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Bonaparte,
Napoleon, Emperor of France - Farewell to
the Old
Guard, 1814:
I have sacrificed all of my interests to those of
the
country. I go, but you, my friends, will continue to serve France. Her
happiness was my only thought. It will still be the object of my
wishes.
Do not regret my fate; if I have consented to survive, it is to serve
your
glory.
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After his disastrous invasion of Russia
and subsequent
defeat by the
Allies at Leipzig, Napoleon lost the support of many of his
generals.
The Allies then forced him to abdicate his throne and sent him to exile
on the island of Elba. Before he departed, Napoleon gave one
final
address to his most loyal and devoted military unit, the Old Guard,
many
of whom accompanied him into exile. |
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Cohan,
George M. Cohan - Vaudeville Act Farewell:
My
mother thanks you. My father thanks you. My sister thanks
you.
And I thank you
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Before George Cohan became a successful
broadway
composer, director
and star, he performed as part of his family's vaudeville act. At
the conclusion of each performance he took center stage to thank the
audience. |
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Edward
VIII, King of England - Abdication
speech, 1936:
I
have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility .
. without the help and support of the woman I love.
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King Edward VIII abdicated the throne of
England on
December 10,
1936, to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. The
following
day he he spoke to both his former subjects and a world-wide audience
in
a radio broadcast. |
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Eisenhower,
Dwight D., U.S. President - Farewell to
the
nation,
1961:
We must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted
influence,
whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex.
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When President Eisenhower, former Chairman
of the Joint
Staff and Supreme
Allied Commander, departed the presidency in 1961, he surprised many by
insisting that "an alert and knowledgeable citizenry" was needed to
guard
against the over dependence upon a "military-industrial complex." |
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Gehrig,
Lou - Farewell to baseball, 1939:
I
consider
myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth.
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Lou Gehrig bid farewell to baseball in an
emotional
ceremony at Yankee
Stadium on July 4, 1939. He had contracted--and would soon die
from--amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis, a condition that is today often referred to as Lou
Gehrig's
disease. |
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Johnson,
Lyndon Baines - Announcement not to seek
re-election,
1968:
It is true that a house divided against itself is a
house that cannot stand. There is a division in the American
house
now and believing this as I do, I have concluded that I should not
permit
the Presidency to become involved in the partisan divisions that are
now
developing this political year. Accordingly, I shall not seek,
and
I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as
President.
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After losing political support for his
policy of
escalating the war
in Vietnam, President Johnson announced his decision not to seek
re-election
during a television address on 31 March 1968. |
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Lee,
Robert E., General of the Army of Northern Virginia -Farewell
Address to his Soldiers, 1865:
After four years of
arduous
service marked by unsurpassed courage and fortitude, the Army of
Northern
Virginia has been compelled to yield to overwhelming numbers and
resources.
. . . By the terms of the agreement, officers and men can return
to their homes and remain until exchanged. You will take with you the
satisfaction
that proceeds from a consciousness of duty faithfully performed; and I
earnestly pray that a Merciful God will extend to you His blessings and
protection.
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Immediately after his unconditional
surrender to
General Grant, General
Lee published General Order No. 9 bidding his troops farewell.
Following
the war, Lee accepted the presidency of Washington College--now
Washington
and Lee University--and served there until his death in 1870. |
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MacArthur,
Douglas, General - Departure from the
Philippines:
The President of the United States ordered me to break
through the
Japanese lines and proceed from Corregidor to Australia for the
purpose,
as I understand it, of organizing the American offensive against Japan,
a primary object of which is the relief of the Philippines. I
came
through, and I shall return.
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On 11 March 1942, MacArthur departed
Corregidor in the
face of mounting
Japanese pressure. He made it to Australia and after arriving at
Adelaide by train on 20 March, he promised to return and liberate the
islands.
Thirty-one months later, on 20 October 1944, in a much rehearsed
filming,
MacArthur landed at Leyte where he ceremoniously announced,
"People of
the Philippines; I have returned. By the grace of Almighty God, our
forces
stand again on Philippine soil consecrated in the blood of our two
people.
We have come, dedicated and committed to the task of destroying every
vestige
of enemy control over your people. The hour of your redemption is
here. Your patriots have demonstrated an unswerving and resolute
devotion
to the principles of freedom that challenges the best that is written
on
the pages of human history. I now call upon your supreme effort, that
the
enemy may know, from the temper of an aroused people within, that he
has
a force there to contend with no less violent than is the force
committed
from without. Rally to me. Let the indomitable spirit of Bataan
and
Corregidor lead on. As the line of battle rolls forward to bring you
within
the zone of operations, rise and strike. Strike at every favorable
opportunity.
For future generations of your sons and daughters, strike! In the name
of your sacred dead, strike! Let no heart be faint. Let every arm be
steeled,
the guidance of the Divine God points the way. Follow His name to the
Holy
Grail of righteous victory." |
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MacArthur,
Douglas, General - Farewell address to
the U.S.
Congress:
And, like the old soldier of that ballad, I now
close my
military career
and just fade away, an old soldier who tried to do his duty as God gave
him the light to see that duty. Goodbye.
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President Harry Truman relieved the
general from his
military duties
on April 10, 1951 for "insubordination" after MacArthur--on his own
initiative--issued
an ultimatum to the Chinese Communists to withdraw from conflict in
Korea
or risk attacks upon their "coastal areas and interior bases." As
Truman was about to issue the relief order, on of his advisors
suggested
that it might be better to allow MacArthur to voluntary resign; Truman
is said to have replied, "The son of a bitch isn't going to resign on
me,
I want him fired." Opposition, throughout the country, to
Truman's
action was overwhelming, and the House of Representatives invited
MacArthur
to address a joint session of Congress. A record 30 million
Americans
watched the speech on television. It was, as suggested by
Truman's
biographer, David McCullough, "MacArthur's finest hour." The
following
day nearly 8 million New Yorkers--more than for Lindbergh or
Eisenhower--turned
out to cheer during MacArthur's ticker tape parade. |
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In 1962, MacArthur returned to the United
States
Military Academy at
West Point and addressed the corps of cadets one final time closing his
emotional speech, Today marks my final roll call with you.
But
I want you to know that when I cross the river, my last conscious
thought
will be of the corps, and the corps, and the corps. I bid you
farewell. |
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Nicholas
II, Czar of Russia - Abdication,
1917:
In
these days of terrible struggle against the foreign enemy who has been
trying for three years to impose his will upon Our Fatherland, God has
willed that Russia should be faced with a new and formidable trial.
Troubles
at home threaten to have a fatal effect on the ultimate course of this
hard-fought war. . . . At this moment, a moment so decisive for
existence
of Russia, Our conscience bids Us to facilitate the closest union of
Our
subjects and the organization of all their forces for the speedy
attainment
of victory. For that reason We think it right-and the Imperial Duma
shares
Our view - to abdicate the crown of the Russian State and resign the
supreme
power.
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Nicholas II's stubborn refusal to allow
political
reforms and the disastrous
ending of the war with Japan led directly to the Russian
revolution
of 1905. Desperate to hold power, he conceded numerous freedoms
to
the people only to annul them when his position was once more
secured.
With World War I came massive casualties, loss of territory, and
domestic turmoil which led directly to the Second Russian Revolution in
February, 1917, and the Czar's abdication. Following the
abdication,
Nicholas and the royal family first remained in Czarskoe Selo until the
interim government decided to move them to Siberia in 1918. After
the Bolsheviks usurped power, the family was transported to Ekaterinbug
in the Urals where they were all executed on July 17, 1918. |
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Nixon,
Richard M., President of the United States - Resignation,
1974:
I have felt it was my duty to persevere, to make
every
possible
effort to complete the term of office to which you elected me. In
the past few days, however, it has become evident to me, that I no
longer
have a strong enough political base in the Congress to justify
continuing
that effort. . . . I would have preferred to carry through to the
finish, whatever the personal agony it would have involved. . . . But
the
interest of the Nation must always come before any personal
considerations.
. . . Therefor, I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon
tomorrow.
Vice President Ford will be sworn in as President at that hour in this
office.
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The burglary of the Democratic Party
offices in the
Washington, DC,
Watergate Complex during the 1972 presidential campaign was
subsequently
linked to the White House. The House of Representatives was
preparing
to impeach President Nixon when he resigned. |
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Pepys,
Samuel - Diary closing:
And so to bed.
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Famed English diarist, Samuel Pepys first
used this
closing in a diary
entry in Jan 1660 and continued to use it for nearly every one of his
subsequent
daily entries until his death over forty years later. |
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Skelton,
Red - Television show closing:
Good
night,
and God bless.
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Legendary American comedian, Red Skelton,
ended every
one of his television
show with the same closing. |
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Washington,
George, General - Farewell to his
officers, 1783:
With a heart full of love and gratitude, I now take leave of you.
I most devoutly wish that your later days may be as prosperous and
happy
as your former ones have been glorious and honorable. I cannot--I
cannot come to each of you but shall feel obliged if each of you will
come
and take me by the hand.
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By late November, 1783, the last of the
British forces
departed for
Nova Scotia or England, and on December 4, all of the principal
officers
of the Continental Army gathered at Faunces Tavern in New York City to
meet with General Washington for the last time. As Washington
entered
the room, they snapped to attention and tucked their hats under their
left
arms. After a few words of welcome, the silence became long and
uncomfortable.
Finally, Washington motioned to the elaborate buffet of food, but few
officers
filled plates. Washington charged a glass, and the others quickly
followed. As he began his farewell toast, tears trickled down his
cheeks and he struggled to maintain composure. Soon Baron von
Steuben
and Benjamin Tallmadge were crying as well. Chief of Artillery
Henry
Knox was the first to move toward Washington's outstretched hand, but
when
he reached Washington they embraced instead. Each of the other
officers
followed in turn. After Washington's departure, a formal farewell
was issued to the soldiers. |
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Washington,
George, President of the United States - Farewell
to the nation, 1796:
Observe good faith and justice
towards
all nations. Cultivate peace and harmony with all. . . .
Against
the insidious wiles of foreign influence . . . the jealousy of a free
people
ought to be constantly awake, since history and experience prove that
foreign
influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government. . .
. Taking care always to keep ourselves, by suitable
establishment,
on a respectably defensive posture, we may safely trust to temporary
alliances
for extraordinary emergencies.
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Despite the pleas of many, Washington
decided to retire
from the Presidency
after two terms. On September 17, 1796, he delivered his farewell
address which was soon published in newspapers throughout the
country.
In addition to declaring his decision not to seek a third term, he
warned
against partisan dissension and foreign subterfuge. |
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Wilhelm
II, Kaiser of Germany - Abdication, 1918:
I
herewith renounce for all time claims to the throne of Prussia and to
the
German Imperial throne connected therewith.
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Kaiser Wilhelm's popularity plummeted
during the final
years of World
War I. In October, 1918, when U.S. President Wilson suggested
that
peace would be impossible with Wilhelm on the throne, he was strongly
encouraged
to abdicate by his generals and cabinet. Wilhelm resisted until
the
Socialists declared a German Republic on November 9, 1918, when it was
clear that the Hohenzollern dynasty was over. |
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