President George Washington’s Famous Farewell Address

THIS DOCUMENT RANKS SECOND ONLY TO THE CONSTITUTION

IN NATIONAL IMPORTANCE.

Washington established a foreign
policy which became traditional and a main article of faith for the American people in their dealings with the rest of the world. Washington warned against
foreign influence in the shaping of national affairs. He urged America to avoid permanent, entangling alliances with other nations, recommending a national
policy of benign neutrality toward the rest of the world. He did not want America to build a wall around herself, or to become, in any sense, a hermit
nation.

Washington’s policy permitted freer exchange of travel, commerce, ideas, and culture between Americans and other people
than Americans have ever enjoyed since the policy was abandoned. The Father of our Country wanted the American government to be kept out of the wars and
revolutions and political affairs of other nations. He told Americans that their nation had a high destiny, which it could not fulfill if they permitted their
government to become entangled in the affairs of other nations.

Despite the fact of two foreign wars (Mexican War 1846-48; and Spanish American War 1898) the foreign policy of Washington
remained the policy of this nation, unaltered, for 121 years — until Woodrow Wilson’s war message to Congress in April, 1917.

He expressed his heartfelt wish that “heaven may continue to give you the choicest tokens of its beneficence” and “…that the free Constitution which is the work of your hands may be sacredly maintained: That its administration in every department may be stamped with wisdom and virtue.”

He then declared: “the apprehension of danger” that prompted him to “offer to your solemn contemplation, and to recommend to your frequent review, some sentiments which are the result of much reflection, of no considerable observation, and which appear to me all-important to the PERMANENCY of your felicity as a people…”

“But as it is easy to foresee that from different causes, and from different quarters, much pain will be taken, many artifices employed, TO WEAKEN in your minds the conviction of this truth [that enemies will try to overthrow the Republic]: as this is the point in your political fortress against which the batteries of internal AND external enemies will be most constantly and actively directed, it is of infinite moment that you should properly estimate the IMMENSE VALUE OF YOUR NATIONAL UNION TO YOUR COLLECTIVE AND INDIVIDUAL HAPPINESS…”

“All obstructions TO THE EXECUTION OF THE LAWS, all combinations and associations, under whatever plausible character, with the REAL DESIGN TO direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the constituted authorities, are DESTRUCTIVE of this fundamental principle, and of FATAL tendency.”

Such “combinations and associations [conspirators]… are likely in the course of time and things, to become POTENT ENGINES by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be able to SUBVERT THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE and to USURP for themselves the REINS of government: DESTROYING afterwards the very engines [Constitution] which have lifted them to UNJUST dominion…”

“One method of assault may be to effect in the forms of the Constitution ALTERATIONS which will impair the energy of the system, and thus undermine what cannot be DIRECTLY OVERTHROWN…“

“The jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake, since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of Republican government…”

“The great RULE OF CONDUCT for us in regard to foreign nations is, in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled, with perfect good faith. HERE LET US STOP…[NO treaties]“

“Why forego the advantages of so peculiar a situation? Why quit our own to stand upon foreign ground? Why, by interweaving our destiny with that of any part of Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the toils of European ambition, rivalship, interest, humor or caprice?“

“IT IS OUR TRUE POLICY TO STEER CLEAR OF PERMANENT ALLIANCE WITH ANY PORTION OF THE FOREIGN WORLD…”

[Source: Farewell Address delivered by George Washington, September 17, 1796]

For one hundred and twenty-one years this document formed the basis of our foreign policy; as a result, we prospered as no other nation in history.

ADDITIONAL INFO:

National Archives

Senate Tradition

The Papers of George Washington, Virginia Univ.