February 23, 2004
WHAT A LUCKY NATION WE WERE.
Washington's Farewell Address (1796)
Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice ? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.Those of you who have suffered through my various maunderings here will recognize these thoughts, expressed much better and in a greater spirit of brotherhood than I will ever manage. Washington's reputation is somewhat tattered and dusty these days. He was a slaveowner, and thus is open to that (half-deserved) calumny. He is not known for his intellect, suffering perhaps in comparison to Jefferson's brighter gift and Adam's brassier character. Yet Washington's relatively small number of key writings never fail to repay study. Posted by David Cohen at February 23, 2004 2:24 PMIt is substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. The rule, indeed, extends with more or less force to every species of free government. Who that is a sincere friend to it can look with indifference upon attempts to shake the foundation of the fabric?
Promote then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of a government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public opinion should be enlightened.
After reading some mixed reviews of An Imperfect God by Henry Wiencek, I was pleasantly surprised to find it to be a sensitive accounting of the culture of Washington's planter class in Virginia, showing the clear cross pressures on Washington's thinking about slavery (and all of the pressures to free his slaves were internally generated) and his decision to free his slaves at his death (and mandate that his heirs provide for their education. )
Character counts, and Washington's contemporaries, in the U.S. and Europe, knew he was an exemplar.
Posted by: Daniel Merriman at February 23, 2004 2:33 PMMost people who criticize the great act as if their accomplishments were no big deal, when in fact only men of high quality could do them. So you have to put up with the cranks who attack Washington, Lincoln, or FDR.
Posted by: Chris Durnell at February 23, 2004 4:44 PMAnd even though all of that is true, Washington is still the greatest President ever because he chose to be President when he could have been King.
Posted by: MarkD at February 23, 2004 8:27 PMI have always thought that Washington serving for two terms as President and then retiring is the most important thing that ever happened to America. Without that precedent of two-and-go-home who knows what Presidents-for-life we would have had.
Posted by: brian at February 23, 2004 9:56 PMBrian -- My favorite parts of the Farewell Address are:
The acceptance of, and continuance hitherto in, the office to which your suffrages have twice called me have been a uniform sacrifice of inclination to the opinion of duty and to a deference for what appeared to be your desire. I constantly hoped that it would have been much earlier in my power, consistently with motives which I was not at liberty to disregard, to return to that retirement from which I had been reluctantly drawn. The strength of my inclination to do this, previous to the last election, had even led to the preparation of an address to declare it to you; but mature reflection on the then perplexed and critical posture of our affairs with foreign nations, and the unanimous advice of persons entitled to my confidence, impelled me to abandon the idea.
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In looking forward to the moment which is intended to terminate the career of my public life, my feelings do not permit me to suspend the deep acknowledgment of that debt of gratitude which I owe to my beloved country for the many honors it has conferred upon me; still more for the steadfast confidence with which it has supported me; and for the opportunities I have thence enjoyed of manifesting my inviolable attachment, by services faithful and persevering, though in usefulness unequal to my zeal.
That Washington speaks of the debt of gratitude he owes to the country is a measure of the man.
Posted by: David Cohen at February 24, 2004 5:13 PM