The 'Right' View by Francis P. Sempa
Why We Should Still Revere Washington’s Farewell Address
Every February on or near the birthday of George Washington (February 22), a member of the United States Senate reads George Washington’s Farewell Address. The tradition of reading the Farewell Address in the Senate goes back to 1862, when the country was torn by civil war. Secretary of the Senate John Forney read the address on that occasion to mark the 130th anniversary of Washington’s birth. After 1893, senators of both political parties, alternating year-to-year, have read the address. Four Senators from New York—Chauncy Depew in 1910, Elihu Root in 1915, James Wadsworth Jr. in 1921, and Daniel Patrick Moynihan in 2000—have had the honor of reading the address on the Senate floor. This tradition honors both the man and the wisdom of the Farewell Address.
You have reached your limit of 3 free articles
To Continue Reading
Our hard-copy and online publications cover the news of Otsego County by putting the community back into the newspaper. We are funded entirely by advertising and subscriptions. With your support, we continue to offer local, independent reporting that is not influenced by commercial or political ties.
