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PRESIDENT GEORGE WASHINGTON GAVE HIS FAMOUS 

FAREWELL ADDRESS, LEAVING THE AMERICAN PEOPLE 

A PARTING GIFT OF 20 PROPHETIC WARNINGS:

• Be vigilant, people will seek to use the government for selfish ends.

• Avoid overgrown military establishments; they are hostile to liberty.

• Prevent all obstructions to the execution of the laws.

• Control bureaucracies; make sure they all work together.

• Avoid political parties; they will cause divisive factions and unscrupulous men 

will use them to undermine the government.

• Give allegiance to the Constitution; improve it as necessary.

• Do not alter the Constitution lightly, or based on hypothesis; apply the experience applied 

when it was created.

• Be suspicious of administrators; they may serve themselves rather than the people.

• Watch for consolidation of power in any department of government.

• Preserve existing checks and balances and add more where power needs to be checked.

• Religion and morality are essential to create the virtue necessary to preserve the union.

• Promote widespread education; democracy requires literate citizens that understand the 

system of governance and take responsibility for themselves.

• Avoid debt; and immediately discharge any debt created by war.

• Taxes are unpleasant; government spending should be candidly conducted.

• Cultivate peace and justice toward all nations.

• Avoid alliances and maintain neutrality among nations.

• Avoid dependency; a weak state that allies with a stronger state will become its servant.

• Real patriots will resist intrigues, while dupes will surrender to interests.

• In trade, give no nation a favored nation status.

• Be guided by principles, not interests.