Introduction
One of the most important documents in American history, George Washington's Farewell Address encapsulates the ideas, thoughts, and advice that came to define the first president's 'nonpartisan' counsel to later generations. Delivered as a public document in 1796, as Washington was preparing to leave the presidency, the address is a personal farewell, a profound statement of the importance of the character of the American people, and a set of political precepts that captured Washington's hopes and fears for the United States.
In the address, Washington warned against the divisiveness of party spirit and dwelt at length on the idea of the American people as inheritors of a mixed government, a term and a form of government that, to him, meant a constitutional system that involved a balance of monarchy, aristocracy, and republican elements. Given a stable society and government, and the involvement and civic virtue of the people, Washington was confident that America had a chance to flourish.
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What encouraged the public press and other disseminators of political ideas to start thinking of Washington's address as nonpartisan advice to be revered and taken seriously was a newspaper editorial written in September 1796. They hoped to use Washington's address against the recent involvement of the United States in Britain's wars. Even members of the party now in power found that the piece had pulled off a political coup. The Democratic-Republicans were unlikely to find in Washington's document an effective weapon.
Key Themes and Messages
George Washington’s “Farewell Address,” published in 1796, addresses several key themes in the interests of national unity. The president warned of the dangers of sectionalism, or the rise of geographical and political factions. Washington advised against the formation of political parties and urged unity, stressing national, rather than sectional, identity. He called for strong patriotism founded on principles rather than self-interest and warned against foreign attachments. This included reflection on the impact of international alliances. He stressed the importance of personal and national moral character. Washington also acknowledged that his decision not to run for a third term was not entirely politically unselfish.
Washington’s concern about political factions led him to oppose parties; however, political factions had created unrest and violence in the late 18th century. Washington supposed that human nature was vulnerable to corruption, that power was seductive, and that people with power were particularly prone to “perfidy, corruption, and tyranny,” and could become increasingly indifferent to people not in their circles. Washington supposedly believed that ordinary people should have a real say in their government, a belief contrary to the notion that Americans are better when they feel themselves to be better than the reduced class. In order for Americans to cherish the Constitution, they must have the opportunity to participate in it. One of Washington's fears about the future was that the United States would fall apart if Americans failed to understand patriotism, belief in the nation. Nor should Americans think of anyone as "citizens of a town, or of a particular state, but as members of the nation."
Impact and Legacy
As a final statement on his principles and beliefs, Washington's address has earned a reverence somewhat uncharacteristic for a work of American politics. The address has often been cited to answer contemporary questions, and its warnings about the potential effects of modern partisanship have contributed to its reputation as a work of timeless wisdom. Even before its publication in September 1796, the address was shaping the way Americans thought about their nascent political institutions. The steps taken by Washington's successors to adhere to his guidelines have secured a central place for this document in the American political pantheon.
Central to Washington's address was an appeal for national unity and the hope for an "indissoluble union of the states under one federal head." "False hopes of sentiment," in Washington's phrase, are being offered to people by a few who are breaking the "strong cords of our union." His administration, indeed his life, Washington made clear, has been devoted to the "preservation of the sacred fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model of government." On the question of foreign affairs, Washington famously counseled America to cultivate "peace and harmony" with states of the world but to avoid for the infant Republic "permanent alliances." The address had a wide resonance. The political cases where it was quoted include the election of Peter Hart Fee in South Carolina and the political campaign of a judge in Versailles, Kentucky.
Relevance in Modern Times
As we move into the twenty-first century, it is interesting to consider the relevance of Washington’s Farewell Address to modern times. Many also see Washington’s warnings against divisive parties as extremely applicable. They point out that Washington is the same person who warned against the parties that he himself put together. Furthermore, with the increased ability to build new and specialized political coalitions over the past years, it is much easier now than in Washington’s time to make an issue of just about anything. Another way that Washington’s address is seen as pertinent is in his appeal to unity. Whether Washington’s ideas of unity and government that works for all people are relevant depends on one’s own views.
The idea that Washington’s ideals are relevant, or at least worth considering, can be seen in the way that recently the notion of civil society has gained ground. This has been the subject of much talk in non-academic circles. It is an odd turn of affairs in that, were institutions of power and authority to be rehabilitated, Washington’s emphasis on those institutions would be more welcomed by the public at large. It is clear that the pious and noisily self-congratulatory often invoke Old George. These are people who usually make use of him to remind the enlightenment-smitten that democracy is dreaded by the best of men. This is because Washington holds that neither a bare republic nor a mere democracy provides good government. They both pit the noble and the people against one another. It is clear that liberal respect for Washington is on the decline. However, if republicanism should regain some more purchase, then Washington’s Farewell Address may well become required reading. It should be read for the same reasons that brought it to the attention of the country’s first observers: to help Americans internalize its counsels and understand or remember the task of statesmanship in the new liberal republic.
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