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May 20, 1959 MEMO FOR RECORD: The President mentioned in an aside this morning, when I brought up the topic of selective major addresses for the remainder of his term, that he had one speech he would like very much to make. He hoped, he said, that the Congress might invite him to address them before he left office, at which time he would like to make a 10 minute farewell address to the Congress and the American people. I think this is a brilliant idea if it can be carried off with a minimum of fanfare and emotionalism, and we should be dropping ideas into a bin, to get ready for this. MM 15thma STATE / THE WHITE house WASHINGTON April 5, 1960 MEMORANDUM TO: Mac Moos As the time for the President's retirement draws near, I recommend to your re-reading the "Farewell Address" of George Washington. It is a beautifully wise and modest piece by a faithful public servant who loved his country. I was struck by its relevance to our day: the call for Consti- tutional obedience; the warnings about sectionalism; the dangers of "overgrown military establishments" but the necessity of maintaining "a respectable defensive posture"; the realistic attitude toward "that love of power and proneness to abuse it which predominate in the human heart"; the unhappy tendency of mankind "to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual"; the necessity for an enlightened public opinion; the generous habit of one generation to spend beyond its means and to throw "upon posterity the burden which we ourselves ought to bear"; the broad diplomatic advice. And much more. This Address could furnish some fine ammunition over the year -- and perhaps serve as a guide for a final statement in January 1961? Frederic Fox

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    "ocrText": "May 20, 1959\nMEMO FOR RECORD:\nThe President mentioned in an aside this morning, when I\nbrought up the topic of selective major addresses for the remainder\nof his term, that he had one speech he would like very much to\nmake.\nHe hoped, he said, that the Congress might invite him to\naddress them before he left office, at which time he would like\nto make a 10 minute farewell address to the Congress and the\nAmerican people.\nI think this is a brilliant idea if it can be carried off with\na minimum of fanfare and emotionalism, and we should be dropping\nideas into a bin, to get ready for this.\nMM\n15thma\nSTATE\n/\nTHE WHITE house\nWASHINGTON\nApril 5, 1960\nMEMORANDUM TO: Mac Moos\nAs the time for the President's retirement draws near, I\nrecommend to your re-reading the \"Farewell Address\" of\nGeorge Washington. It is a beautifully wise and modest piece\nby a faithful public servant who loved his country.\nI was struck by its relevance to our day: the call for Consti-\ntutional obedience; the warnings about sectionalism; the dangers\nof \"overgrown military establishments\" but the necessity of\nmaintaining \"a respectable defensive posture\"; the realistic\nattitude toward \"that love of power and proneness to abuse it\nwhich predominate in the human heart\"; the unhappy tendency\nof mankind \"to seek security and repose in the absolute power\nof an individual\"; the necessity for an enlightened public opinion;\nthe generous habit of one generation to spend beyond its means\nand to throw \"upon posterity the burden which we ourselves ought\nto bear\"; the broad diplomatic advice. And much more.\nThis Address could furnish some fine ammunition over the year --\nand perhaps serve as a guide for a final statement in January 1961?\nFrederic Fox"
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