- 10/02/2013
- Posted by: essay
- Category: Free essays
In his first address, George Washington declares his views, hopes and expectations concerning the prospects of the United States, the ways to achieve the “common weal” of the country and the most important issues of the home and foreign policy for the nearest future. The first State of the Union Address was pronounced before the members of Senate and House of Representatives in Federal Hall of New York City on 8th January, 1790. In such a way, the first president of our country began the tradition of delivering the speech by the following presidents in that very month. That practice is not precisely specified by the constitution, but it is based on the mentioned precedent.
Washington congratulates the senators and congressmen on “the present favorable prospects of our public affairs” and goes into the concrete facts and problems of the public life. He mentions that “north Carolina” joined the Constitution, the prestige – “credit and respectability” – of the country is rising, and the good will is present.
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Then he offers a kind of draft for his future policy, the first and the most burning issue is building up and maintaining the army, for “to be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace;” after that the president focuses on the international relations which should be organized so that the “public good” could be maximum achieved; the next issue is uniformity of measures and currency, after which George Washington goes into the importance of economic aspects of his future policy. All above mentioned will never be possible without appropriate education and science and inner security of the US (“the security of a free constitution”). The address finishes with the call to implementing the proclaimed principles. Thus, the first State of the Union Address created a paradigm for the addresses of the subsequent presidents.
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