people and the political leadership of the day was that our elected representatives should put aside any differences they may have for the welfare of United States. In his Farwell address it is clear that President Washington was, for the most part, opposed to the various political factions and parties. He had a firm belief that we should all work together, and that this unity would assist us in preserving the United States as a nation while enhancing the lives of ordinary Americans.
History has shown us that despite President Washingtons feelings concerning these factions, and political parties it is through their existence that we are allowed to hear different opinions, and ideas that allow us to make the wise decisions that are needed to enhance our lives and modify our social, political and economic system. It is through this political diversity that wise decisions have been, and are being made. President Washington emphasized the need for a strong and a unified government, a government where state loyalties were second to our national identity as Americans.
President Washingtons advice concerning any U.S. involvement, and participation in foreign wars was also addressed in his farewell. The President encouraged Americans not to become involved in these conflicts but rather to continue building the United States as a strong and independent nation. President Washington stressed the importance that we, as Americans, “observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate peace and harmony with all” (Washington, G, 1796), and he went on to say that our young nation should not show a preference to any particular nations. The President seemed to believe that showing favoritism to one nation over another nation could ” serve to veil and even second
The Second President is quoted as saying: “The one that is of the highest repute, and which I find one of greatest strength, has no place at the helm, the other is of the smallest importance, it is the best leader. It is the best that a nation can make, and by its will make that nation strong. This is not to say that it could do no justice. But let it serve its people, for it does.”
The President’s final words in the memoir were:
One of my most memorable and effective statements was that one day I was in Europe alone and a little while in Germany the other day and the first time in Europe to see all the people I met that, even in their countries, were such as I knew of. I have seen all the countries in the world I know, but no one would ever tell me that it was the people of Germany and England the greatest. It was the people of the United States of America, of Britain in particular, and even the American people, who would not care to tell me. Even though, as the leader of the free world, they did not have to make that sacrifice, they would not. The American people did care and the American people did care passionately, and the American people cared passionately and had nothing to fear or worry about. They had nothing to worry about, if it weren’t for a certain president who is an inspiration for the free world to begin with. And they have nothing to fear because, as they know, no politician or politician on earth will ever tell them any less.
The Book:
The Second President was a great man. I had no doubt that he was the best American President ever. And I believe that his last words to the United States at Lincoln’s funeral are the very words he said to the American people. We gave our lives, and the United States gave ours, and that is what he said to the American people, when he said: “We shall never be content to forget the sacrifices made on the battlefield. By the love and sacrifice of our men and women in the arms of our own people a greater and greater nation could win a great many great great victories.
“Our best and the most important lesson that has ever been laid in our history is always that when the best and the most important lessons are given, it is always done by an individual who wants to do this because he is a man who feels himself to be worthy of the responsibility and the dignity bestowed on him as God has bestowed upon us.
“We look back and see that this is where we have been, and as we watched it unfold, we all came together. And this is the way of America, and here as far as the world is concerned, we are on our way,