In the United States, few names are as intertwined with freedom, history, and the American spirit as George Washington. And Today on September 19th, 1796 George Washington with the help of James Madison and Alexander Hamilton composed a 32-page speech called the Farewell Address, in the farewell address Washington speaks of the constitution which at the time of the speech was a simple 8 years old and his concerns for it (what came before it, the articles of confederation were seen as inefficient at best and worthless at worst and such many people worried for if the constitution which was one of the first constitutions of its time would suffer the same fate). He also addressed what should come of the country being neutral in other countries affairs and guiding future generations.
(a pamphlet of the address was published in 1811 and sold in 2016)
The changes made from the Farewell address are some of the most famous aspects of American politics, Washing talks about changing the constitution only through amendments, and laws designed to weaken the constitution can not be made without opposition. Interestingly Washington also speaks against political parties speaking against the Democratic-republican party and the Federalist part in particular stating that every nation has fought against political parties because of their tendancy to fight each
other and gain more power over the other. He states that Political parties alternating domination is coinciding with attempting to the revenge on the other parties has lead to terrible atrocities and “self righteous despotism.”
Only 70 years later, in 1862 a year into the American civil war the constitution was threatened, and in the house of representatives, both parties agreed to read aloud the Farewell address on the morning of George Washington's birth. This event would occur a few more times in 1888 and 1899 and would become a yearly event in which a single seeker would read aloud the Farewell Address and inscribe their name and simple remarks in a black leather bound book which is held by the secretary of the senate, the first name in this book would be Joseph Foraker a Republican Senator from Ohio and in recent years notes have become longer and more elaborate including stories and small speeches by readers. In total 130 Senators from all 50 states excluding Alaska have read the Address starting with John J. Ingalls from Kansas and this year on February 22nd Patrick J. Leahy from Vermont delivered the speech
While the Address is too long to be fully shown in this article many quotes can be taken from the speech, in particular, one “Observe good faith and justice towards all Nations; cultivate peace and harmony with all,” while ignoring “permanent inveterate antipathies against particular Nations, and passionate attachment for others.” while it may be hard to understand but is most simply defined as “be peaceful, do not hold grudges or seek violence and treat all equally” I, along with Minnesota Senator Humphrey believe this is a document every single person should read in a history class.
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