LAD#7: Washington's Farewell Address 1796

Summarize.
Washington opens by saying that though an election for president is approaching, he will not be running this time. He assures the people that he is stepping down not for any lack of interest in the continued growth of the country, but that it is the right thing to do. He had wanted to retire before but after serious thought decided that since the nation was in a critical period it would be best not to. Now that things are a bit more stable he is determined to retire and hopes that the people can accept that both personal interest and duty can coincide. He goes on to say that he never believed he was qualified to be president and that any successes he had should be attributed to the people who supported him.

He begins his warnings by stating that the independence and well being of the United States all depends on the unity of the states themselves. He warns to watch for people, domestic and foreign, who want to break from the union or weaken it. He encourages people to think of themselves as Americans before any other title, and to look past slight differences between each other. He specifically warns against sectionalists, who he believes  is only out to create distrust and take over the government.

Washington then puts all his support in the Constitution, saying it was an improvement from the Articles. He goes on to say that though it is the right of the people to alter the government when they see the need, they should do so only with reason and through amendments, but only after the government has had time to solidify. He also urges that violent usurps and radical political breaks should be avoided at all costs.

He then warns of the potential dangers of political parties, which can promote the interests of certain groups instead of Americans as a whole. He specifically makes a reference to the Federalist and Anti-Federalist parties and their attempts to align themselves as parties with other nations, which could potentially tear the United States apart. He points out that political parties have caused trouble wherever they have shown up, especially in a republic.

Washington goes back to defending the Constitution by saying that the separation of powers and the checks and balances between them are important in preventing another single person or group from gaining control, something which they had rebelled from in the Revolutionary War. Again he argues amendment over force should the people want a change in the government.

He then defends morality, religion and education; defends the importance of little government borrowing; talks about foreign relations; talks about his intentions writing this letter; defends his proclamation of neutrality.
to be continued with more details.