On September 17th, 1976 on the 9th year anniversary of the constitution George Washington published his now so famous farewell address, also known as, the Constitution day address. It has been recited over 120 times since then by other presidents and congress members as they leave their seats in government. The address was mostly written by Alexander Hamilton, however, all the ideas in its content came from George Washington himself. At the time he was six months from the conclusion of his second term as the first president of the United States.
He starts his address by informing that he will not seek another reelection and the decision to do so had come to his mind at the conclusion of his first term. However, the challenging times the country was going through at the end of his first term and the suggestions of his advisors persuaded him to remain another term. There was no law that established the limit on terms a president could serve. George Washington, nonetheless, established the non-written rule that all presidents followed with the exception of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who served 4 terms. After FDR’s presidency, the 22nd amendment established a two-term limit for future presidents. George Washington recognized that he and all those who eventually would take his place were nothing more than citizens serving their fellow men and women rather than members of an elite group. He argued that power is only given to those who deserve it. He continues by admitting that he did his best effort to serve his country despite his many imperfections.
Later he acknowledged God’s importance in the establishment and development of the country. He expressed his hopes for heaven’s blessings to continue pouring down on the nation. G.W. then exhorted his fellow citizens to cherish the Constitution and its beauty in their life and to recognize and protect the Constitution from enemy attacks. Crafty men and women will try to deceive others to drift away from the importance of the Constitution. Protect the people’s freedom and as a mother bear protects her offspring.
George Washington advised us to hold dear our Constitution which is the foundation of the country, “the support of your tranquility at home, your peace abroad; of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so highly prize.” He then mentioned again the “crafty men and women” (which he mentions several times) that will try to deceive and people from the constitution in order to obtain power. As he said, the name American given to citizens by birth or by choice should be a reflection of our common identity as patriots.
The first POTUS then starts to warn us about dangers that can arise if we do not harken to his words. One of the first most important warnings is to refrain from factions. His words teach us that the North, the South, the East, and the West should all benefit from each other, and together as a whole, we can achieve greater strength and security rather than if we are divided. He reminds us that the local and state government is to govern closely to the affairs of the people while the federal government serves to connect the whole.
He warned about falling into a two-party system and political parties in general because we will begin to love our parties more than we love the country. At the time when George Washington publishes his address in major newspapers, political parties are already starting to form and disagree on various matters. The two main movements were the Federalist Party and the Democratic-Republican Party. The Federalist party was led by merchants & bankers living primarily in Northern cities. They favored a strong central government and interpreted the Constitution loosely. They generally were Pro-England because they believe they were more like them than any other nation. The Federalist party also favored Hamilton’s financial policies (Support Bank of U.S.). They hoped the nation would once become the trade center of the world through industry and self-sufficiency. The Democratic-Republican party was led by farmers & wage earners living primarily in the South and West. They favored strong state governments and interpreted the Constitution strictly. They generally were generally Pro France because the supported the French Revolution, unlike the Federalists. The Democratic-Republican party opposed Hamilton’s financial policies (against Bank of the U.S.). They hoped the nation would once become a strong agricultural society with little trade and industry. These divisions among parties started to be more and more visible at that time and Washington viewed it as alarming.
The address then continues stating that the government which people choose (a federalist government) was created under inspiration and great analysis. Nonetheless, he knew changes to the constitution would become necessary. He stipulated that all changes must be made under the amendment process and it is the right of the people to make amendments and ratification to the constitution. Again, he warns that there will be groups of deceiving people who will try to circumvent the constitution so that a minority can enforce its will over the people. His warning is to be alert of those who interpret the constitution to their benefit. Washington makes the point that there is a great need for well-educated citizenship. Without a well-educated society, the nation cannot prosper and protect its country from its enemies.
Elected officials must respect and stay within the constitutional sphere they have been elected to. It is in men’s nature to be a prone lover of power and to abuse it. For that reason, the president must be overbalanced from evil. Each branch of the government (legislative, executive, and judicial) is responsible for guarding the Constitution unlike the popular belief that the Supreme Court is the only unit responsible for protecting it from being overlooked.
George Washington then introduces the importance of morals and religion among the people. He argues that they are indispensable dispositions and habits that are needed for the political prosperity of the nation. True patriots hold these two concepts in his or her life. He asks, what would anchor people’s disposition for security, for property, for reputation and for life without religion? If there is no God, anything is permissible. Because of that, virtue and morality are essential in a self-governing society.
He then makes the assessment that debt should and must be avoided. The government should not be in the business of spending money irrationally. It should be frugal in non-indispensable expenditures. The government must not ruin the nation’s credit by falling into too much debt. Having low or no debt provides national strength and security. A nation that is drowned in debt is a slave to its creditor. It is clear that debts will accumulate in times of war to protect and defend the people. In times of prosperity and peace debt must be paid off as soon as possible. Revenue is necessary for a prosperous nation to arise. The government must cover its operation cost and pay its debts. Taxation on the people is necessary for this purpose. However, taxes should not be a burden or an incommodity to citizens.
The last warning George Washington shares in his farewell address is regarding foreign relations. First, he makes these next statements. Observe good faith and justice towards all Nations. Cultivate peace and harmony among each other. Be an example to other nations by being people who always are guided by high standards and morality. After, he warns that foreign attachments can tangle the nation with unnecessary problems. He said to avoid permanent treaties that are not for the benefit of the country. Many nations will take advantage of us even if they become our allies. This idea of restraining from non-beneficial relations with other countries brought about the concept of isolationism. He warned that foreign attachments could lead politicians to get campaign funds from foreign companies or countries, lead companies to sell technology and trade secrets that compromise national security, and maybe even lead judges to look to foreign law to support their rulings in the U.S. in order to gain popularity and acclaim. He specifically advised to stay away from European matters. He was seeing issues with foreign alliances at that time with England building forts in the west, disrupting trade, and arming Natives. Spain was banning American shipping along the Mississippi. France was demanding repayment and restricts trade in the West Indies. Also, Native Americans were resisting in the old Northwest.
Washington finalizes his address by expressing his hopes that his words and thoughts may be in some way productive and beneficial for future generations. He then turned back to his confessions, acknowledging his imperfections and asking God to help mitigate the effects of the possible errors he might have unconsciously committed. Lastly, he said goodbye and hoped to join his fellow citizen under the presidency of his successor.
Many people hold his address dearly for his strong words of caution and empowerment. There are some things from his address that would be of value to analyze for our present day. First, our Congressmen and other governmental leaders should understand the important legacy that Washington left of selfless service. Many congressmen hold their seats in congress because of their love for power. A righteous leader understands that they must open the way for new generations of leaders who in return will serve them and their country. We must consider his warnings as words of an exceptionally wise man.
Sadly, many of his warnings have become a reality such as entanglements with foreign nations, divisions among people, debt, greedy leaders, crafty men and women who deceive, and a loss of morals and values. In the past two decades, the United States has been involved in international conflicts that had nothing to do with the country, and because of its involvement, other issues have raised. In recent years, the two main political parties, Democrat and Republican, had greatly divided the nation. The national debt is currently above 25 trillion dollars. Past presidential elections have been more about choosing the bad from the worse instead of choosing the best from the good. International influence in elections have brought to light those crafty men and women who deceive the nation from the core principles of the constitution. Values and morals have been evermore wavering in society, the BLM movement sheds light on one of the aspects where the nation has lost its morals. Law enforcement is killing and committing acts of brutality among innocent people. If we desire the nation to be as great as we claim it to be, we must turn back to the teachings of our first president, George Washington.
This blog post is part of the CIMA Law Group blog. If you are located in Arizona and are seeking legal services, CIMA Law Group specializes in Immigration Law, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, and Government Relations.
CIMA Law Group Blog 