Washington's Farewell Address to the People of the United States

Book excerpt: Washington's Farewell Address to the People of the United States. This compact volume contains the official text of George Washington's historic Farewell Address, which he wrote in September 1796 after he decided not to seek a third term as President of the United States. Two-thirds of the Address is devoted to domestic matters and the rise of political parties, and Washington set out his vision of what would make the United States a truly great nation. He called for men to put aside party and unite for the common good, an "American character" wholly free of foreign attachments. The United States must concentrate only on American interests, and while the country ought to be friendly and open its commerce to all nations, it should avoid becoming involved in foreign wars.