George Washington

"Placed in a situation every way so auspicious, motives of commanding force impel us, with sincere acknowledgment to heaven, and pure love to our country, to unite our efforts to preserve, prolong, and improve, our immense advantages." George Washington, Seventh Annual Address to Congress, December 8, 1795

Source: https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washs07.asp

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"It is a tax, however, severe, which all those must pay, who are called to eminent stations of trust, not only to be held up as conspicuous marks to the enmity of the Public adversaries to their country, but to the malice of secret traitors and the envious intrigues of false friends and factions." George Washington, Letter to New Jersey Governor William Livingston, Head Quarters, Valley Forge, February 2, 1778

Source: https://www.loc.gov/resource/mgw4.047_0219_0220/?st=brief

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"In answer to the observations you make on the probability of my election to the Presidency (knowing me as you do) I need only say, that it has no enticing charms, and no fascinating allurements for me. However, it might not be decent for me to say I would refuse to accept or even to speak much about an appointment, which may never take place: for in so doing, one might possibly incur the application of the moral resulting from that Fable, in which the Fox is represented as inveighing against the sourness of the grapes, because he could not reach them." George Washington, Letter to the Marquis de Lafayette, Mount Vernon, April 28, 1788

Source: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/abs/political-writings-of-george-washington/to-marquis-de-lafayette-april-28-1788-excerpt/A78BEE510857E901A7BB7F2026A1F6F7

Compliments of George Washington Society, an educational 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your tax deductible contributions are appreciated: https://georgewashingtonsociety.org/

"When we call to mind the gracious indulgence of Heaven by which the American people became a nation; when we survey the general prosperity of our country, and look forward to the riches, power, and happiness to which it seems destined, with the deepest regret do I announce to you that during your recess some of the citizens of the United States have been found capable of insurrection. It is due, however, to the character of our Government and to its stability, which can not be shaken by the enemies of order, freely to unfold the course of this event.” George Washington, Sixth Annual Address to Congress, November 19, 1794

Source: https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washs06.asp

Compliments of George Washington Society, an educational 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your tax deductible contributions are appreciated: https://georgewashingtonsociety.org/

"There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily." George Washington, Letter to Edmund Randolph, July 31, 1795

Source: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/political-writings-of-george-washington/to-edmund-randolph-secretary-of-state-july-31-1795-excerpt/139FD4C6A1CCA4E63EDD57A4CAC63FF5/

Compliments of George Washington Society, an educational 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your tax deductible contributions are appreciated: https://georgewashingtonsociety.org/

"Where is the man to be found, who wishes to remain indebted for the defense of his own person and property, to the exertions, the bravery, and the blood of others, without making one generous effort to repay the debt of honor and of gratitude? In what part of the continent shall we find any man, or body of men, who would not blush to stand up and propose measures purposely calculated to rob the soldier of his stipend and the public creditor of his due? And were it possible that such a flagrant instance of injustice could ever happen, would it not excite the general indignation and tend to bring down upon the authors of such measures the aggravated vengeance of Heaven?…” George Washington, Circular alerted to the States, June 8, 1783

Source: https://teachingamericanhistory.org/document/circular-letter-to-the-states/

Compliments of George Washington Society, an educational 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your tax deductible contributions are appreciated: https://georgewashingtonsociety.org/

"It is substantially true that virtue or morality is a necessary spring of popular government. The rule, indeed, extends with more or less force to every species of free government. Who that is a sincere friend to it can look with indifference upon attempts to shake the foundation of the fabric." George Washington, Farewell Address, September 19, 1796

Source: https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washing.asp

Compliments of George Washington Society, an educational 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your tax deductible contributions are appreciated: https://georgewashingtonsociety.org/

"Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man, ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be asked: Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life, if the sense of religious obligation desert the oaths which are the instruments of investigation in courts of justice? And let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle." George Washington, Farewell Address, as published in the "American Daily Advertiser" newspaper on September 19, 1796

Source: https://www.mountvernon.org/education/primary-source-collections/primary-source-collections/article/washington-s-farewell-address-1796

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"A just opinion, that the People when rightly informed will decide in a proper manner, ought certainly to have prevented all intemperate or precipitate proceedings on a subject of so much magnitude; nor should a regard to common decency have suffered the zealots in the minority to stigmatize the authors of the Constitution as Conspirators and Traitors." George Washington, Letter to Charles Petit, Mount Vernon, August 16, 1788

Source: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/04-06-02-0408

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“May that God to whom you then appealed, judge between America & you! Under his Providence, those who influence the Councils of America, and all the other Inhabitants of these united Colonies, at the Hazard of their Lives, are resolved to hand down to Posterity those just & invaluable Privileges which they received from their Ancestors.” George Washington, Letter to Lieutenant General Thomas Gage, August 19, 1775

Source: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-01-02-0227

Compliments of George Washington Society, an educational 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your tax deductible contributions are appreciated: https://georgewashingtonsociety.org/

"I am a Warrior. My words are few and plain; but I will make good what I say. 'Tis my business to destroy all the Enemies of these States and to protect their friends. You have seen how we have withstood the English for four years; and how their great Armies have dwindled away and come to very little; and how what remains of them in this part of our great Country, are glad to stay upon Two or three little Islands, where the Waters and their Ships hinder us from going to destroy them. The English, Brothers, are a boasting people. They talk of doing a great deal; but they do very little. They fly away on their Ships from one part of our Country to an other; but as soon as our Warriors get together they leave it and go to some other part. They took Boston and Philadelphia, two of our greatest Towns; but when they saw our Warriors in a great body ready to fall upon them, they were forced to leave them. … Brothers: We have till lately fought the English all alone. Now the Great King of France is become our Good Brother and Ally. He has taken up the Hatchet with us, and we have sworn never to bury it, till we have punished the English and made them sorry for All the wicked things they had in their Hearts to do against these States. And there are other Great Kings and Nations on the other side of the big Waters, who love us and wish us well, and will not suffer the English to hurt us. … Brothers: Listen well to what I tell you and let it sink deep into your Hearts. We love our friends, and will be faithful to them, as long as they will be faithful to us. We are sure our Good brothers the Delawares will always be so. But we have sworn to take vengeance on our Enemies, and on false friends." George Washington, Speech to the Delaware Indian Chiefs on May 12, 1779

Source: https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/03-20-02-0388

Compliments of George Washington Society, an educational 501(c)(3) non-profit. Your tax deductible contributions are appreciated: https://georgewashingtonsociety.org/

"Who can doubt, that, in the course of time and things, the fruits of such a plan would richly repay any temporary advantages, which might be lost by a steady adherence to it? Can it be that Providence has not connected the permanent felicity of a Nation with its Virtue?" George Washington, Farewell Address, September 19, 1796

Source: https://avalon.law.yale.edu/18th_century/washing.asp