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George Washington's farwell speech:
“…Let me
now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party
generally.
This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions
of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but
in those of the popular form it is seen in its greatest rankness and is truly their worst enemy.…
It serves always
to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies
and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another; foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens
the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels
of party passion. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.
There
is an opinion that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of government, and serve to keep alive
the spirit of liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in governments of a monarchical cast patriotism may
look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in governments purely
elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency it is certain there will always be enough of that
spirit for every salutary purpose; and there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be by force of public opinion
to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame,
lest, instead of warming, it should consume.
It is important, likewise, that the habits of thinking in a free country
should inspire caution in those intrusted with its administration to confine themselves within their respective constitutional
spheres, avoiding in the exercise of the powers of one department to encroach upon another. The spirit of encroachment tends
to consolidate the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever the form of government, a real despotism.
A just estimate of that love of power and proneness to abuse it which predominates in the human heart is sufficient to satisfy
us of the truth of this position.… If in the opinion of the people the distribution or modification of the constitutional
powers be in any particular wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment in the way which the Constitution designates. But let
there be no change by usurpation; for though this in one instance may be the instrument of good, it is the customary weapon
by which free governments are destroyed. The precedent must always greatly overbalance in permanent evil any partial or transient
benefit which the use can at any time yield."(1)
(1) Microsoft ® Encarta ® Reference Library 2005. © 1993-2004 Microsoft
Corporation. All rights reserved.
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