George Washington’s Farewell Address and Health Matters
George Washington on leaving office warned us about the dangers of partisanship. You may ask what George Washington’s concerns about partisanship have to do with health. Partisanship and tribalism have become increasingly strong forces in our society. They poison discussions surrounding health. This has had a significant impact on the health of our citizens. I also believe that partisanship and tribalism are bad for our individual psychological well being.
Washington served his fellow citizens for decades in politics and the military. At the age of 17 he served his first term in public office being appointed the surveyor of Culpeper County in the Colony of Virginia. During his 20s Washington served in a variety of military roles before going back to farming. He was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses and served for 15 years before the Revolutionary War. After the 8 year war, George Washington was named president of the Continental Congress before becoming our only President to not be affiliated with a political party. At the end of his second term as President of the United States of America he issued what would be referred to as his “farewell address”. At the age of 64, in the form of a letter he declared that he was not running for a third term and spelled out concerns he had for the forces he feared could mold our young nation.
George Washington was very concerned about political parties and used a lot of ink in his letter on this subject. He wrote that he wanted to “ ... warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party …”. He asserted that this spirit in the context of a “popular government” such as ours “is truly their worst Enemy”. He called on his fellow citizens to keep political parties in check saying “the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and the duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.” Washington continued “It (the spirit of the party) serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another …”. Click here to read the section of the document where Washington shares his concerns about partisanship.
Since 1896 , the full address has been recited in front of congress on his birthday. Former Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse shares our common birthday. In 2017 he was bestowed the honor of articulating the address. Click here to listen.
Article on the history of the Senate reading of Washington’s letter:
Educational video:
A “modern translation” of the address:
—George Washington, from the Farewell Address, Sept. 19, 1796 in: The Writings of George Washington, pp. 969-71 (Library of America ed. 1997)
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