Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1896-09-17
Wa.hington's Farewell Address.

One of the most precious legacies OF the
true American spirit ever bsqueathed TO
tha citizens of the United States is george
Wssnington's Farewell Address. Issued
under date of September 10, 1876, when ne
not only declined in dignihed and unmis-
taxable words the honor Of third Presi-
der, al term, but a. uttered 10 the young
nation of which he hsd been acclaimed
.aThe Father" the 'sisinterested warning
of a psrting friend" Il was not only an
sppeal to patriotism, but 9 prophetic eau
ti.u against the errors.an wees OF section-
,Esn. The great leader had always expert
enced bitterly the unhappy cotseaueEees
of sectiCnslism upon the tended nelo. Inc
iealousies of the Conti' entail soidlers-ot-
ten the result Of old provinslai and COLO
NAL squsbbles-had made him heartsick
many time, ever in the horr OF victory
over the common foe. Time and again he
had been moved to exclsim that the new
system without King George was Ike the
substitution Of thirteen petty soVereigntles
for the old single one.
In his TIP towards The West he discern
ed the trembling pivotal attltuoe OF tne
immense Western Empire with respect to
the future development Of the new ftdera-
tion. During the eigh. years OF his Presl-
denov he had beheld the cruel beginning
of nartisan warfare. His own fellow-pss-
riot. Thomas Jefferson, had instituted
CRITICISM upon MIN, and Frenean's dis
tribes had soured many OF the sweets oi
public honor. Indeed, Washington once
exclaimed: They could not tres. me any
worse If I were a Nero" when he deterul-
ined to issue his Farewell Acdress ne
turned to Editor Claypool as Its pnoIsnef
| That Journalist alone had treated wash
Il -.sk ~
| which he deserved, while all the An Fed-
eralists were barking and swapping at his
l heels.
Having At the close OF his first term
| consulted James Madison ia-regard to an
| address declining q second elec.lon, ssn
| in oton now sought theadvioe and couu sci
of Alexander H amilton no longer mem
| her of the Cabinet. The Address was pre-
| pared and published nearly half year be-
| fore his official term expired. The immor'
| Al paper has often been printed with the
| date Of September II, and special interest,"
| has been expressed in the Coincidence o.
As s t rs g. az Assatssi s9s Sss
ed States Asa matter Of tact the orig
| lnal Address, in WsshiDgton's autograph
| bears the date Of September ~, 1870, a.
| lay be seen by the visitors to the Leno1
l Library in New York.
| The immediate effect Of the Address
was to emphasize the truly republican
4 character Of the new nation. 1t at once
| gained triumphant recognition for the
| principle Of popular government. But tne
| 'sNo Third Term idea is by no means &c
| important az the NO SectiOnalism" pm
ciple laid down in this message by the de
| parted Father of this Country. Ioa'
| broad, far sighted craftsmanship, which
| ever distinguished Washing on, seems tc
| glu D sed far ahead ot the actual perli
| whicn then threatened the Federal GOV
ernment. Tte slavery divorce between
| North and South had already been hlnteo
| in the famous suppressed passage OF JET
| ferson's Declaration of Independence.
| Washington not only felt the dividing In
| fuAnce of the Mason and Dixon line
| out any care i reader of his writings (at
| collected by Mr., Fofd) must be Impressed
| with the conviction that he was also anx'
| ious to prevent divorce OF East and west
| To-day when holitical agitators, appeal
| ing to class prejudices, arc doing all tney
| can to stir up the spirit of sectionalism be-
| tweentT West and South and the East, 1t If
| a genuine civic duty and benefit to listen
| once more TO the warning appeal OF the
| of the great American who knew no name
| out that Of country. Exclaimed he in al.
| most propheic accents;
In contemplating the causes which may
| disturb our Union, il occurs as matter
| of serious concern. thht Lny ground should
| have been furnished for sharaoterizing par
ties By geographical discriminations: North
| ern ana Sonthsrp Atlantic and Western
whence designing men may endeavor tt
| excite belief that there is . real differ
| euce of local interests and views. One o.
the ezpedients of party to acquire influence
within particular districts is 70 misrep-e
sent the opinion and aims of other dis
| tricts. You connot snield yourself toe
much against the jealopsies and heart
burniugs which spring from these misrep-
resentstions they tend to render alien t6
zach other those who ought 20 be bound
together by fraternal affection.