Revisiting Washington's Farewell Address

I am currently reading the wonderful biography by Ron Chernow, simply titled Alexander Hamilton. The ideas that he fully endorsed and, through his relationship with George Washington, was able to invoke into action need to be revisited today. But that is for another posting soon to come. Today's will look at a quote from Washington's Farewell Address, as well as some key ideas from the address that Chernow summarizes (full address available here):


“[F]actions can become ‘potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government’” – taken from George Washington’s Farewell Address, ghostwritten by Alexander Hamilton

· There are dangers with domestic factions, which can allow advancement for corrupt men
· Urging for a vigorous central government to protect liberty
· Stressed public credit and the necessity to control deficits and debts
· Maintaining the sacred duty of obeying the Constitution


If we only came back to these and many other of our Founding Father's ideas and meanings behind the formative years of our nation, we would be in a much different place (except for Jefferson and Madison, they epitomize the foundation of the current Democratic party). Let us hope that these lessons can be spread through the populus before both the 2010 and 2012 elections are upon us...