The demand for it is what makes it valuable
311 million
In 1776, the next largest cities were New York City (25,000 people), Boston (15,000), Charleston (12,000), and Newport (11,000). All are rough estimates as the U.S. Census enumeration did not begin until the 1790. Today, in 2012, the U.S. population has blossomed to 311 million.
Source: http://economistsoutlook.blogs.realtor.org/2012/07/03/largest-cities-in-the-united-states-in-1776-and-in-2076/
Why did many federalists support a war with france ? Federalists wanted an alliance with Britain. Over time, they demanded war with France. They used their power to prevent the American government from sending a pro-French representative to Paris. They also searched for any signs of insult, any excuse to declare war
