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1、WASHINGTONSFAREWELLADDRESSTOTHEPEOPLEOFTHEUNITEDSTATES2ndSession106thcongressSenatedocumentno-106-21,Washington，2000WASHINGTONSFAREWELLADDRESSTOTHEPEOPLEOFTHEUNITEDSTATES2ndSession106thcongressSenatedocumentno-106-21，Washington，2000INTRODUCTIONPreparedbytheUnitedStatesSenateHistoricalOfficeInSeptemb
2、er1796,wornoutbyburdensofthepresidencyandaofpoliticalfoes,GeorgeWashingtonannouncedhisdecisionnottoseekathirdterm.WiththeassistanceofAlexanderHamiltonandJamesMadison,WashingtoncomposedinaFarewellAddresshispoliticaltestamenttothenation.Designedtoinspireandguidefuturegenerations,theaddressalsosetforth
3、WashingtonsdefenseofhisadministrationsrecordandembodiedaclassicstatementofFederalistdoctrine.Washingtonsprincipalconcernwasforthesafetyoftheeight-year-oldConstitution.HebelievedthatthestabilityoftheRepublicwasthreatenedbytheforcesofgeographicalsectionalism,politicalfactionalism,andinterferencebyfore
4、ignpowersinthenationsdomesticaffairs.HeurgedAmericanstosubordinatesectionaljealousiestocommonnationalinterests.Writingatatimebeforepoliticalpartieshadbecomeacceptedasvitalextraconstitutional,opinion-focusingagencies,Washingtonfearedthattheycarriedtheseedsofthenationsdestructionthroughpettyfactionali
5、sm.AlthoughWashingtonwasinnosensethefatherofAmericanisolationism,sinceherecognizedthenecessityoftemporaryassociationsforextraordinaryemergencies,hedidcounselagainsttheestablishmentofpermanentallianceswithothercountries,connectionsthathewarnedwouldinevitablybesubversiveofAmericasnationalinterest.Wash
6、ingtondidnotpubliclydeliverhisFarewellAddress.ItfirstappearedonSeptember19,1796,inthePhiladelphiaDailyAmericanAdvertiserandtheninpapersaroundthecountry.InJanuary1862,withtheConstitutionendangeredbycivilwar,athousandcitizensofPhiladelphiapetitionedCongresstocommemoratetheforthcoming130thanniversaryof
7、GeorgeWashingtonsbirthbyprovidingthattheFarewellAddressofWashingtonbereadaloudonthemorningofthatdayinoneortheotheroftheHousesofCongress.BothhousesagreedandassembledintheHouseofRepresentativeschamberonFebruary22,1862,whereSecretaryoftheSenateJohnW.ForneyrenderedTheFarewellAddressveryeffectively,asone
8、observerrecalled.ThepracticeofreadingtheFarewellAddressdidnotimmediatelybecomeatradition.TheaddresswasfirstreadinregularlegislativesessionsoftheSenatein1888andtheHousein1899.(TheHousecontinuedthepracticeuntil1984.)Since1893theSenatehasobservedWashingtonsbirthdaybyselectingoneofitsmemberstoreadtheFar
9、ewellAddress.Theassignmentalternatesbetweenmembersofeachpoliticalparty.Attheconclusionofeachreading,theappointedsenatorinscribeshisorhernameandbriefremarksinablack,leatherboundbookmaintainedbythesecretaryoftheSenate.TheversionoftheaddressprintedhereistakenfromtheoriginalofthefinalmanuscriptintheNewY
10、orkPublicLibraryprovidedcourtesyofThePapersofGeorgeWashington.Theonlychangeshavebeentomodernizespelling,capitalization,andpunctuation.WASHINGTONSFAREWELLADDRESSTothepeopleoftheUnitedStatesFriendsandFellow-Citizens:TheperiodforanewelectionofacitizentoadministertheexecutivegovernmentoftheUnitedStatesb
11、eingnotfardistant,andthetimeactuallyarrivedwhenyourthoughtsmustbeemployedindesignatingthepersonwhoistobeclothedwiththatimportanttrust,itappearstomeproper,especiallyasitmayconducetoamoredistinctexpressionofthepublicvoice,thatIshouldnowappriseyouoftheresolutionIhaveformed,todeclinebeingconsideredamong
12、thenumberofthoseoutofwhomachoiceistobemade.IbegyouatthesametimetodomethejusticetobeassuredthatthisresolutionhasnotbeentakenwithoutastrictregardtoalltheconsiderationsappertainingtotherelationwhichbindsadutifulcitiiWASHINGTONSFAREWELLADDRESSzentohiscountryandthat,inwithdrawingthetenderofservicewhichsi
13、lenceinmysituationmightimply,Iaminfluencedbynodiminutionofzealforyourfutureinterest,nodeficiencyofgratefulrespectforyourpastkindness,butamsupportedbyafullconvictionthatthestepiscompatiblewithboth.Theacceptanceof,andcontinuancehithertoin,theofficetowhichyoursuffrageshavetwicecalledmehavebeenauniforms
14、acrificeofinclinationtotheopinionofdutyandtoadeferenceforwhatappearedtobeyourdesire.Iconstantlyhopedthatitwouldhavebeenmuchearlierinmypower,consistentlywithmotiveswhichIwasnotatlibertytodisregard,toreturntothatretirementfromwhichIhadbeenreluctantlydrawn.Thestrengthofmyinclinationtodothis,previoustot
15、helastelection,hadevenledtothepreparationofanaddresstodeclareittoyou;butmaturereflectiononthethenperplexedandcriticalpostureofouraffairswithforeignnations,andtheunanimousadviceofpersonsentitledtomyconfidence,impelledmetoabandontheidea.Irejoicethatthestateofyourconcerns,externalaswellasinternal,nolon
16、gerrendersthepursuitofinclinationincompatiblewiththesentimentofdutyorproprietyandampersuaded,whateverpartialitymayberetainedformyservices,thatinthepresentcircumstancesofourcountryyouwillnotdisapprovemydeterminationtoretire.TheimpressionswithwhichIfirstundertookthearduoustrustwereexplainedontheproperoccasion.Inthedischargeofthistrust,IwillonlysaythatIhave,withgoodintentions,cont
