George Washington's Farewell Address: A Strong Central Government

George Washington, elected to the Presidency in 1789, enjoyed a reputation that blurred the line between omnipotence and reality. Washington’s Farewell Address, as the letter is now called, has inspired much historical analysis, but its initial impact on publication centered on a single fact: Washington was leaving office. By voluntarily relinquishing the power of the Presidency, Washington initiated the two-term tradition, which was not officially established until the Twenty-second Amendment was passed in 1951. A modern citizen may take a two-term presidency as a given, but the citizens of 1790s saw in Washington's retirement a serious threat. For one, he was leaving the country in a state of flux and uncertainty. Secondly, there had been no period of time in which the nation had been without Washington as a leader. Lastly, eight years seemed rather short for a people who had been raised under monarchs.

Experience and excellent judgment allowed him to give us stirring warnings. No one was more acquainted with the inner workings of the new Republic’s government than he, and no one knew how better it may be abused. From the outset, one will notice that the arguments in this paper strongly defend a strong, central government. But Washington's persistence on a strong central government was not what all readers might think. He wasn’t saying that a government should impose its force on its citizens. Such a government could exploit the liberty of its people. The government he proposes would be effective in defending those liberties. If one would read closely they would find very resolute statements about the unity of the nation. People in Washington's day felt more loyalty do state governments then the federal government, and Washington knew this could be