Back in the day George Washington had an entire farm field dedicated to the growth of hemp. He loved the bud and in 1794 he even wrote a letter to Secretary of Finance William Pearce in which he marveled at its benefits, saying to Pearce, "Make the most of the Indian hemp seed, . . . and sow it everywhere!"

I want you to make the most of Hemp and plant it everywhere on my farmlands that haven't been previously reserved for other things.

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The establishment of Arsenals in convenient and proper places is, in my opinion, a measure of high national importance meriting the serious attention of Congress; and is one of those measures which ought to be brought to their view.