In his first speech to Congress he recommended measures for the advancement of manufactures, having already affixed his signature to the bill which declared their encouragement to be one of its objects.  At the same time he wrote, in reply to an address:  “The promotion of domestic manufactures will, in my conception, be among the first consequences which may naturally be expected to flow from an energetic government.”  In 1791 he consulted Hamilton as to the advisability of urging Congress to offer bounties for the culture of cotton and hemp, his only doubts being as to the power of the general government in this respect, and as to the temper of the time in regard to such an expenditure of public money.  The following year Hamilton’s Report on Manufactures was given to the country, finally establishing the position of the administration as to our economic policy.

The general drift of legislation, although it was not systematized, followed the direction pointed out by the administration.  But this did not satisfy Washington.  In his speech to Congress, December 7, 1796, he said:  “Congress has repeatedly, and not without success, directed their attention to the encouragement of manufactures. The object is of too much consequence not to insure a continuance of their efforts in every way which shall appear eligible."[1] He then goes on to argue at some length that, although manufacturing on the public account is usually inexpedient, it should be established and carried on to supply all that was needed for the public force in time of war.  This was his last address to Congress, and his last word on this matter was to approve the course of Congress in following the recommendation of his first speech.  All his utterances and all his opinions on the subject were uniform.  Washington had never been a student of public finance or political economy like Hamilton, and he lived before the days of the Manchester school and its new gospel of procuring heaven on earth by special methods of transacting the country’s business.  But Washington was a great man, a state-builder who fought wars and founded governments.  He knew that nations were raised up and made great and efficient, and that civilization was advanced, not by laissez aller and laissez faire, but by much patient human striving.  He had fought and conquered, and again he had fought and been defeated, and through all he had come to victory, and to certain conclusive results both in peace and war.  He had not done this by sitting still and letting each man go his way, but by strong brain and strong will, and by much organization and compulsion.  He had set his hand to the building of a nation.  He had studied his country and understood it, and with calm, far-seeing eyes he had looked forward into the future of his people.  Neither the study nor the outlook were vain, and both told him that political independence was only part of the work, and that national sentiment, independent thinking, and industrial independence also must be reached.  The first two, time alone could bring.  The last, wise laws could help to produce; and so he favored protection by legislation to American industry and manufactures, threw all his potent influence into the scale, and gave his support to the protective policy set forth by his Secretary.