George Washington: Farewell Address - Analysis | Milestone Documents - Milestone Documents

George Washington: Farewell Address

( 1796 ) Commentary by John P. Kaminski, University of Wisconsin—Madison
  • “Citizens, by birth or choice, of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of American, which belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of patriotism more than any appellation derived from local discrimination.” - Paragraph 10
  • “This government, the offspring of our own choice, uninfluenced and unawed, adopted upon full investigation and mature deliberation, completely free in its principles, in the distribution of its powers, uniting security with energy, and containing within itself a provision for its own amendment, has a just claim to your confidence and your support.” - Paragraph 16
  • “The basis of our political systems is the right of the people to make and to alter their constitutions of government. But the Constitution which at any time exists, till changed by an explicit and authentic act of the whole people, is sacredly obligatory upon all.” - Paragraph 16
  • “Time and habit are at least as necessary to fix the true character of governments as of other human institutions.” - Paragraph 19
  • “Experience is the surest standard.” - Paragraph 19
  • “A government of as much vigor as is consistent with the perfect security of liberty is indispensable. Liberty itself will find in such a government, with powers properly distributed and adjusted, its surest guardian.” - Paragraph 19
  • “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.” - Paragraph 27
  • “As a very important source of strength and security, cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible, avoiding occasions of expense by cultivating peace, but remembering also that timely disbursements to prepare for danger frequently prevent much greater disbursements to repel it.” - Paragraph 30
  • “To have revenue there must be taxes; … no taxes can be devised which are not more or less inconvenient and unpleasant.” - Paragraph 30
  • “Observe good faith and justice towards all nations; cultivate peace and harmony with all. Religion and morality enjoin this conduct; and can it be, that good policy does not equally enjoin it?” - Paragraph 31
  • “It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any portion of the foreign world.” - Paragraph 39
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George Washington's Farewell Address (National Archives and Records Administration)

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