these measures have not been resorted to in a spirit of hostility to other powers. such a disposition does not exist toward any power. peace and good will have been， and will hereafter be， cultivated with all， and by the most faithful regard to justice. they have been dictated by a love of peace， of economy， and an earnest desire to save the lives of our fellow-citizens from that destruction and our country from that devastation which are inseparable from war when it finds us unprepared for it. it is believed， and experience has shown， that such a preparation is the best expedient that can be resorted to prevent war. i add with much pleasure that considerable progress has already been made in these measures of defense， and that they will be completed in a few years， considering the great extent and importance of the object， if the plan be zealously and steadily persevered in.
the conduct of the government in what relates to foreign powers is always an object of the highest importance to the nation. its agriculture， commerce， manufactures， fisheries， revenue， in short， its peace， may all be affected by it. attention is therefore due to this subject.
at the period adverted to the powers of europe， after having been engaged in long and destructive wars with each other， had concluded a peace， which happily still exists. our peace with the power with whom we had been engaged had also been concluded. the war between spain and the colonies in south america， whic
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