LAD #6- Washington's Farewell Address

In his farewell address, Washington obviously stated that he would not be running for re-election, but he also gave valuable advice to the American people and his successor. To begin, Washington stated that he had considered not running for his pervious second election, and even drafted a farewell speech. Washington ultimately did not follow through with this idea, as there were numerous critical situations within the country, and the unanimous voice of his peers begging him to stay, made him consider otherwise. Washington thanked the citizens of the United States, and the country itself in which he governed. He also asked that the citizens make personal decisions carefully, for since the country is interwoven, the decision of one person could impact the Union as a whole. Washington’s greatest concern that he voiced to the people was the strength of the Union, which he hoped would be preserved after he left. Overall, Washington gave advice on many topics, such as the strength of the union, the dangers of geographical discrimination, which could lead to severance of states, the need to balance factions, and his policy of non-alignment with European nations. George Washington left a legacy of freedom and a plethora of advice to future presidents in his farewell address, many of which can still be seen today.