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NEJP YORK, December 8. . ;
THE fliip Draper, capt. Lee, arrived this mdrning m
42 days from London.
It appears that the garrison of Alexandria furretidcret
to gen. Hutchinson on the 2d September, confiding ot
10.000 men. By the terms of the capitulation the forts
and town of Alexandria were to be evacuated in ten days,
after the signing of the capitulation, and the embarkation
of the garrifon*for trance was to take place in the lame
period. The article which is now of mod moment is the
6th in the order of those proposed, by the rejettion_of
which, and tfifc following article, all the ships and veflels
of the French and their allies, whether (hips of war or
merchantmen, both in Alexandria and that might arrive
there after the capitulation, become prizes; and by the ic
prefentation of both parties the number of tbefe niuft >e
very considerable. Nor are the French permitted to avail
themlelves of the spoils which their Literati had with so
much labor colletted; ami the Arabian manuscripts, fla
tues, and other collections made for the French Republic,
are to be considered as public property. Hostages were
to be given for the due observance of the treaty.
Parliament was prorogued to the 29th of October*
On the 22d of October notice was lent by the chancel
lor of the exchequer to Lloyd’s cofieehoufcj that the con
voy dutv, owing to the preliminaries of peace, had cealcd,
and was no longer to be paid.
Washington, December 8. I his day, at 120 clock,
the following Message was delivered to each House by Mi.
Lewis, Secretary to the Prelident.
MESS Ad E of the Prcfident of the United States to
both House s of Congress.
S IRI December 8, 1801.
The circumAances under which we find ourselves at this
place rendering inconvenient the mode, heretofore prattil
ed, of making, by personal address, the firlt communica
tions between the Legillative and Executive Branches, I
have adopted that by mefi’age, as tiled on all fiiblequent
occasions through the fefiion. In doing this I have had
—principal regard to the. cunvcnTCnce of the Legillature, to—
the economy of their time, to their relief from the embar
rassment of immediate answers on fubjetts not yet lull}’ lie
fore them, and to the benefits thence resulting to the pub
lic affairs. Truftjng that a procedure founded on -thfe
motives will meet their approbation, I beg leave, through
you, fir, to communicate the enclosed mellage, with the
ilocuments accompanying it, to the Honorable the Houle
of Representatives, and pray you to accept, for yourfclf .
and them, the homage of my high refpett and conlideniti
on. - ’ TH. JEFFERSON.
TbT Honorable the Speaker of the
House of Representatives .
Fellow Citizens of the and of
The House of Representatives ,
- It is a etfctmtftance of-lmc-fare gratification to me*- that 3
on meeting the great Council of the Nation, I am aide to
announce to them, on grounds of reafonablc certainty, that
the wars and troubles which have for lb many years af
flicted our filler nations have at length come to an enu, and
that the communications of peace and commerce are once
more opening among them. Whilst we devoutly return
thanks to the beneficent Being who has been pleased to
breathe into them the spirit of conciliation and Forgire
liefs, we are bound, with peculiar gratitude, to be thank
• ful to Him that bur own peace has been prelerved through
so perilous a lea foil, and ourselves permitted quietly to
cultivate the earth, and to prattile and improve thole arts
which tend to ineveale our comforts. 1 lie alTuranees, in
deed, of friendly dilpofitiott, received from all the powers *
with whom \v£ have principal relations, had mlpircd a < on
side nee that our peace with them would not have been dil
turbed; but a ceflation ofnlie irregularities which had af
flicted the commerce of neutral nations, and of the irrita
•tions and injuries produced by them, cannot but add to
this confidence, and ftrengtheus, at the fame time, the
l-.ope, that wrongs committedon■unoffending friends, under
a pvdfnre of ciicumftances, will now be reviewed with
candor, and will be considered as founding claims of
retribution lor the pan, and new ahurancc for the Ui-
tine. _
Among cur Indian neighbors alio a fpirlt of'pcace and
friendlhip generally prevails; and 1 am happy to intomi
eon, <h-.it .the ronuniiciLcifot-* to liitrodne-fr-aniung them
the implements and the practice of huftv.uiilry,. and ot die
houlehold arts, have not been without fucceL; that they
are-become more and more (enfible of the iupericHfity of
this dependence for clothing and Jiibiiliencc over the pre- j
carious ic!cilrccs of-hunting and lilhing; and already w e
are able to announce, that, in Head ot that constant
diminution of numbers produced by their wars and their
wants, fome of them begin to experience an increase of
population*
‘To this fate of general peace with which we have been
Welled one only exception exit tv Tripoli, the leali conli
derable of the Barbary.ftatcs, had come forward with de
mands unfounded either in right or in compact, and had
permitted itfelf to denounce war, on our failure to comply
before a given day. The ft .le of the demand admitted but
bite answer: I lent a small fijuadron of frigates into the Me
diterranean, with alTnranots to that power of owlinccre de
five to remain in peace, but with orders toproteft our com
merce against ttie threatened attack. The measure was
feafonablc and salutary; the Iky had already declared war
in form; his cruisers were out; two had arrived at Gibral
tar; our commerce in the Mediterranean was blockaded,
and that of the Atlantic in peril. The arrival of our fqua*
dron difpclled the danger. One.of the Tripolitan cruisers
having fallen in with and engaged the line 11 schooner En
trrprife, commanded bv Lieut. Sterret, which had gone
out as a tender to a larger vefiel, was captured, after a
very heavy daughter of her men, without the loss of a
ling! e one on our part. The bravery exhibited by our ci
ti'.tns on mat element will, I trull, be a testimony to the
w orld, that it is not a want of that virtue which makes us
leek their peace, but a conscientious delire to direcd the“e
tiergics ot our nation to the multiplication of the human
r ice, and not to its deftrucYton. Unauthorized bv the
co.iltitution, without the fancYion of Crtngrefs, to go be
* ) oil J the line of defence, the veflel being disabled from
ronunitting further 1 ft di ties, was liberated, with its crew. 1
The Legillature will dnubtlels confider whether, by autho
rizing uieafures of offence also, they will place 0111 loice
on an equal footing with that of its adversaries. 1 com
municate ail material information bn this fubjett, that, m
the exercise of the important lunttion confided by the con
flitution to the Legillature excluiively, their judgment
may form itfelf on a knowledge and coiilideration of every
circumstance of weight. -
I willi I could fay, that our fituatiori with all the other
Barbary date's was entirely fatisfattory. Discovering that
feme delays had taken place im the performance of certain
articlesJVipulated by us, I thought it my duty, by imme
diate meafurcs for fulfilling them, to vindicate to ourleKes
the right of conficlering the t-ffett of departure from stipu
lation on their lide* From the papers which will be laid
before you you will be enabled to judge whether our
ties are regarded by them as fixing at all the mealure of
their demands, or as guarding again ft the exercise oi force
our veflels within their power; and to conlider how far jt
will be fafe and expedient to leave our affairs with them
in their prefect pollute.
I lay before you the result of the census lately taken of
our inhabitants, so a conformity with which we are to re
duce the rates of the coining repfefentation and taxation.
You will perceiVt: that the increale ot numbers, during
the lall 1 o years', proceeding in geometrical ratio, pro
miles a duplication in little more than 22 years. We
contemplate this rapid growth, and the profpett it holds
up to us, not with,a view to the injuries it may enable us
to do to others in. fq.me future day, but to the settlement
of the eXtenfive country Hill remaining vacant within our
limits, to the multiplication of men, i’ufceptible of happi
nels, educated in the love of order, habituated to felt go
vernment, and'valuing its bltilings above all price.
Otlier circuiTiftances, combined with the increale of
number;,, have produced an augmentation of revenue, a
rising from Confumotion, in a ratio lar beyond that ot po
pulation alone; and though the changes in foreign relati
ons, now taking place so desirably for the whole world,
may for a feaioa.affectthis-branchof revenue, yet, weigh
ing all probabili ties of exnence, well Oi, of income, there
is reasonable ground of confidence that we may now lately
difpenfc with yll the . internal, taxes, comprehending ex
cises, slumps, .auttioms, Hcenfcs, • carriages, and refined
sugars; to which the poilage on newspapers may be added,
to facilitate the progress of information; and that the ri>
maining lburc.es of revenue will be fufficient to provide for
the flip-port of government, to pay the interefl of the pub
lic debts, and to dife barge the principals in lliorter periods
than the laws or the general expectation had contemplat
ed. War, indeed, and untoward events, may change
this profpett things, and cal! for expences which the
ini polls meet: But found principles will not juf
tify outyfaxhig the indtiftry of our fellow citizens to accu
'mulate treasure for wars to happen we know not when,
and which -might not perhaps happen but troth the tempta
tions offered by that treasure*
Theft- views, -however, of reducing our burthens, are
formed on’ the exjx'ttation that a lenfible, and, at tilt*
fame time, a fulutary rcJ-uttimi 11,ay take place in ou- TTa
bitnul expenditures; For this purpole thole ot the ci\ ll
government,the army aild navy, will need reviltl. When
we confider that this j.-'.nrnment is charged with the ex
ternal and mutual relations only ot thUe dates; that the
(late# themlelves have principal care of our peribns, pur
property, and our reputation, conflitming the grt firtd
of human concerns; we may well doubt whether our or
ganization is not too complicated, too exncnlive; whether
offices and otib'ers have not been multiplied unnecellarily,
and Ibmethncs injurimifi y to the lervice they were meant
to promote. 1 will cauir to be laid before you an ellay
towards a statement of those who, under public employ-
nient of various kinds, draw money from the trcalnry, or
from bur citizens. l ime has not permitted a pertett en
umeration, the ramifications ot office being too multiplied
and remote to be completely traced in a fir 11: r . ial. Among
those who are dependent on Executive diferetion I have
‘brentn * the rtducFibh ‘ot wiiaf was deemed unneceUary.
The expences of diplomatic agenfcy have been cdnfiueraoly
climiniihcd. The inip-.Cfor’s of internal revenue, who
were found to obftrucVthe. accountability ot the inltituti
cn, have been difeontitmed. Several agencies, created
by Executive authority, on Jahuies fixed by that alio,
-have U'cm-feppicilU/and lh add liiggdi the cxpt-tHcntgr
of .regulating that power by law, so us to iubjeiY its ex
ercifos to kgiil.it:ve intjiection and laiuYion. Oilier re
formations of the lupie kind will be purlued with that
caution which is rvijuitite, in removing ufeleis tilings, not
to injure wliat is retained. But the great routs ot public
“offices - is eftablillied bv law, and them, re‘by law alone
can be abolilhed. Siloiild the Legislature think it expedient
to puls this roll; iit review, and to try ail its parts by the
tdt of public utility,- they may be allured of aid
and light Vvhich Kxixutiye information can yield. Gon
lidcring the general tcndency. to multiply offices and de
pendencies, and to, incrcafe expence to the ultimate teim
of burthen which the citizen can bear, it behooves us to
avail ourielvcs of every occaiion which presents itfelf tor
taking off the surcharge, that it never may he L;en here
that, after leaving to labor the iinalleft portion otffits earn
ings on which it can sublist, government Hull itfelf con
sume tiic rtiidue ot w hat it was initituted to guaid.
In our care too of .the public contributions intruded to
our direction, it would be prudent to multiply barriers
against thffir diffipatien, by appropriating fpecffic linns to
every fpecific purpose fufccptible ot definition; by disallow
ing all applications of money varying from the appropna
i tion in object, or tranfeending it in amount; by reducing
1 the undefined field of contingencies, and thereby circum
fcribuig diferetionary powers over money; and by bringing
back to a fyigle department a'd accountabilities for money,
where the examination may be prompt, efficacious, .and
uniform. , - •
An account of.the receipts and expenditures of tlie last
year, as prepared hy the Secretary ot the 1 reafury, will
as ulual be laid !.*efore you. Tlie success which has at
tended the late fates of the public lands fliews'that, with
attention, they may be made an important lource of re
ceipt. Anionj the payments thole made'Hi difeharge of
tbc principal nd interest of the national debt will fliew
that tile public faith lias'been eicitdlly Itsniiicnlnecl. T<#
tilde will be added an dVunate of appropriations ucceflary
lor the ensuing year. This lafl will of coiirfe be adheted
by such modifications of the system of expence as you flail
think proper to adopt. J
A It ate me nc has been formed bv the Secretary at Y r ar
on mature consideration, of all the polls and flations'where
garrisons will be expedient, and of the number of men
requitite for each garrison. The whole amount is conu
derably ftiort of the prelint military eflablilhment. For
the surplus no particular use can be pointed out. For de
fence against invasion their number is as nothing; nor is it
confideix-d needful or fafe that a {landing army IW.d be
kept up in time of peace for that purpole. Uncertain, as
we mull ever be, of the particular point in our circumfer
ence where an enemy may choofc to invade 11s, the only
force which can be ready at every point, ayd competent
to uppofe them, is the body of neighboring citizens as
formed into a militia. On tliefe, collected from the party
moll convenient, in numbers proportioned to the invading
torce, it is belt to rely, not only to meet the full attack
butj, if it threatens to be permanent, to maintain the del
fence until regulars may be engaged to relieve them.
Tliefe confulerations render it important that we Ihoukl
at every ffffion, continue to amend die defccls, wlfich
from time to time fliew ihemfclves, in the laws for veg u .
lating the militia, until they are fufficiently perfect: Nor
fliould w_e now, or at any time, f;-pa rate, until we cyjJ
fay we have done every thing for the militia which we’
could do were an enemy at our door.
The provision of military (lores on hand will be laid
before you, that you may judge of the additions dill re
quilite.
With refpecl to the extent to which our naval prepara
tions fliould be carried fome difference of opinion may be
expedited to appear; but jtifl attention to the circumflances
of every part of tbs Union will cloubtlefs reconcile all.
A linall force will probably ‘continue to lie wanted for
actual lervice in the Mediterranean. Whatever annual
sum beyond that you may think proper to appropriate to
nival preparations itouhl perhaps be better-euiphvvcd in
providing those articles which may be kept without vvafle
or consumption, and be in rendinefr, when any exigence
calls them into use. Progress has been made, as will ap
pear by paper# now communicated, in providing materials
for 74 gun fliips, a# directed by law.
How fir the authority given by the Legifiaturfe for
procuring and cflabliflfing sites for naval pur poles has
been perfectly under flood, and puruied in the execution,
admits of foir.'e doubt. A Aatement of the expences al
ready incurred - on that I’ubjeCt fliall be laid before you. I
have, in certain eafei, suspended or llacktned tbefe ex
penditures, that the Legillature might determine whether
so many yard* are'necefiary as have been contemplated.
The works at this place are among-those permitted, to go
on; and five of the seven frigates diretted to be laid up
h::vc been brought and laid up here, where, btfidexthe
fafe tv of their position, they are under the eye of the Ex
ecutive Adm'miiUation, as well as of its agents, and
where yonrfelves also will be guided by your own view,
in the legiflatiye provisions resetting tliem, which may
from time to time be neceflnry. They are preserved in
such condition, as well the velfels as whatever belongs to
them, as to be at all times ready for lea on a fliort warn
ing. Two others art yet to be laid up so soon as they
Audi have received the repairs requilite to put them also
into found condition. Asa superintending officer will be
neceffiry at each yard, his duties and emoluments, hitherto
fixed bv the Executive, will be a more proper ftibje'tt for
legislation. A communication will also be made of our
progress in the execution of the law refpetting the yefftls
directed to be fold.
and lie fortifications of our harbors, more or less advanced,
prefeni confideratioirs of great difficulty. While fome of
them are on a scale fufficiently proportioned to the advant
ages of their polition, to the efficacy ot their protettion,
and the importance of the- points within fo
extcnlive, will cod so much in their li'fl erettion, so much
in their maintenance, and require such a force tcvgarrifoii
them, as to make it qtiellionablc what is bell now to
done. A llatement of those commenced or projected, ct
the expences already incurred, and estimates ol their future
coil, as far as can be forefecn, lhall be laid before you,
that you {nay be enabled to judge whether Any alteration
—Ts-tieecfiury in the laws refpetting, this fubjett. _
Agriculture, manufactures, commerce, and navigation,
tl-,e tour pillars of our prosperity, are then moil thriving
when left moft free to individual enterprise. i’rotettion
from calual embarrassments, however, may fome times be
seasonably interposed. If, in the course of your ob.erva
tions or inquiries, tliey fliould appear to need aii> aic wit -
in the limits of our constitutional powers, your fenle ot
their importance is a figficient assurance they will occupy
your attention. We cannot", indeed, but all feel an anxi
ous solicitude for the difficulties under which our earn ing
tride will soon be placed. How far it can be relieved, o
therwil’e than by time, is a fubjett ol important conlider-
ation. —_ .
Tiie judiciary fvffem of ttie United States, and clpeci
ally that portion of it recently ere<fted, will of coui fe pre
sent itfelf to the contemplation of Congress; and, that they
may be able to judge of the proportion which.the instituti
on bears to the bulinefs it has to perform, I have caused
to be procured from the several dates, and now lay before
Congress, an ex ad datement of all the causes decided hnce
the firft edablilhment of the courts, and of those which
were depending when additional courts and judges were
brought into their aid.
And, while on the judiciary organization, it will be
wofthy your coniideration, whether the protection of and e
inedimable inflitution of juries has been extended to all the
cases involving the fecurtty of our persons and property •
Their impartial feledion also being efiential to them value,
we ought further to contider, whether that is fufhcient y
secured in thole dates where they are named by a Marina!
depending on Executive will, or delignated by the court,
or by officers dependent on them.
I cannot omit recommending a revifal of the laws on the
fubjed of naturalization. Considering the ordinary chances
of human life, a denial of citizenlhip under a rehdence o
14 rears is a denial to a great proportion of those who au*