ise in which the constitution was formed requires that the great interests of agriculture， commerce， and manufactures should be equally favored， and that perhaps the only exception to this rule should consist in the peculiar encouragement of any products of either of them that may be found essential to our national independence.
internal improvement and the diffusion of knowledge， so far as they can be promoted by the constitutional acts of the federal government， are of high importance.
considering standing armies as dangerous to free governments in time of peace， i shall not seek to enlarge our present establishment， nor disregard that salutary lesson of political experience which teaches that the military should be held subordinate to the civil power. the gradual increase of our navy， whose flag has displayed in distant climes our skill in navigation and our fame in arms； the preservation of our forts， arsenals， and dockyards， and the introduction of progressive improvements in the discipline and science of both branches of our military service are so plainly prescribed by prudence that i should be excused for omitting their mention sooner than for enlarging on their importance. but the bulwark of our defense is the national militia， which in the present state of our intelligence and population must render us invincible. as long as our government is administered for the good of the people， and is regulated by their will； as long as it secures to us the