The answer to this question can be found in Washington's Farewell Address, issued in 1796 as he prepared to leave office. Washington was clearly concerned by the development of emerging political factions--so-called Republicans and Federalists--that coalesced in response to many of the serious political issues of the day. Washington feared what he called the "baneful effects of the spirit of party." He warned that some Americans had come to view the interests of their section (i.e. the South and Northeast) as preeminent over loyalty to nation, and sought to organize political factions around these interests. He worried as well that loyalty to one European nation (i.e. France or Great Britain) in the conflict raging in Europe could cause political division and strife. He summed up these effects in one of the most memorable passages from the Address:
It [the spirit of party] 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...
Washington's real fear was that political parties and factions always resulted in disorder and chaos. He feared that, in response to the chaos created by parties, Americans would look to strong leaders, "cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men," who would exploit people's fear of social disorder to emerge as despots. In this way, Washington thought, political parties represented a real threat to the republican government he had devoted his life to establishing.
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