Editor, Gazette-Journal: In George Washington’s 1796 farewell address, based upon his experience as Commander-in-Chief and President, he warned about the dangers of political parties: They “put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation, the will of a party … This spirit, unfortunately … exists under different shapes in all governments … but, in those of the popular form … is truly their worst enemy.” “The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge … causes men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.” He declared that the “mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the … duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it … It causes ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity o...