George Washington had it right when he advised future administrations to always wish the peoples of other nations well, trading peacefully with them all, but to avoid foreign entanglements at all cost.
Apparently when you read his "Farewell Address" you skipped over the part about the need to rise above party differences and rally behind the elected representatives of the national government. Or did he have it wrong there?
Another thing to remember when reading Washington's Farewell Address, just as when reading the "Federalist Papers", it why it was written in addition to what was written. Both were written to justify something and sway opinion. Neither was written as a pure expression of philosophical principles of government. The passage you're refering to in Washington's Farewell Address was written in part to justify the "Jay Treaty" with England and to refute Jefferson's attempt to discredit Washington's administration and oppose Jefferson's support for closer relations with France.
Go tell the Spartans,Travelers passing by,That here,Obedient to their laws we lie.
I'm older now but I'm still runnin' against the wind
