Submitted by: Lynne Higgins
Presidents’ Day seems an appropriate time to reconnect with our roots and the heritage of our nation. George Washington’s Farewell Address is an excellent foundation, although at 6,000+ words it is definitely not “tweet-able”.
John Avlon describes the Address thusly: “Washington’s Farewell was “a warning from a parting friend,” written for future generations of Americans about the forces he feared could destroy our democratic republic. Chief among these were hyper-partisanship, excessive debt, and foreign wars—dangers we still struggle with today.
Washington also used his Farewell Address to proclaim first principles that could offer enduring solutions: the pursuit of peace through strength, the wisdom of moderation, and the importance of private virtue and public education to a self-governing people, as he established the precedent of a peaceful transfer of power.”
Since 1893 the Senate has observed Washington’s birthday by selecting one of its members to read the Farewell Address. The assignment alternates between members of each political party. At the conclusion of each reading, the appointed senator inscribes his or her name and brief remarks in a black, leather-bound book maintained by the secretary of the Senate.
Learn more: Introduction from John Avlon’s book, “Washington’s Farewell: The Founding Father’s Warning to Future Generations” published January 2017.
Learn more: George Washington’s Farewell Address prepared by the United States Senate Historical Office.