George Washington's Farewell Address
Translated Into Modern English
by:
Joshua Frazier
September 17, 1796
To the People of the United States
Friends and fellow citizens,
1)
Elections are coming up, and it’s
time for you to decide who is to be
trusted with the position of President
of the United States of America. It also
seems to be a good time to let you know
that I’m
not going to be one of the ones that you
will be choosing from.
2)
Please be
assured that this has not been an easy
decision for me. I have weighed my
choice against the duty each person has
for their country. Now, don’t get me
wrong. I
thank you for your trust
so far. I just think me quitting is a
good idea on all counts.
3)
I’ve been president twice now, and I
didn’t want to do it either time. I
tried to quit the first time, but the
country was in trouble and everyone around
was begging me to abandon the idea of
quitting.
4)
I’m glad to report that the state of
this nation's affairs are fairly well in
order. Things are running smoothly
enough right now that I feel no one can
complain or disapprove of my
determination to retire.
5)
I am excited just thinking about my
last day in office, but I feel a deep
sense of gratitude to my dear country
for all the honors it has bestowed upon
me. I feel even more gratitude for the
confidence that you have all had in me. All I’m going to say is
that I did my best to set up the
government right, but the more I do this
the more I realize how human I am.
Retirement calls and I welcome it. I
find comfort in knowing that common
sense allows me to leave politics, but
that my patriotism is not weakened by
the choice.
6) Before I go I have to thank everyone
for the awards, honors and so forth, but
more importantly for your supporting my
projects to try to make everything
right, even if they didn’t always turn
out quite as well as I hoped. Remember,
it’s hard to tell how things will turn
out when people get all fired up, so
thanks for sticking by me even when
things appeared to be discouraging. You all get
the credit for anything good that came
out of it, and by God you’d better keep
taking good care of the Constitution and
the lives of the folks who live here. As
long as you do, we’ll be a great country
and other nations will turn their heads
and take notice.
7) I probably should stop talking right about now, but I care about
you in a way that will never end, except
with my life. I sense a danger which
compels me to offer you some advice to
which I hope you listen to and review
frequently. I give this council as the
warnings of a parting friend who can not
possibly hope to gain from such council,
nor have any personal bias in giving it.
I remember, and am encouraged by, how
you have indulged me in my councils on
similar occasions in the past.
8)
Because the love of liberty is woven
into every fiber of your hearts, nothing
that I say should be needed to
strengthen it further.
9)
This new government is dear to you
and rightly so, for it is a
representation of your real
independence, your peace at home and
abroad; your safety and your prosperity.
In fact it represents that very liberty
which you so highly prize. But it's not
always going to be this way. Enemies,
both internal and external, will make
every effort, go through any pain, and
use every form of leverage conceivable
(often covert or by secret combination)
to try and divide this
nation or make you lose
faith in it. It is of infinite
importance that you unify as one nation,
indivisible, cherishing a patriotic
attachment that is immovable. Preserve
your nation, make
her your
top priority, watch for her preservation
with a jealous anxiety. Jump to defend
her, even at the first suspicion of foul
play. Frown upon any attempt that one
portion of the country try to alienate
itself from the body, or that, from
within, we weaken
ourselves from the sacred ties which
hold us all together.
10)
Whether by birth, or by choice you
have to be Americans before all
else. The very name American must arouse
patriotism more than any other name or
group. You are all, for the most part, similar
in religion and culture, and you have
the same goals. The only reason
you have your liberty and freedom is
from working together as one.
11)
As important as that is, your individual
patriotism is even greater. Every
portion of our country should
individually guard and preserve this, the
union of the group.
12)
The North and the South, as equals,
help each other. The South gets machines
and such from the North, the North gets
crops from the South. Also, the South
has a Navy which help to protect a coast
which can provide many useful things.
You have a similar situation with the
East and the West. The East sends supplies to
a growing
West, which will in turn grow to provide
needed items as well as a strong Pacific
defense.
13)
So, we all need each other and we’re
all stronger when we’re together. Being
a family also means we can get along a
little better, unlike certain countries
I might name who aren’t so well unified.
This makes us stronger and protects our
freedom, and if you want to keep
protecting it you had better get along!
14)
A virtuous mind can easily see that
patriotism leads to unity. Is there any
doubt that a common government can span
the distance of this vast nation? Let
that question be proven by experience,
not speculation. We can hope that a
proper federal organization of this
nation, with auxiliary agencies of
governments over cities and states, is
worth a full and fair experiment. Since it’s obvious how much
we have to gain from keeping ourselves
together, we can safely say that anyone,
anywhere,
who tries to divide us, should not be
trusted.
15)
Let’s think about where those splits
could come from. A serious concern is
the idea that groups should be
categorized by their
geography. North and South, Atlantic and
Pacific, people are going to try to emphasize
the differences. They’re going to lie about
what the other side wants, and they’ll
try to make you hate each other when you
should all be brothers. You saw just a
bit ago how some folks were trying to
stir up suspicion out West that we were
trying to pull one over on them with the
whole Mississippi thing. But,
thanks to Congress dealing with Spain
and England, they got everything they
wanted in the end. So perhaps next time
people will turn a deaf ear on those
so-called "advisers" who would urge
anyone to abandon ship or seek alliance
with another.
16)
Government is indispensable to
keeping a nation unified. No other
alliance, no matter how strong can
substitute, (as we have just experienced
with a previous alliance.)
Abandoning the crown we have arrived at
the product of our desires, The
Constitution. We went over it
carefully, scrutinized all the details, and it’s
definitely something we can have
confidence in. We have even reserved the
right to amend it if necessary. Give
it a chance and live by it. If you disagree
with it then
change it — but don’t just disobey it.
That just messes things up. Remember,
the very right which we have to create
government, demands that we obey that
government which we establish.
17)
Getting in the way of the law for the
sake of power plays will only mess
things up. Playing that game creates
groups who look out for themselves. It
turns crazy splinter groups into a
powerful force. Left unchecked,
you’ll have the country tossed
back and forth wildly by various
small, but crafty, parties fighting for
power over their pet issues, rather than
for good, consensual,
unified government.
18)
Groups or parties like those, may
occasionally accomplish a few popular
short term agendas, but in the long run,
they will grow into powerful, cunning
engines, wielding power to unprincipled,
ambitious men who care only to acquire
power for themselves, at any cost. Once
power is achieved, they will burn the
bridges behind them and destroy the very
engines which gave them their unjust
power.
19)
Preserve your government, quit
fighting against it and be
careful with letting folks weaken the
Constitution through amendments.
Alterations will impair the energy of
the system and thus undermine what
cannot be directly overthrown. Use
patience and good habits to fix
government rather than hypothetical
theories and quick fixes.
It’s a big country and we can’t keep
everyone safe without a little
centralization. Liberty will be the
guardian to keep things in check. But
government is weak indeed if it cant
maintain its law and provide the
enjoyment of rights and property.
20) I just said that small parties are no good,
particularly regional ones. But let me go
a step further and soundly warn you that ALL parties are a
bad idea.
21)
Unfortunately, it’s pretty much human
nature to gather into separate little
groups. All governments have this
problem in one way or another, but they
usually get stomped out in their
infancy. Freedom gives factions room to
grow to the most rank and stinky size,
which become our worst enemy.
22)
Control goes back and forth between
one party to the next, each seeking
revenge on the previous. This
gets the people more angry and so they get
behind one party leader or another,
perpetuating the problem ever onward
until one group finally has power enough
to remove freedom from the people. Such
behavior has created the most awful
situations, and grown the most fearful
and controlling
governments.
23)
I’m not talking about anyone in
particular here, but this isn’t
necessarily too far off. The mischief
that political parties are prone to
create will always make them a threat, so keep an eye out
to discourage and restrain them.
24)
This division distracts us, enfeebles
the government, gets everyone riled
up with jealousy and false alarms, pits us against each other,
and creates riots
and invites corruption. It
also opens the door to other countries
getting a hand in our system, since they
can reach in through the party
structure, and then we just become their
puppets.
25)
Now, there is this idea that
political parties provide a useful check
and balance system in government to
serve in keeping alive the spirit of
liberty. This within certain limits is
probably true. But it is a spirit not to
be encouraged, for their natural
tendency is in excess, a fire not to be
quenched. There demands a uniform
vigilance to prevent its bursting into a
flame lest instead of warming, it
consumes.
26) Likewise, it is
important that politicians, entrusted with their office, respect
freedom by confining themselves to their respective office, never
encroaching upon the constitutional sphere of another department. There’s this tendency to let all the
power shift into one office, which
inevitably creates tyranny (just look at
human nature and how much we love
power). Divide up the power,
and get everyone to watch everyone else.
Experience, both ancient and modern,
show the wisdom in dividing up power. If
you find a need to amend the
Constitution, do so with caution. But
let there be no change by usurpation,
because even though such change might
prove good in one instance, it is the
customary weapon by which free
governments are destroyed. Don't welcome change, just
for the sake of change, without knowing
full well what that change actually
means.
27)
Now, religion and morality are vital
here, and it’s silly to say that
patriotism could ever be more important
than these. Politicians, as well as the
common man, need to be pious
and respectful. An entire book could not list all the ways that being
a good politician is tied to being moral
and religious. All you need to do is ask
this: Where is the security for
property, reputation, or life, if
religious obligation cannot help a
person to keep an oath? Oaths being the instruments of
investigation in the courts of Justice.
Be cautious to believe the notion that
we can be moral without religion.
Whatever may be conceded philosophically,
reason and experience both forbid us to
expect that national morality can
prevail in exclusion of religious
principle.
28)
So, virtue is the root of good Government.
This rule extends to the foundation of
free government, to which no true friend
would ever attempt to shake the fabric.
29) Promote knowledge and institutions of its distribution as a high
priority. Because the government will
only be as smart as the average person.
30)
Public credit is also important. One
method of preserving it is to use it as
sparingly as possible. Prevent the need
to spend, by cultivating peace, but
remember that timely expenses in
preparation for danger can prevent the
need for much greater spending to repel
it. Avoid debt as you would the plague.
In time of peace vigorously discharge
the debts (which war may have
unavoidably incurred) lest we thrust
onto our children the debts which were
ours to bear. This is the job of the politicians, but
the public should play their part to keep them in line.
Remember, in order to pay back debts,
there must be revenue; that to have
revenue there must be taxes; that no
taxes can be created which are
convenient or pleasant. Selecting
how and when to tax is no easy answer.
The government should be decisive and
careful in the creation of taxes, the
public weighing in its opinion, all with
a spirit giving in order to obtain the
revenue in which to pay the debts.
31)
Try to stay at peace with everyone.
Religion and basic decency both say to
do this. And isn't it good policy to do
so? A great, and enlightened, nation
would set the example, imparting to
mankind its blessings, being guided from
on high by its God. Who can doubt that
such behavior could greatly outweigh any
advantage which might be taken by force?
It is probable that providence has
connected a nations happiness with its
virtue. Experimentation with the
idea is at least recommended as proof to
the nature of it. That is, unless vice
prevents you from even trying!
32) It’ll help a lot if you can avoid
permanent rivalries and permanent
alliances. Just try to get along with
everyone when you can. Otherwise, you’re
a slave to your policy, which may take
you somewhere bad when the situation
changes. Constantly being enemies with a
particular country makes you
reactive, and can even lead you to war
when you really don’t need to, it makes
you a slave to them, anxious for any kind of feedback, good or ill.
A nation under these influences may impel its government to war
based on passion which good reason would reject. At times bullying,
just because you can, leads you to lose peace, or even your liberty.
33)
Likewise, a passionate alliance with
another nation produces all kinds of
problems. Sympathy for a favorite nation
creates an illusion of common interests
which may not actually exist and invite
into one the enemies of the other. It
leads to give special favors denied to
other nations, which cause double
injury. First, by parting with what
ought to have been retained, and Second
creating ill-will and resentment towards
any nation where such gifts were
withheld. Such alliances create an
atmosphere to tempt ambitious, corrupt
or deluded citizens to sacrifice the
interests of their own country in the
act of defecting to the other. Besides,
out of a sense of obligation, you may
cling to an ally long after the
relationship has actually ended.
34)
The idea of this kind of alliance
should scare any real American because
it lets foreign countries meddle with
us. And remember, if a weak little
nation (us) gets too attached to a big
strong nation (anyone else) you know
we’ll be stuck in that arrangement
forever.
35) Now, foreign meddling, I plead with you, fellow citizens, to
believe me when I say, is one of the
worst threats around, and you should be
constantly paranoid about it. The
jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake, since time
and experience have proven that foreign influence is one of the
worst enemies of republican government. The only way that jealousy
can be useful is if it is impartial, lest it become the very thing
which it hoped to defending against! Too much hate for one nation,
or too much love for another are blinders. If you are a flake or a
bully you lose respect in your own home and become a puppet to be
manipulated by others.
36)
The most important thing about
commercial trade is to avoid getting
politically tangled. We obviously must keep the promises we’ve made, but
in the future let us not to make new
ones. Europe has a whole lot of issues that
don’t mean a thing to us. So they’re
going to be fighting, and we need to make
sure not to get involved with the folks
on either side. We might make some nasty
enemies we don’t need to.
37)
Since we’re out here across the
Atlantic, we get to do our own thing.
And if we just keep it together for a
little while, we might be strong enough
to stand up for ourselves. And if we’re
tough enough, other countries won’t want
to start anything, so the choice of
whether to go to war or keep the peace
will be ours, guided by the council of
justice.
38)
And why give up this great situation?
Why give up our country just so we can
live in someone else’s? Why interweave
our destiny with that of European
ambition, rivalry, interest, humor or
impulse?
39)
We need to avoid permanent
alliances, but we can’t break the promises
we’ve already made. I hold to the maxim
that honesty is always the best policy.
I repeat myself, let us be honest in
fulfilling our current obligations, but we
don’t need to make more and we don’t
need to actively make the current ones
longer.
40)
Now, as long as we keep a respectable
defensive posture, we may form an
alliance, but only in extreme
emergencies.
41)
Harmony, trade, commerce and good
interaction with all nations is good
policy and is in our good interest to do
so, but never forcing anything. Just
let things run their natural course
without manipulating the markets. Keep
the law and enforce compliance to the
law. Constantly remember that it is
foolish to expect special treatment or
favors from another and that by so doing
you'll piddle away your independence
chasing any prize you hope to gain under
such terms. You will later provide
what otherwise would've been a fair
trade, yet be challenged for being
ungrateful and not having given more
yourself. Providing favors are an
illusion. Each party expecting the
greater portion when only 100% is
available for dividing up amongst the
parties. Only sad experience can cure
such behavior.
42)
I offer you this council as a friend,
I fear that my remarks may fail to make
any lasting impression. I wish that
these words could control the usual flow
of passions, or prevent our nation from
making the same mistakes which have
proven the downfall of many a nation.
If I may even flatter myself that these
words could be of some partial benefit,
render a bit of good; moderate, now and
again, the fury of partisan behavior;
warn against the mischief's of foreign
entanglements, or expose the imposters
posing as patriots, then my hope will
have not been in vain, but shall serve
in favor of your own welfare, which was
my intent.
43) My record will serve as a witness to you, and to the world, that
my conduct, and the discharge of my official duties have been guided
by these principles. As for myself, my conscience is clean that I
have done my best to live by them.
44)
Oh, and about the war still going on
in Europe; As you know, I laid out
the details of my plan back on April, 22
1793. That plan was sanctioned by your
approving voice and by the
representatives in both houses of
Congress. The spirit of which has
continued to guide me. I have not been
persuaded by any of the attempts to
divert me from it.
45)
I've given it a lot of thought, cast
the most light that I could upon it, and
was well satisfied that our country,
under the circumstances, had a right,
and was duty bound, to take a neutral
position. Having taken it, I determined
to steadfastly maintain that position.
46) This is hardly the time or place to lay out all the details as to
why. But I will simply state that everyone, with the exception of a
few belligerent critics, have agreed that we have the right to
remain neutral in this.
47)
A nation is free to choose for itself
whether or not neutrality is the right
choice. It retains the right to maintain
a distance that will keep it free from
the injury of others and/or prevent
itself from being directly involved in
hostility towards other nations.
48) It stands to reason that neutrality is a good idea. As to any
other reasons,
you can probably come up with a few of
your own. For me, a major deciding factor has been to give our young
nation some time to settle down and mature without any more
interruption than is absolutely prudent. Speaking honestly, to
the command of its own welfare.
49)
In reviewing the events of my
administration, I am unaware of any harm
that I have intentionally caused. I am
nonetheless smart enough to know that I
am human and therefore have most likely
committed many errors. Whatever they may
be, I fervently beseech the Almighty to
avert or mitigate the evils to which
they may tend. I shall also carry
with me the hope that my country will
never indulge themselves in seeking
after my mistakes; and that, after 45
years of my life dedicated to its
service with an upright zeal, my faults
and my shortcomings will be consigned to
oblivion, as my age must soon render me
to the mansions of my rest.
50)
Speaking of being gone, I am really
looking forward to this retirement. And
I’m especially looking forward to
the sweet enjoyment of mutually residing
amongst friends and neighbors with good
laws and under a free government, the
ever-favorite object of my heart, and
the happy reward of hard work, mutual
respect and love.
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