The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-02-19


pendence, the Constitution. Washingtons Farewell
Address and the Monroe Doctrine.
The Farewell Address was used at test every
where by everybody. Both sides used it. Those
who opposed the treaty made use of it a solemn
warning against "entangling foreign alliances
the presentday equivalent of Washingtons phrase,
permanent alliances with any portion of the for
eign world" Those favorng the treaty argued
that Washingtons political wisdom of his day
only. and that his teachings are out of date;
that while Washington good and noble he was
unlearned in the science of government and
trained in the arts of statecraft.
Those who adhered to the policy of the Farewell
Address also upheld the Monroe Doctrine, holding
the latter to be the development and Outgrowth of
the former.
The events leading up to the Farewell Address
are briefly follows: The constitutional con-
EentiOn met in May in Philadelphia. After four
months of secret deliberations the Constitution
was completed and offered to the individual states
for adoption. Nine states necessary; New
Hampshire made the ninth. The Constitution
went into effect June 21, 1888 George Washing
ton elected the first president of the United
States and served two terms 1789-1796. He de-
cined third term and established the precedent
for but reelection.
If Washington accepted the presidency with re-
luctance it with pronounced distaste that he
yielded to what he thought was his duty and took
the office for second term. And it proved to be
q stormy term In 1893 France declared war on
England and Louis XVI was beheaded in France
by the revOlutionsts. Citizen" Genet represent
ing the French revolutionists, arrived here and
stirred the American people to frenzy OF
sympathy with France. Washington issued a neu-
trality proclamation which aroused a storm of
popular protest Genet's activities resulted in his
recall In the meantime Great Britain was post
poning the surrender Of British posts in the North
west, taking American sailors from American
ships under the pretext that they were Britons
and acting generally that large part of the
American people camOred for against the
British. Washington finally succeeded in ne
gotiating a treaty with Great Britain, which in
part corrected these evils. Thus he succeeded
both in maintaining neutrality and averting war,
in spite of discOrd in his cabinet and division of
sentiment in the nation. And it was with full
heart that he wrote that part of his Farewell Ad-
dress to the American people, September H. 1896,
his retirement from the presidency approached.
That his heart full is shown by these words
from the address:
In offering to you. my countrymen. these coun-
sells OF old and affectionate friend, 1 dare not
hope they will make the strong and lasting i'm
preston that I could wish-that they will control
| the usual current of the passions prevent our
nation from running the course which has hitherto
| marked the destiny of nations. But if may even
| hatter myself that they may be productive of
some partial benefit. occasional good-that
they may and then to moderate the
fury of party spirit, to against the mischiefs
of foreign intrigue, TO guard against the i'm
pastures Of pretended patriOtism-thiS hope will
| be full recOmpense for the socitude for your
welfare by which they have been dictated"
The part of the Farewell Address most used, of
| course was those paragraphs toward its close
which bear foreign relations OF the United
States. These paragraphs were read into the
| Congressional Record follows several oc-
casiOns:
Against the insidious wies of foreign influence
Il conjure you to believe me, fellow citizens) the
| jealousy OF free people ought TO be constantly
awake since history and experience prove that
foreign influence is one OF the most baneful foes
of republican government :.