George Washington made his farewell to the political world in his letter in the 1790s. However, it wasn’t just a letter of resignation, it was a letter that warned American citizens about the dangers and possible threats to the country’s safety in the future. In addition, he also gave valuable advice for the overall country. His letter provides an interesting contrast against the current government today. The majority of his warnings ring true today, as there are many examples of where his warnings have been ignored. The results are apparent in today’s American society and government, as well as how the country handles foreign affairs.
In 1796, George Washington wrote a resignation letter to colleagues and the citizens of America addressing …show more content…
6). Washington’s level of patriotism is emphasized all throughout the letter, and his need of warning his fellow citizens shows his care and respect for the safety of the country and the position that he was about to leave. Washington was also perceptive about the reality of future threats, as he was right about many of the temptations that he feared the country would face, such as the issue of getting involved in foreign affairs (“Washington’s Farewell Address,” 1796, para. 36). Washington was concerned about the country because he couldn’t leave without trying to help maintain the safety of the …show more content…
In Washington’s opinion, a united country would result in the strongest; in addition, he believed that taking pride in one’s country needed to be a constant source of strength for every citizen, born in America or not (“Washington’s Farewell Address,” 1796, para. 10). If every person could respect the foundation of their country, such as the Constitution for example, then there would be little chance of becoming weak as an overall people. Washington also warned that parties and groups would use this as a way to seem to united with the common folk, when, in reality, they were truly looking at their personal or party interests; in fact, he believed that while parties, unions, and other political groups had their importance, they also had the realistic power of creating fractures in the harmony of America (“Washington’s Farewell Address,” 1796, para. 16-17). Clearly, Washington did not doubt the power of unions and parties, and feared their persuasive influence on the American people. However, Washington also recognized that patience and experiments were necessary in the grand scheme of bettering a government; for example, toward the end of the letter, Washington expressed his hope that his advice did not get in the way of the natural course of government and social changes, but instead wished that his words would help encourage a wiser path (“Washington’s Farewell
In 1796, George Washington wrote a resignation letter to colleagues and the citizens of America addressing …show more content…
6). Washington’s level of patriotism is emphasized all throughout the letter, and his need of warning his fellow citizens shows his care and respect for the safety of the country and the position that he was about to leave. Washington was also perceptive about the reality of future threats, as he was right about many of the temptations that he feared the country would face, such as the issue of getting involved in foreign affairs (“Washington’s Farewell Address,” 1796, para. 36). Washington was concerned about the country because he couldn’t leave without trying to help maintain the safety of the …show more content…
In Washington’s opinion, a united country would result in the strongest; in addition, he believed that taking pride in one’s country needed to be a constant source of strength for every citizen, born in America or not (“Washington’s Farewell Address,” 1796, para. 10). If every person could respect the foundation of their country, such as the Constitution for example, then there would be little chance of becoming weak as an overall people. Washington also warned that parties and groups would use this as a way to seem to united with the common folk, when, in reality, they were truly looking at their personal or party interests; in fact, he believed that while parties, unions, and other political groups had their importance, they also had the realistic power of creating fractures in the harmony of America (“Washington’s Farewell Address,” 1796, para. 16-17). Clearly, Washington did not doubt the power of unions and parties, and feared their persuasive influence on the American people. However, Washington also recognized that patience and experiments were necessary in the grand scheme of bettering a government; for example, toward the end of the letter, Washington expressed his hope that his advice did not get in the way of the natural course of government and social changes, but instead wished that his words would help encourage a wiser path (“Washington’s Farewell