"And let us with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined education on minds of peculiar structure -- reason and experience both forbid us to expect that National morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle."
This is very interesting. My in-laws, born again Christians, are forever paraphrasing this quote saying that "George Washington (or the founding fathers) intended this nation to be a christian and thought that if religion and state were separated the state would fail."

Now that you pointed this out and I carefully read it I can see what he really means and it's not quite how it is often paraphrased at all.

Perhaps if George Washington were with us today he would take a firm stance against the meddling of religion that is going on in America's politics today.

Very interesting.