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u oriiiy oi the career which the Au thor of all good has opened to us; whether we have wisdom and virtue edo Jgh to become what he has giv en is the means,and indicated as his wish that we should become, a main pdlar in the glorious fabric of freed om and social happiness, reared by the valor, established by the wis dom, and cemented by the blood of our fathers ; blessing as we are blessed, and ministering as we have been ministered unto. —f )r whether we arc to prove recreant to these elevated and imperative duties, and by wasting our strength and sullying our character in petty cabals, in trigues and local agitations, commen cing in folly and terminating in dis grace, we cast away the rich boun ties of Heaven, undermine our own prosperity, and retard the establish ment of principles associated with the exalted destinies of freemen, and identified with the primary interests of the human race.” Dccfirber, 15th, 1825. Joseph P. Herbert, George Schley, Wm. I>. Bullock, John VV. hong, lilordic .i Myers, and Ch rles M. King, were elected on the part of the State, directors of the bank of the State of Oorgia. Gazaway B. hamar and Elias Fort, were elected on the part of the State, directors of the Plan!,ts Hank. George Atkinson, Barrington King, Allen B. Pov-cll, Anson Kimberly and Jacob Wood were elected on the part of the Stat- direc tors of the Bank of Darien. Dec. 16th, 1825. Peter J. Williams, was elected principal keepe r of the Penitentiary. John Bozeman, Burton Hepburn andl.it tleton Atkinson were clcetcd Inspectors of the Penitentiary. John Hatcher, was elected a commissioner of the land lott'Tv in the place of Rwd. B. Brooking a- ceased. ST \ T lbs il A.V ' JJW M n.LKDGEVILIzR, The. 20, 18*25. The task of an Editor is not very promising of case, or of allurement. Its details are not readily stated, nor easily sustained. He who undertakes the management of a political paper at any time, dooms himself to bear a responsibility of which the duties are arduous, unremitting, and without num ber. But at this time—at this political epoch iii our state history, to assume the responsibil ity of directing the movements of that great engine of public opinion, the Press—to at tempt a just award of censure or applause upon popular means and measures, is an un dertaking in which we allow oursi Ives to bor : row but little pleasure from the confidence of success. Should we fail, we must he prrmitt and then, like the great Lexicographer of our language, to take refuge under the bro lament 1 of a similar apology—that we have failed where no human virtue or human intellect has hith erto availed to compete with every difficulty. The editor of such a paper under the exist ing circumstances of our history, might as well hope to fall “ A drop of water in the braking gulph, “ And take unmingled thence that drop again,” as to escape the collisions of party virulence, having once ventured upon th political dis cussions of the day, however conscientious in sentiment, or scrupulous in language. The great topic; that have agitated theeoun cils of Georgia for a year or two past, and held at issue the p< ns and presses of the state, present, at this moment, one half of the whole body politic marshalled in determined array against the other. Their whole appearance of man igement, discipline, and action is such as might he looked for from men resolved no longer to ask, or give any quarter. Bctw n these two opposing fronts there is but a narrow isthmus To pass this securely, (and this is th> only vnntag -ground for ob serving clearly the movem nts on either hand) Ill's independent editor, like the fe.arless pio neer, must move strait onward with a firm unswerving step. In such a strait, the precaution of the good Ulysses in passing the rocks of Ogygia, if ap plied in season, might, perhaps, fortify him alike against the menaces of foes on on; side> and the blandishments of flatterers on the other? But even tht n he must often surmount obsta cles which no sagacity c >n avoid, and encoun ter'ditficolties which previsioncannotjalb viate. There are many who cannot, and some too, who will not be pleased, for “ the expectation of ignorance is indefinite, and that of know ledge is often tyrannical! it is hard to gratify those who know not what to demand, or those, who demand by design what they think impos sible to be done.” But since every man is at liberty to deserve well of thr public, the editors of the Georgia Statesman, pledge to the community their ablest endeavours to cherish and defend the great interests and internal policy of the state —to watch over her rights, and sound the toe, fin of alarm when danger appears—to uphold the sacredness and dignity of our fi deral re lation—to sustain, by every honourable effort the late Treaty with the occupants of our west; rn soil, and to promote, with untiring zfeal, the growing cause: of Education and Internal Improvement in this state. We have eryoyed no moment since our corporate or federal existence, so propitious as tin- present, for uniting bath counsel and energy in the two objects last mentioned. And the patriot citi zen will feel it but a lamentable cause for ex* ultation, that our legislative and executive de partments of authority have been trammel’d in the dictat. sos th* ir better judgement by the embarrassing beli* f that their good would be evil spoken of, in the all-besetting zeal of one party to oppose- the mea»uri-softh< oth<-r. To correct this evil: and superinduce a con cert of measures for the general good—- to pro claim the will of the people and advance th< ir prosperity—to enlarge the sphere of know!, edge-—“to give dignity to virtue and confi dence to truth," nx< objects of endeavour which shall constitute th*- prominent features of tie* Statesman. How aWy, or bow faithfully so ever these high endeavours shall he sustained, must h< referred to thr judgement 'if column , "tty t They are the constituted Judye*, %»'• h their decision we submit with deference and MESSAGE Os the President of the United States, communicated to the Senate and House of Representatives, at the commencement of the First Session of the Nineteenth Congress, Fellow-Citizens of the Senate, and of the House of Representatives : In taking a general survey of the concerns of our beloved country, with reference to subjects interesting to the common welfare, the first sen timent which impresses itself upon the mind, is of gratitude to the Omni potent Dispenser of all Good, for the continuance of the signal blessings of his Providence, and especially for that health which, to an unusual ex tent, has prevailed within our bor ders ; and for that abundance which, in the vicissitudes of the seasons, has been scattered with profusion over our land. Nor ought we less to as cribe to Him the glory, that we are permitted to enjoy the bounties of His hand in peace and tranquillity; in peace with all the other nations of the earth, in tranquillity among our selves. There has, indeed, rarely been a period in the history of civi lized man, in which the general con dition of the Christian Nations has been marked so extensively by peace and prosperity. Europe, with a few c rtial and unhappy exceptions, has njoyed ten years of peace, during which all her Governments, what ever the theory of their constitutions may have been, are successively taught to feel that the end of their institution is the happiness of the people, and that the exercise of pow er among men can be justified only by the blessings it confers upon those over whom’ it is extended. During the same period, our inter course with all those nations hiJs been pacific and friendly—it so con tinues. t'hncc the close of your last ses ion, no material variation has oc curred in our relations with any one of them. In the commercial and navigation system of Great Britain, important changes of municipal re gulation have recently been sanc tioned by act: of Parliament, the ef fect of which, upon the interests of other nations, and particularly upon ours, has not yet been fully develop ed. In the recent renewal of the diplomatic missions on both sides, between the two governments, as surances have been given and receiv ed of the continuance and increase of that mutual confidence and cor diality by which the adjustment of many points of difference hail already been effected, and which affords the surest pledge for the ultimate satis factory adjustment of those which still remain open, or may hereafter arise. The policy of the United States, in their commercial intercourse with other nations, has always been of the most liberal character. In the mutual exchange of their respective productions, they have abstained al together from prohibitions—they have interdicted themselves the power of laying taxes upon exports, and whenever they have favored their own shipping, by special pre ferences, or exclusive privileges in their own ports, it has been only with a view to countervail similar favors and exclusions granted by the nations with whom we have been engaged in traffic, to their own peo ple or shipping, and to the disadvan tage of ours. Immediately after the close of the last war, a proposal was fairly made by tbe act of Congress of the 3d of March, 1815, to all the ma ritime nations to lay aside the sys tem of retaliating restrictions and ex clusions, and to place the shipping of both parties to the common trade, on a footing of equality, in respect to the duties of tonnage and impost. This offer was partially and succes sively accepted by Great Britain, Sweden, the Netherlands, the Han seatic Cities, Prussia, Sardinia, the Duke of Oldenburg, and Russia.— It was also adopted under certain modifications, in our late commercial convention with France. And, by the act of Congress of Bth January, 1824, it has received anew confir mation, w ith all the nations who had acceded to it, and has been offered again to all those who are, or may hereafter he, willing to abide in re ciprocity by it. But all these regu lations, whether established by trea ty, or by municipal enactments, are Mill subject to one important restric tion. The removal of discriminating duties of tonnage and of impost, is limited to articles of the growth, produce, or manufacture, of the coun try to which the vessel belongs, or to such articles as are most usually first shipped from her ports. It will deserve the serious consideration of Congress, whether even this rem nant of restriction may not be safely abandoned, and whether the genera! tender of equal competition made in the act of Rth January, 1824, may not b** exit ruled to include all arti i les of rneretinndi/.e not prohibited. < f what country soever they may be tbe produce or manufacture. Pro positions to th * effect hsve already been made to us bv mor” that* oßp European government, and it is pro bable, that if once established by le gislation or compact w ith any distin guished maritime State, it would re commend itself by the experience of its advantages to the general acces sion of all. The Convention of Commerce and Navigation between the U. States and France, concluded on the 24th of June, 1822, was, in the understand ing and intenl of both parties, as ap pears upon its face, only a tempora ry arrangement ofthe point- of differ ence between them, of the most im mediate and pressing urgency. It was limited, in the first instance, to two years, from the Ist of October, 1822, hut with a proviso, that it should further continue in force, till the conclusion of a general and defi nitive treaty of commerce ; unless terminated by a notice six months in advance, of either of the parties to the other. Its operation, so far as it extended, has been mutually advan tageous; and it still continues in force, by common consent. But it left unadjusted several objects of great interest to the citiz.ens and subjects of both countries, and par ticularly a mass of claims, to consid erable amount, of citizen** ofthe Unit ed States upon the Government of France, of indemnity for property tak en or destroyed under circumstan ces of the most aggravated and out- 1 rageous character. In the long peri od during which continual and ear nest appeals have been made to the equity and magnanimity of France, in behalf of these claims, their justice has not been, as it could not be, de nied. It was hoped that the acces sion of anew Sovereign to the throne would have afforded a favorable op portunity for presenting them to the consideration of his Government. — They have been presented and urg ed, hitherto without effect. The re peated and earnest representations of ur Minister at the Court ofFranee. remain as yet even, without an an swer. Were the demands of nations upon the justice of each other sus ceptible of adjudication by the sen tence of an impartial tribun and, those to which I now refer would long since have been settled, and adequate in demnity would have been obtained There are large amounts of similar claims upon the Netherlands, Naples and Denmark. For those upon Spain, prior to IBlff, indemnity was, after many years of patient forbearance, obtained, and those upon Sweden have been lately compromised by a private settlement, in which the claimants themselves have acquies ced. The Governments iff Denmark and of Naples have been recently re minded of those yet existing against them ; nor will any of them be for gotten while a hope may be indulg ed of obtaining justice, by the means within the constitutional power of the Executive, and without resort ing to those measures of self-redress, which, as well as the time, circum stances and occasion, which may re quire them, are within the exclusive competency ofthe Legislature. It is with great satisfaction that I am enabled to bear witness to the liberal spirit with which the Repub lic of Colombia has made satisfaction for well-established claims of a simi lar character. And among the docu ments now communicated to Con gress, will be distinguished a Treaty of Commerce and Navigation with that Republic, the ratifications of which have been exchanged since the last recess of the Legislature. The negotiation of similar treaties with all the indep’r.dentSouth Amer ican State**, has been contemplated | nd may yet be accomplished. The basis of them all, as proposed by the U. States, has been laid in two prin ciples, the one of entire and unqual ified reciprocity; the other the mu tual obligation ofthe parties, to place each other permanently upon the footing of the most favored nation. These principles are, indeed, indis pensable to the effectual emancipa tion of the American hemisphere from the thraldom of colonizing mo nopolies and exclusions; an event rapidly realizing in the progress of human affairs, and which the resistance still opposed in certain parts of Europe to the acknowledg ment of the Southern American Re publics as independent States, will, it is believed, contribute more effec tually to accomplish. The time has been, and that not remote, when some of those States might, in their anxious desire to obtain a nominal recognition, have accepted of a no minal independence, clogged with burdensome conditions, and exclu sive commercial privileges granted to the nation from which they have separated, to the disadvantage of all others. They are now all aware that such concessions to any European nation, would be incompatible with that independence which they have declared and maintained. Among the measures which have been sugge: ted to them by the new relations with one another resulting, from the resent changes of their condition, is that of assem bling, at the lotlunus of Panama, a Congress at which each of them should he represented, U> deliberate up< in objects import ant to the w *l -of all The republics of Co lombia, of Mexico, tind of I entral America, have already deputed Pleni* potent iarrane* to such it rts-eting. and they have invited the United States to be also represented there by their ministers. The invitation has l>een accepted, and ministers on the part of the United States w ill r*e commissioned to attend at those and liberations, and to take part in them, so far ps may be compatible with that neutrality from which it t*- neither our intention, nor the desire of the ether American States, that we should de part. . The Commissioners under the 7th Article ofthe Treaty of Ghent have so nearly completed their labors, that by the Report recently received from the Agent on the part of the United States, there is reason to expect that the commission will he closed at their next session, appointed for the 22d of May of the ensuing year. The other commission, appoint and to ascertain the indemnities due for slaves carried away from the United States, after the close of the late war, have met with some difficulty, which has delayed their progress in the inquiry A reference has been made to the British Government on the subject, which, it may he hoped, will tend to hasten the decision of the Commissioners, or serve as .» substitute for it. Among the powers specifically granted to Congress by the Consti tution, are those of establishing uu - form laws on the subject of Bank rupt ies throughout the United States ; and of providing for organizing, arm ing, and disciplining tie* militia, and for gox’erning such pSrt of them as may be employed in the service of the United States. The magnitude and complexity ofthe interests affec ted by legislation upon these sub jects, may peccant for the fact, that, long and often as both of them have occupied tbe attention, and anima ted the debates of Congress, no sys tems hare yet been devised, for ful filling, to the satisfaction ofthe com munity, the duties prescribed by these grants of [lower. To conciliate the claim ofthe individual citizen to the enjoyment of personal liberty, with the effective obligation of pri vate contracts, is the difficult prob lem to lie solved by a law of bank ruptcy. These are objects of the deepest interest to society; nffoi ting all that is precious in the existi nee of multitudes; of persons, many of them in the classes essentially de pendent and helpless; ofthe age re nuiring nurture, and ofthe sex euti tle«l to protection, from th«- free a genev ofthe parent and the husband. The organization ofthe Militia is yet more indispensable to the liberties of the country. It is only by an effec tive Militia that we can at once enjoy the repose of peace, and bid defiance to foreign aggros-ion; it is by the militia that we are constituted an armed nation, standing in perpetual panoply of defence, in the presence of all the other nations of tbe earth. To this end, it would be necessarv so to shape its organization, as to give it a more united and active energy. There are laws for establishing an uniform militia throughout the Unit ed States, and for arming ami equip ping its whole body. But it is a body of dislocated members, without the vigor of unity, and having little of uniformity, but the name. To in fuse into this most important insti tution the power of which it is sus ceptible, and to make it available for the defence of the. Union, at the -hortest notice, anil at the, smallest expense of time, of life, and of trea sure, are among the benefits to be expected from the persevering deli berations of Congress. Among the unequivocal indications of our national prosperity, i** the flourishing state of our finances.— The revenues of the present year, from all their principal sources, will exceed the anticipations of the last. The balance in the Treasury, on the first of January last, was a little short of two millions of dollars, exclusive of two millions and a half, being tin moiety of the loan of five millions, authorized by the Act of 26th Mav, 1824, The receipts into the Trea sury from the first of January to th** thirtieth of September, exclusive of the other moiety of the same loan, are estimated at sixteen millions five hundred thousand dollars ; and it is expected that those of the current quarter w ill exceed five millions of dollars ; forming an aggregate of re ceipts of nearly twenty-two millions, independent of the loan. The ex penditures of the year w ill not ex ceed that sum more than two niil- lions. By those expenditures, near ly eight mil l ions of the principal of the public debt have been discharg ed. More than a million and a half has been devoted to the debt of gra titude to the warriors of the Revo-j lution : a nearly equal sum to the construction of fortifications, and the acquisition of ordinance, and other permanent preparatives of national defence : halt a million to the grad ual increase of th° Navy : an equal -uni for purchases of Territory from the Indians, and payment of annui ties to them: and upwards of a mil lion for objects of Internal Improve ment. authorized by special acts of the last Congress. If we add to these, four millions of dollars for payment of interest upon the public debt, there n mains a sum of about -even million-, which have d< raved the whole expense ot the adminis tration of Government, in it- Legis lative, Executive, and Judiciarv lx*. partments, including the support ot the Military and Naval Establish ments, and all the occasional contin genci- sos a Government co-exten sive with the Union. The amount of d’ ties secured on merchand.se imported, lrom the com mencement of the year, is gbout twenty-five millions and a half; and that which will aerne during the cur rent quarter, is estimated at five mill ions and a half; from these thirty one million, deducting the draw backs, estimated at less than seven millions, a sum exceeding twenty four million will constitute the reve nue of the year; and will exceed the whole expenditures of the year. Tbe entire amount of public debt remain ing due on the first of January next, will be short of eghty-one millions of dollars. By an Act of Congress of the third of March last, a loan of telwve mill ions of dollars was authorized at four and a half pcr-cent. or an ex change of stock to that amount of four and a half per cent, for a stock of six per cent, to create a fund fur extinguishing an equal amount ofthe public defit, hearing an interest of six per cent, redeemable in 1826 An account of the measures taken to give effect to this Act w ill be laid be fore you by the Secretary of tbe Treasury. As the object which it had in view has been but partially accomplished, it will be for the con sideration of Congress, whether the pow er with which it clothed the Ex ecutive should not he renewed at an early dav of the present Session, and under what modifications. The Act of Congress of the 3d of March last, directing the Secretary ofthe Treasury to subscribe, in the name and for the use ofthe United States, for one thousand five hun dred shares of the capital stock of the Chesapeake and Delaware Ca na! Company, has been executed by the actual subscription for the a amonnt specified, and such other measures have been adopted by that officer, under the Act, as the fulfil ment of its intentions requires. The latest accounts received of this im portant undertaking, authorize the belief that it is in successful progress. The payments into the Treasury from proceeds ofthe sales oft he Pub lic Lands, during the present year, were estimated at one million of dol lars. The actual receipts of the first two quarters have fallen a erv litle short of that sum . it is not expected that the second half of the year will he equally productive; but the in come of the year from that source may now he safely estimated at a million and a half. The Act of Con gress of 18th May, 1824, to provide for the extinguishment of the debt due to the United States by the pur chasers of public lands, was limited, in its operation of relief to the pur cliaser, to the tenth of April last. — Its effect at the end of the quarter during which it expired, was to re duce that debt from ten to seven millions. By the operation of simi lar prior laws of relief, from and since (hat of 2d March, 18'M, the debt had been reduced, from upwards of twenty-two millions, to ten. It is exceedingly desirable that it should be extinguished altogether; and to facilitate that consummation, I re commend to Congress the revival, for one year more, of the Act of 18tli May, 1824, with such provisional modification as may be necessary to guard the public interests against fraudulent practices in the re-sale of the relinquished land. The purcha sers of public lands are among the most useful of our fellow-citizens, and, since the system of sales for cash alone has been introduced, great indulgence has been justly ex tended to those who had previously purchased upon credit. The del t w hich had been contracted under the credit sales had become unwieldy, and its extinction was alike advan tageous to the purchaser and the public. Under the system of sales, matured, as it has been, by expe rience, and adapted to the exigen cies ofthe times, the lands will con tinue, as they have become, an abun dant source of revenue; and when the pledge of hem to the public creditor shall have been redeemed by the entire discharge of the na tional debt, the swelling tide of wealth with which they replenish the common Treasury may be made to reflow in unfailing streams of im provement from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. The condition of the various 'ranches ofthe public service re sorting from the Department of \\ nr, and their administration during the current vear, w ill be exhibited in the Report from the Secretary of War, and the accompanying documents herewith communicated. The or ganization and discipline ofthe army are effective and satisfactory. To counteract the prevalence of deser tion among the troops, it has been suggested to withhold from the men a small portion of their monthly pay, until tin* jwriod of their discharge, and some expedient appears t<> be necessary, to preserve and maintain among the officers so much of the art of horsemanship as could scarce ly fail to he found wanting, on the possihle sudden eruption of a war, which should overtake us unprovid ed with a single corps of cavalry.— The Military Academy at West* Point, under the r« strict ions of a se verc but paternal superintendence, recommends itself more and more to the patronage of the Nation ; ;md the number of meritorious officers which it forms and introduces to the public service, furnishes the means of multiplying the undertakings of public improvements, to which their acquirements at that institution are peculiarly adapted. The school of Artillery practice, established at Ea tress Monroe, is well suited to e same purpose, and may need the aid of further legislative provision to the same end. The Reports from the yarious officers at the head of the administrative branches of the military service, connected with the quartering, clothing, subsistence, health, and pay, ofthe Army, exhib it the assiduous vigilence of those officers in the performance of their respective duties, and the faithful accountability which has pervaded every part ofthe system. Our relations with the numerous tribes of aboriginal natives of this country, scattered over its extensive surface, and so dependent, even for tiieir existence, upon our power, have been, during the present year, highly interesting. An Act of Con gress of 25th May, 1824, made an appropriation to defray the expenses of making Treaties of trade and friendship with tbe Indian Tribes be yond the Mississipi. An Act of 3d March, 1825, authorized Treaties to be made with the Indians for their consent to the making of a road from the frontier of Missouri to that of New Mexico. And another Act, of the same date, provided lor defray ing the expenses of holding Treaties with the Siox, C’hippeW’ays, Meno hieneos, Sauxs, Foxes, Ac. lor the purpsoe of establishing boundaries and promoting peace between said Tribes. The first and the last ob jects of these Acts have been ac complished; and the second is yet in a process of execution. The Trea ties which, since the last Session of Congress, have been concluded with the several Tribes, will be laid be fore the Senate lor their considera tion, conformably to the Constitu tion. They comprise large and valu able acquisitions of Territory ; and they secure an adjustment of boun daries, and give pledges of perma nent peace between several Tribes which had been long waging bloody wars against each other. On the 12th of February last, a Treaty was- signed at the Indian Springs, between Commissioners ap pointed on the part of the United States, and certain Chiefs and indi viduals of the Creek Nation of In dians, which was received at the Seat of Government only a few days before the close of the last Session of Congress and of the late Admin istration. The advice and consent ofthe Senate was given to it, on the> 3d of March, too late for it to re ceive the ratification of the then President of the United States: it was ratified on the 7th of March, under the unsuspecting impression that it had been negotiated in good faith, and in the confidence inspired by the recommendation of the Senate.— The subsequent transactions in re lation to tiiis Treaty will form the subject of a separate Message. The appointments made by C ti gress, for public works, as w ell in the eoustrusetion of fortifications, as for purposes of interna! improvement, so far as they have been expended, have been faithfully applied. Their progress has been delayed by the want of suitable officers for superin tending them. An increase of both llie Corps of and Topographical, was recommenced by my predecessor at the last session of Congress. The reasons upon which that recommendation was founded, subsist in all their force, and have acquired additional urgency since that time. It may also be expedi ent to organize the Topographical Engineers into a Corps similar to the present esiaWishment of the Corps of Engineers. The Military Academy at West Point, will furnish, from the Cadets aunually graduated there, officers well qualified for carry ing this measure into effect. The Board of Engineers for Inter nal Improvement, appointed for car rying into execution the Act ot Con gress of 30th ot' April, 1824, “ to pro cure the necessary surveys, plans, and estimates, on tde sublet of roads ami canals,” have been actively en gaged in that service from the close of the last Session of Congress. — They have completed the surveys ncitssary tor ascertaining the prac ticability of a Canal from the Chsa peake Bav to the Ohio River, and are preparing a full Report on that subject; which, when completed, will be laid before you. The same observation is to he made with re gard to two other objects of nation al importance, upon which the Board have been occupied; namely: the accomplishment of a National Road from this City to New-Orleans, and the practicability of uniting the wa ters of Lake Memphramagog with Connecticut River, and tin improvc m* nt of the navigation ol that River. The Mirrays* have l*een made, and are nearly completed. The Report may he expected at an early period during the present Session of Con. Kress. The Acts of Congress of the last -sion relative to the surveying, marking, or laving out road* in ttiv