◆ SpookStack

When George Washington delivered his incomparable Farewell Address, he anticipated that’ the, Nation he fathered would follow “the course which has hitherto marked the destiny of nations.” Today, this course ‘towards destruction is’ called “inevitable” and highly praised—in certain quarters! By acquainting ourselves with his timeless wisdom, how- ever, we may learn how to stave off the “inevitable,” To this task, the Liserty Lossy is dedicated. Interwoven as is the love of liberty with every ligament of your hearts, no recom- ‘ mendation of mine is necessary to fortify or confirm the attachment. : The unity of government which consti- tutes you one people, is also now dear to you. It is justly so; for it is a main Pillar in the edifice of your real inde- pendence; the support of your tranquil- ity at home; your peace abroad: of your safety; of your prosperity; of that very liberty which you so highly prize. But as it is easy to foresee that, from -differ- ent causes and from different quarters much pains will be taken, many artifices employed, to weaken in your minds the conviction of this truth, as this is the point in your political fortress against which the batteries of internal and ex- ternal enemies will be most constantly and actively (though often covertly and insidiously) directed; it is of infinite moment, that you should properly esti- mate the immense value of your national union to- your collective and individual happiness; that you should cherish a cordial, habitual, and immovable attach- ment to it; accustoming yourselves to think and speak of it as the palladium of your political safety ‘and prosperity: watching for its-preservation with jeal- ous anxiety; discountenancing whatever may suggest even a suspicion that it can, in any event, be abandoned; and indig- nantiy frowning upon the first dawning of every attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest, or to enfeebie the sacred ties which now link together the various parts. : in contemplating the causes which may disturb our Union, it occurs as mat- ter of serious concern, that any ground ehould have been furnished for char- acterizing parties by geographical dis- -_erlminations,—northern and southern— _ Atlantic and western; whence designing . men may endeavor to excite s belief that there is a real difference of local inter- ests and views. One of the exnedients of party to acquire influence within par- ticular districts, is to misrepresent the opinions and aims of other districts.- You cannot shield yourselves too much against the jealousies and heart burn- ings which spring from these misrepre- sentations; they tend to render alien to each other those who ought to be bound together by fraternal affection a, é? Ra ernment’ and the permanency of your present happy state it ts requisite, not only, that you steadily discountenance irregular opposition to its acknowledged authority, but also that you resist with eare the spirit of innovation upon its principles, however specious the pretext. One method of assault may he to effect, in the forms of the constitution, altera- tions which will impair the energy of the system; and thus to. undermine what cannot be directly overthrown. In all the changes to which you may be involved, remember that time and habit are at least as necessary to fix the true charac~ ter of governments, as of other human institutions:—that experience is the sur- est standard by which to test the real tendency of the existing constitution of a country:—that facility in chenges, upon the credit of mere hypothesis and opin- fon, exposes to perpetual change from the endless variety of hypothesis and cpinion: and remember, especially, that for the efficient management of your common interests in a country so exten- sive as ours, a government of as much vigor as is consistent with the, perfect security of liberty is indispensable. Lib- erty itself will find in such a government, with powers properly distributed and ad- justed, its surest guardian. It is, indeed, little else than a name, where the gov- ernment is too feeble to withstand the enterprises of faction, to confine each jmember of the society within the limits Prescribed by the laws, and to maintain: ¢ all in the secure and tranquil enjoyment of the rights of person and property. I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the state, with par- - ticular references to the founding them on geographical discrimination. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn man-_ ner against the bancful effects of the spirit of party generally.-. - . This spirit, unfortunately, is insepara- ble from our nature, having Its root in the strongest passions of the human mind.—It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but in those of the popular form it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy. The alternate domination of one fac- tion over another, sharpened by the sprit of revenge natural to party dissen- sion, which in different ages and coun- Towards the preservation of your gov- -