George Washington’s Farewell Address: Part One, A Letter to America
One of our nation’s most significant documents, George Washington’s Farewell Address, was not really an address but rather a letter written by Washington to his fellow citizens as he neared the end of his second term.
Tom Hand, creator and publisher of Americana Corner, discusses the reasons that drove Washington not to seek a third term, and why it still matters today.
Images courtesy of Mount Vernon, Library of Congress, National Gallery of Art, National Portrait Gallery - Smithsonian Institution, Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Archives, Wikipedia.
In his Farewell Address, President Washington shared his thoughts on several topics, including the need for America to remain fiscally prudent and to avoid permanent foreign alliances that could pull America into a costly war. With the fighting raging again in Europe, this time thanks to Revolutionary France, and with much sentiment favoring the French, Washington felt it necessary to advise a neutral course for the United States.