Historian and joseph ellis as well cnn. Good evening everyone my name is Kevin Butterfield on behalf of George Washington mount vernon and the Ladies Organization continues to protect and preserve it today, i want to welcome me too this conversation about George Washingtons farewell address. On september 19, 1796 George Washington announced to the world he would not seek reelection to the presidency. His letter to friends and citizens offer some of the much thorough, thoughtful and inspiring advice has ever been given to the American People. In more than a few genuine warnings were included there as well. The hopes and fears remained with us as a nation are now discussing this now 225 year old document. Much of what we debate and discuss in 21st Century America politics is addressed here in one form or another. In recognition of this document we brought together an incredible lineup of talented scholars to reflect on the relevance of the farewell address today. We were joined by jon avalon author, columnist, senior political analyst, is the author of books including the one we will discuss tonight washingtons farewell a new book on Abraham Lincoln coming out next february. His work is going to be important to our conversation here tonight as were the work of lindsey stravinsky. She is president ial cabinet, history senior fellow at Southern Methodist university. In the lecture of media and Public Affairs at George Washington university shes also a fellow at the international. Shes the author of the awardwinning book the cabinet George Washington and the creation of an american institution. I was when the leading scholars of American History author of more than a dozen books else has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for founding brothers the revolutionary generation and the National Book award for america stinks, his biography of Thomas Jefferson and most recent book, the cause, the American Revolution that discontent comes out tomorrow. All of our guests are great friends of mount vernon. Were so pleased to be able to offer signed copies of their books. Look for links in the chat that can help you find those and of course please feel free to visit us anytime at mount vernon. Org. Welcome. Hey. Thanks for having us. Are here to discuss a really important document in American History. I guess the farewell address. I give the tiny little preview of what it is just imagine someone coming into the conversation right now, what is the formal address john will turn to you first, what is the text . It is americas original scripture. It is most widely printed completely declaration of independence. It was the sum total of wisdom that George Washington accumulated and a life of war and peace as president that he put down first with james mattis and Alexander Hamilton as a warning to his friends and fellow citizens which is how he addressed it, about the forces he felt could derail the democratic experiment going forward. Its one of the most relevant document you can imagine. Even though it fell out of favor for a time, i think when it is read today it is a stark warning about the dangers of what we call hyper partisanship, excessive debt, foreign wars, foreign interference in our elections and also suggest some of the liberty some the things we can draw upon to avoid the straps. That unity of morality and virtue. The importance of fiscal discipline and political moderation. They turn to you, lindsay, George Washington create a text john mentioned there were other authors, can you tell us a little bit about the years leading up to this. This is a moment he decides not to be present any longer. As a great scholar of washingtons presidency set the page of those last months or days in the washington presidency as hes thinking this address appeared cocksure. I did not want to stand for second term at all. He had wanted to be in office for a couple of years and hightail it as soon he could they did not really like being president he had to be away from home has so much stress and pressure he knew every step to establish a precedent for this to come after him. He did not like criticism he was wearing his reputation met he would be damaged by a poor choice. We also had a real commitment to the importance of being an office. Felt very strongly the American People the election of peaceful transfer of power had to be practiced and cultivated. He was determined to try to oversee that. Early in 1796 they had a conversation about the process rolling shared a series of drafts of the next two months until september washington then published his paper in september to reach the maximum number of people to make it clear he was speaking to the people not to congress or Different Branch of government too. Will be spending most of thats our time talking about the text itself. What can you tell me, what would you add about the origins of what led up to the creation of this document you might want to share about washington before 1796 . I would venture to guess john and the modern presidency no president in the americans who did not want to be president more than george bush. Not on a second term he did not want a first term. And when he was going up to that in york he said he felt like a prisoner going to jail. And he really meant it. Almost half have to do with mount vernon. That was where he wanted to be. He really did. All of the views of the presidency are shaped by it 20th century significance. Washington did not regard the presidency as the capstone of his career. When he was she did not have to do. The great thing he did was win the war. I think that is true of all four of the president s, the first floor. Adams great thing this before the revolution to bring it into meaning. Jeffersons was the declaration. Madisons was the constitution and the federalist papers. All of them did not think about the presidency is the great moment in their lives. Washington was aficionado of residence. Even before that and newburgh refusing to become dictator annapolis where the capitol was the surrender of his commission george the third is that it cant be if the depth does that he be the greatest man in the world. Well he did and for that moment at least he was. Jefferson writes about this right after. I think jefferson actually wrote some of washingtons speech i cant prove that. But jefferson says one man saved us from the fate that befalls most republics. There thinking cromwell, subsequently they can think of napoleon, we can think of now, we can think of castro a variety of who never run away from office. Those that might still be alive in american politics. But the president is ratified as a constitutional amendment in 1951 i believe. The real president all leaders, no matter how indispensable are disposable. You do not die in office like a monarch. The dominant thing we need to remember is this was not ever delivered as an address. Now both of our commentators already know that but we have not mentioned it. It was not a speech was an open letter to the American People that first appeared in a philadelphia paper and then i think a New Hampshire paper gives that the farewell address. But that initial reaction to the address is oh my god, he cannot leave us. It was like the father saying to the children, you are on your own then. And that was a trauma. Nobody thought he was ever going to retire. Fate presumed he would win elections until he died. And again he could not wait to get back to the place where you are sitting, kevin. Jim reference something you write about this in your book, this is not the first bit of advice washington shared a widely with the nation. Could you tell us a little bit about washington back in 1783 in how we also his guidance of the nation. That was originally called his farewell address. I did not know that is that true . Yes. That is a true story. What is fascinating about that is first of all theres continuity. With the power of the gesture itself the simple act of voluntarily relinquishing power itself was they were referring to jefferson and an epilogue to my book i think its perfectly crystallizes washington throughout his career. Jefferson said the virtue of a single character probably prevented this regulation from enclosed azimuth other has been by a subversion it was intended to establish. And certainly there were some of the stakes in 1783 as well. The normal course of events was the military leader would displace the tyrant and then become a tyrant himself. So, talk about the prevalence of ancient roman and greek precedent on this young republic, this was a real step he took. He was a voluntarily relinquishing power it was completely genuine. The advice he gives in 1783 is very similar albeit subsequently seek through the prism of fights he saw as president and the fights over the ratification of the treaty in americas Foreign Policy. Basically says first of all this is not a time of celebration. Now we need to establish the republican show the world we can establish republic on a scale never before seen, right . Among other things it was wisdom a democracy could not exist. It would never work in a country as big as the 13 colonies. One is about the need for National Unity. In fighting with cottonelle congress all throughout the war. Cannot find a sense of resolve her focus on the common good. Did not want to levy to support the troops. With a sense of unity and think as citizens. I think one of the important points is independence and freedom can be sort of a state of nature. Liberty requires responsibility. Excuse me im just finishing at lincoln book right now. That is what washington said in the 1783 address. And again in 1796. One of the things i can do tonight and hopefully can start this now is bring up a few of the short quotations people can pull out of the farewell address. This one i would like to bring up because as we were discussing if you read down to the bottom that refers to the method is given this kind of advice before. This interest in warning of a parting friend. Possibly have no personal motive at this council. This was the way he begins his right after i cant read the exact phrase he has a few paragraphs and then he said here perhaps i should stop. But then he goes on many, many paragraphs longer to give some serious advice to the American People. When you see phrases like this, a disinterested morning how does it sit with washington as leader and president of you as he really did see himself as president for all of the American People. At least for the American People really wanted to represent them regardless of their partisan identity was. That might be out little rose glassing the situation. There is bias he by the end of his presidency what she did not necessarily want to admit. He felt like certain sides of been more critical of him domestic rebellions things like about. But he wanted to see himself as above those things. He did with a political president we had for sure. And his leading office leaves and more creative to do that. Had he still been in office there is no way people would have been disinterested they wouldve been for a third term. But by leaving office he had put himself in that elevated position give out advice and claim to be disinterested even if some what is really fast and about the reception to this farewell address is people who are inclined to think well of him saw it as disinterested as he had intended. Those were inclined to see him as a more political actor thought it was very political. Disinterested warnings of a parting friend how do you read that guidance . I agree with what was just said print limiter try to on that a little bit. Political parties the founders as a group including washington all regarded Political Parties as evil vultures that were floating to the political atmosphere. Jefferson even claimed if i have to go to heaven as a thirdparty i prefer not to go at all. Washington believed and said i think john adams is the only other president. And so and washingtons second term, now political scientists think the creation of Political Parties is one of the major contributions they made but because it disciplines dissent and the possibility of opposition which is a good thing. Washington and adams lets stick with washington was incapable of thinking a Political Parties anything other than an evil intrusion. He could not see himself as the head of a party. And so you might think hes in an actor is him he is a classical figure in that. I would build on something again. The aurora, you look up and textbooks they will say the opposing party that comes into existence is called the Democratic Republican Party. Wrong. Its not called the Democratic Republican Party it is called the Republican Party buried the word democrat and democracy as an epitaph in the h century it means mob rules. Democratic republican does not come until 1860 with monroe. It is tricky because that party morphs into the democratic party. Its even worse that the federals morphed and its really tricky. But the aurora is the 18th century, john, you might comment on this, fox news. And when they publish the forged documents, forged british documents claiming washington throughout the war was really a trader he was trying to be of Benedict Arnold but got feet to the punch by Benedict Arnold. This was just off the top stuff. And actually, among the people commenting on his farewell address was thomas paine he hated him because he didnt think washington got them out of france fast enough. He said we must all devoutly pray for his imminent death. And so the criticism he was a getting too. Its pretty funny by the way he was famously an atheist. That is true he was. You mean pain not washington. The level of partisanship in the 1790s is comparable to what we are facing in washington now, okay . The press there were no rules for the press. All the news fit to print. Now, washington stands firmly against that whole thing. He thanks of you have any problems you can vote me out of the next election. But the level of partisanship in the newspapers in the 1790s is scatological. In washington really cannot understand that. He does not understand it. Only think he is hurt by it. I think he survives the french and indian war. He should have been killed when he was a young man. He shouldve been killed several times. He was not even a wounded but they wounded him in his second term they really got him. He could not wait to get out of there. I know we want to move into the discussion of his attitude towards political partisanship in the context is what i described in the specific legislation it really explodes on with the jay treaty. And his defense of that. I will shut up on this after this i promise you. The word is republic and that means things of the public. The public is different from the people. The people are usually misinformed in their opinions that is the reason democracy is not a positive term. The function of the reader is to act in the Public Interest even when it is unpopular. Adams carries this to an extreme. He is the guy who defends the british troops in the boston massacre. He was thought of what eyes do is unpopular it must be right. Could have won the election of 18 or by going to worth of france and he refused to do it in the alley said it was the proudest thing he ever did. But the public is a big word here. Washington internalize that. One of the reasons the senate has a sixyear term is supposedly to make them more likely to vote in the long term interest of the public its the most partisan portion of the government now. I will shut up but public, public, public he represents them. He mentioned the aurora and i know you wanted to Say Something very quick so one quick thing i want to sort of highlights when joe was talking about how personally wounded washington was that was really quite intentional on the part of the newspaper editors. The editor of the aurora would deliver three copies of his newspaper every day to the front steps of the president s house. Even though washington is not a subscriber. He did so intentionally to get under washington skin. We know it works because he rants and raves about in cabinet and jefferson took careful notes. This Political Warfare in the partisan or wound they were trying to inflict was quite intentional. Lets get a taste of washington on parties and we can further explore this. This is some of his own language and theres much more of it in the address space only to distract the Public Councils and the Public Administration agitates the community with illfounded jealousies and false alarms kindles the animosity of one party against another. Occasionally write an insurrection pit opens the door to foreign influence and corruption which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channel of party passions. Joy want to push back Assembly Language therapy. Leave it up for a Second Period i think if you have to pick the nut craft thats ripped from the headlines today this to be particulate make it agitates the community with illfounded falsities. Occasionally write an insurrection opens the door of foreign influence. We just had a right and insurrection which was partisan in its nature this calendar year that resulted in the worst attack on the capitol si