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Show 4.54 INAUGURAL AND F AR~WELL ADD HESSES. the public records, and other evidences of my conduct, must witness to you and the world. To myself, the assurance of my own conscience is, that I have at least believed my elf to be gnidcd l>y them. In relation to tlle still suhsiHiin o- war in l~m·opc, my proclamation of the 22d of April, 17 U3, is tho index to Illy plan. Sanctioned by your approving vo ice, and that of your repro en Uttives in both houses of Congress, the spirit of that measure has continually govemcd me, uniuflucnccd by any attempts to deter or divert me from it. After deliberate examination, with the aid of the best lights I could obtain, I was well sati:;ficd that our con ntry, under all the circumstance of the case, had a right to take, and wa. bound in duty and interest to take, a neutral position. Jiaving taken it, I determin ed, as fttt' as should depend upon me, to maintain it with moderation, pcrsevcraucc, and firmness. 'rho considerations which rc~pcct the right to Jt.o1(1 this conduct, it is not necessary on this occasion to detail. I will only observe, that, according to my UtHlerstanding of the matte!', that right, so far from being denied l>y any of the belligerent powers) has been virtually admitted by all. 'rho duty of holding a neutral conduct may be inferred, without anything more, from the obligation which ju tice n11d hurrumity impose on every nation, in cases in which it is free to act, to maintain inviolate the · relations of pcaco and amity towards other nations. 'rho inducements of in te rest, for observing that conduct, will best be referred to your own refiections and experience. "\Vith mo, a predominant motive has been to ell(lca.vor to gain iimc to OUI' country to settle and mature its yet recent iu:tituiiotv, and to progrcs , without iutcrrnption, to that degree of strength and consistency which is necessary to givo it, humanly speaking, tho command of its own fortunes. INAUOUHAL A!'D JtAHLCWl!:l,L ADDHESSES. 455 'rhough in reviewing the incidents of my ndtllinistratiou, I nm uncon. cious of intentional error; I am, ncverL!Jeless, too ·e11. il>lc or my defects not to think it probable tltat I may have conun itt d many error'. Whatever they lllay lH', 1 fervently beseech the Almighty to avert ot· mitigate the evilH to whi ·It they may tend. l shall also curry wilh mo the hope, that my country will never cease to view them wi th indulgcuce; and thai, tLflcr forty-five ycat'H of my lifo dedicated to its serv ice with an upright zenl, the faults of incompetent auililics will be cotL'igned to oblivion, as myself must soon be to the mansions of rest. Relying on its kindnc .' in this, as in other things, uud actuateu by thai fervent love towards it which is so uaLtlml to n man who views in it the native soil of himself' antl hit> progeni to rs for several generat!ons, ! nnticipn.t~, wiLit pl.cusing expectation, that retreat lll w!11 ch I pro.mi:o m~sclf ~o realize, without alloy, the sweet enJoyment of partuk11w, 111 the midst of my follow-citizeu:, the ben ign influence of good lltws under a free Government-the ever favorite ol1ject of my heart-and the happy reward, as I trnst, of our mutual cares1 laborR, and dangers. OhORGE W .A.SliiNGTON. United Stales, Septe?nber· 11th, 17 ~6 . Following the example of Washington, Gcncml Jackson issued a Farewell ..Address to the people of the Un itcrl States, at his rctiri ng from the Presidency; and, like that o~ W ~shinglon, it was principa1Iy devoted to the danger of dt~nntOn, anu to the pre. ervntion of hnrmony anu goou feeling between the di!T'ercnt sections of the co un try. General Washington only had to contemplate the dang~r of disunion, aR a possibility, anrl as an event of future conilllgency; G~n~ral Jackson had Lo cohfront it as a prc:cnt, actual, subs1stwg danger, and therefore published the following |