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... r 77 yrr>, 7 :r?c - Ar.'p
1 A—* i. • -i- i. ~ *-/ --y _ > •
V:llzy Citizens cf the Senate, &
*■ the H§ufe cf Reprcfcrtativcs,
The embr r ffiar cis vduc h havc
p'rcvriftc: in cur fortr’gn relation,
arJ ft -much employed ri- deli be*
r.’t'.M s < l Cong rls, make it a pri
nt ry ciu'y, in mteiii g you, to
comriumicate wha ever may have
ocru red in that branch of our na
tion and Pn'-'r*.
•he aft of the h f e ftfiion of
C< t ty lk “ conrerning the corn
ier, i, i intercourse between the U
i) :d Stares and Great Britain and
t .< r di pendencies’* having invited
in anew form, a termination of their
edifts r gain it our neutral rnm
fncrcp, copies of the ait were im
mehacdy forwarded to our rninif
rers a: London and Pads ; with a
view that its obj ft rrftght be within
tne early attention c f the French
and B i fti governments.
By th*j comminfcicadon received
t't.o’ our rniniftcr at Paris, it ap
peared, chat a kov ftdg* of the a6b
by the French government, v.as
f Towed by a dec’?ration that the
Bed n and Milan decrees were re
vi k cl, and would cesle to have *f~
ft 6b c * tie fir ft dcy o f Novcm be r
c -ifui g. Thebe berg the only
known edvfts of France, within the
deft yip; ion of rhe a6b, a.H-the l eva
can* n of them, bmrtg inch that they
rented, at that (flare, to viol e our
neutral commerce j the faft, 35
prefciibed by law, was announced
by a proclamation bearing date- the
ferond cisv of November.
b would have w*->{ accorded with
the conciliatory views, indicated by
th s prroeedog <n the pare of
Fiance, to h-u c extended them to
all tin* grounds of juft complaint,
which now remain unadjufftd with
the United S rt'rs. it was pnriu u-
Jcrlv anticipated thar es a further
evidence of juft difpi fi ions towards
vhtm—reparation .vc uid have be< n
iinmcdiacely made of the property
or our citizens frizH under a m l
appliration of the principle 1 of rc
pr BE, combined with a mifcon
fl uftmn cf ala vof the United
br: This exptfta ion has not
It on itdfrikd.
From tile Bret fh government no
commune noon on the fu hj T of
Fe aft has been received. To a
coromunica: ir n fr; m our rm ..ft r
50 London of t!ie revocation, bv the
F rnch govern mens, of its B*.Tn
;v A LVI \&<* decrees, it was anfwcred
th a t 1h e Brit ih f ft e m vv ou cl b e
relii qu (lied as foon as the rrp al of
tin French dr ti ers fhnuld have ac
tually raken r fr. 6b, and tne c< m
nn ive of neutul nations have been
rftored to the condition in which
it ft .nd, previotjifl, to the promul
gation cf thofe decrees. Th’s
pledg-, although it does not necef
fariiy import, dot v not x lode the
Intention cf rub uuilhir.g, a!o g
v h the orders in eftum il, the p:a; -
t ecf tht fc n.'-Tel hi ckacics, wh.ch
1 alike t ft’ 6b of nur
n. ui.Td commerce. And this fur
ther jufbicjs to the United States is
the rather to be look and f > r , inas
much as the blockade < in queft.on,
being not more contrail y ro the ef
tahl fhed law of nationb, than incor.-
fft*nr vvirh the rules t> f blockade
formally recognized bv Great-Lb 1-
fa*n herfeif could have no Fledged
1 afr:, ether than the pi *a of re r al a
tiun, nliedged as the ij. fis of the
o drts ro co :ncil. U ier the mo
<. fna-ion cf the o igu til orders cf
Kovembc; 1807, iv.to • reorders of
April 1 hop, there is Indeed f artc
)v a nvmjnal d’ftindti'n b tween
tot orders end th- bivkadfs
Oi.c cf LhoiciikgiUinait LiockiUu,
b-a-'r.;’ Jm ■: l 7 '; 13 6 > havk g
b•. rt e.l ptv v ja. vo.v<f 1(. ;• he fli-l
van •.rind *d, and to b , in TfTc ,
comcreh-nded in the ori.-,s in
cowncti, was too cilhr.fldv fire v c
with:. the purvie wcf the ; aft of
Cong reft, not to be comp t|;-ndtd
in the explanAlicn c;f tlie re tpj fi • s
to a compliance wnh it. Tut- Bvi
tfh g vernment was accordingly
apprized bv our ru’ iH r near r,
tha’ fu h was rhe light in which the
fubj .ft was to be regarded.
On the other imporrant fubj fts
depending between the U. S.a -s
and that governmenr, no pr< g efs
has been made, from which an ear
ly and fatisfaftury refuit ‘‘an be re
lied on.
J i this new pofture of our rrla
tions with/thofe powers, the co? fi
drration of Cos; g.-efs will be pro
perly turned to a removal ofd tihrs
which mr.v occur in the exp fi •; n,
and of ci fH ulcies in the cxecutio;,
of she act above cited.
The commerce of the U: i <*d
Sr?.tes, with the North of F.ur >pe,
heretofore much vexv-d b*. i;an i.
cus rrtffers, particularly under r he
Danifti ft g, has l-arterl ‘ been v ft vd
with frefh a;-;d extenfivc depr da
tions. Ihe ‘meafurtr. pu.fued irr
behalf of our injured cVt’zers not
having obtained juft ce f r them, a
further and more f rmsl interp'-fi
tion with the Danifli government
is contemplated The principles
which have been maintained by that
government in relation to nett ral
comoieri e, snd the friendly profef
fi ms (.f h'.s Dan*fh Mnjefty t -ware's
tii<; United Starts, are valunb e
pledges, in favor of a futtcefsful
ilTue.
Among the evervs growing out
of the SpanifW Monarchy, our a:-
tention was uisperi uilv attraftrd to
the chang-, developing itfelf in
that portion of Wt ft Fion'da; wh ; ch
tho’ of light b loi g g to the Uni
ted Stitts, had remained in the
p ft’ ffi of Spain ; awaiting rhe
rrfuk of negitiatiuns for i *. acftu and
deb very to them. The Sp,.v fn
authority was fubverted : .and a ft
tuation produced, expoS g the
country to ulterior events, which
m : pht tff-ntia'ly nfF it the r g its
and wefts re of the U ion. In iu h
a conj-fturc, I did p;.r. deity the in
terp jfiuon r quued f>r the occu
pancy of the territory Weft of the
river P rdido ;to which the titfts
of the U 11 ted S a es extends, and
to which d’r |ac>, provi-.k-d f;r he
territory of Orlt-ans, a-"c applicable.
W th this view, the pr ‘clamanon,
of which a copy is hid before you,
was confided to the governor of
that territory, to be carried Into ef
ft-ft. The Lgdirv and neceflity of
the courfe purfu and, rne of
the favorable light in which it will
fupply whatever prov fions may be
due to the tIT ncial r g .ft. and equi
table intertfts of the p ople thus
brought iiuo the bofom of the A
rm r’ii an fa r> 1/.
Our amity with the Powers of
Barbarv, wuh the excepd- n if a
lecer.t occq-rence a: ITinis, of
which an explanation is juft receiv
ed, appears to have been uninter
rupted, aid r have become more
frmly rftabl filed.
With the I. and an triher, aftb, the
pr? t and fiirndfii p of the U.nted
8 acts are f >u ri d to be io ehg.ble,
that the general difp fi >n to pre
ferve both continue to gai 1 ft'-ength.
Ifu Ia pa ticular latisfa6lion in
remark! g, char an inter-tor view of
ouriountr) p'-ehr.rs us with grate
ful proofs ( f its fu llandzl ad in
ctrafi g pr.tfpericy. To a thriv
ing *gnruUure and the improve
rnciiii iGated to i, is added aTfigh^
!y huc-refidrg * hi -. f JO . : , r
; the combined proci u£fc
or j.r;;frill rai ;;, : d of
h u:u 11 oiu :ndu:i ry . Su.h, ic:ec:!,
is tke experience of enonnenv, as
wFi as of policy, in tilde fubfti
t-jr.es for fupplics heretofore ob
tained by foreign commerce, tha f ,
i’i a national view, the chaege is
juft : y regarded as ©f itMf more
t..an a recom©-nce f r thofe priva
tions and lofi s refulting fr<’m fo
rt gn injufti e, which furnifhed the
g n ral mpulfe r quired for its ac
compl fiiment. Hnv far it may be
expedient to guard the infancy of
tn.s improvement in the and ftributi
cn of iabar, bv regulations of the
commercial far fr, i a hr jft which
cannot fa 1 to fugg ft ltlcif to your
parriodc rrß ftions.
It will r. fc with the confideration
c. C mgrefs, alfo, whether a pro
vicienr, as v/cli as fair encou sge
roen’, would not be g ; veo to our
nav gation, by fucii regulations as
will fU.e it on a l -vd ofcomperi
tien with f ireign vc if Is, particular
ly in tranfport ng *ne imp ;rtan: and
bulky produft. of our own f il.
The fa lure of equality and recipro
city in the ex ft g regulations on
tk sfubj-ft operairs, in our port:,
ss a premium 10 fore.un comord
io?£j and the inconvenience nuft
inercafe, as chefe may be mul ipii
ccl, under more favorable circoin
ftances, by the more than conn er
vading encoiio-gernenis now given
them, by the Lws of their reipec
tive countries.
Whilft it is univeTally admitted
that a w. IS inflrufted people alone
can be permanently a free pec{o ?j
and vvhi.ft it is evident chic the
nrans of and fr.fi g and ifnprovs g
ofc I til khowlcvige term ft) fmail a
piopnr ion of die expenditures for
national purpofes, 1 cannot pcefurne
it to be unfeafonable, co invite your
atte tion to the advantag-s of fuper
addmg, to the means of edu- a ion
pro r u and by the fever. 1 ft ts, a fe
miitiary of learning, icftruced by
tli • nu i >nal leg fliturc, within rhs
l.rmts tif their exclufive jurifdifti
oni the ex pence of wh ch m ght
l e defrayed, or mm burled, out of
the va ant grounds which have ac
cru'd to th* nation within thofe ft
mus.
Such an inflitutlori, tli ‘ugh local
in i?s legal charaft- r, woulu be u
nivtrfii in its ben. fi ;al tfr ft:.—
B - rn! gi rnrg the opinion;; by
rxoandi g the pacriotiftm; and by
afiirn la i g the principles, the fea
tiuier.fs and ihe manners of thofe
who m got reftyrt to this Fcmple of
Science, to be re-chftributcd, in
clue time, through every port of the
communii) j ft ur. ts olj aloufy and
pr judfte would bed mm fn and, the
ft a ures of natimai charafter would
be muiiipliod, aid g e. t r extent
given to focial harm ny. Bit a
bove all, a well conft.tuted Semi
nary, in the cer.tfe of the nati in,
is recommended by I he confidt ra
tion, that the iniu uftion ema ati g
from it would contribute not Ids
to lire gfnrn the f mcLtlocs, than
ro ador.i toe ft'u flu re of our free
and happy ft it m of government.
Among the commercial abufes
ft il committed under rhe Anif t ican
fi ig. and leaving in force my for
mer reference to that fu Uft, it ap
pears that American vicizens arc in
ftrumenta! in carrying on a traffic
in e: (laved Africans, equally in vi
olation of the laws of burn amt anl
in defiance of thole of their own
country. The ‘ame juft and he e
volcnt motives which produced the
i irsrd.ftion in force agninft th s cri
mi; al conduft, will doubdefi be
fdt by CorgrclF in devifing fur*
th f fjxeg •of *ti . (Tin r hr ev’l.
In he irftiil uf uncertainties, ne
crlT.i c:r . wi-h tac great
Mtertits i • *c cJuittd p'.u-
CiCr.ct* requires a contin’. rnce of our
de fen five and precautionary srsjang
nienrs. The Secretary cf War and
fc* re-ary cf the Navy will fubmh
thr ftatcmcars and eft maces which
mav aid Cos g-efs in their enfuing
provifior.s for the 1 nd and naval
forces. The ftitemen s f the h
fer will include a view of the tra !-
frrs of appropriations in the naval
expenditures, and the ground? oa
v/hich they were made.
The f irtift rations for the defence
of our maritime frontier have been
pr oft cured according to the plan
laid down in iBcB The works,
with form* exceptions, are complet
ed, and furnifiled with orduanr-.
Tnofe for the fecur tv of the T •/
/ J
of New-York, though far advanc
ed towards cbmpFtur), will n quire
a further time and aopropriadon.—
This is the ca)e with a ftw
either not completed, or in need of
rt pairs.
Ihie improvements, in quality
and quantity, made in the manufac
tory o- cannon; and of ftmall a ai c ,
both at the public armories, and
private fact iries, w.i.-ran’- aiditio.rd
confidence in the competency of
theft reftujrces, fur ijpplybg the
public exsgencics.
Fhefe prepararjons for arm : ig
the mditia, having th is far provid
ed for one of the obj fts contem-
] glared by the power vested in Chn
gri-fs, with reftpedt to char great bul
wark of the public litrety ; 1: ?s for
their confide ration, whether further
prov .fi ms are not nqu ft -, for the
other contempht and obj efts, of or
|-;-inisation and dift:-pane. T > g ve
t.) this great mais of phyfical aud
moral force, the efti lency which it
merits, ands -.aoabls of receiving;
it is ind:(per;fable that they fii uli
be inftrud 1 and pract-Ted in the
rule by w uch cue/ are zo oe ga
yer nt-d.
Ti wards an accompl ftiment of
this important work, I recommend
for the cor-fide ration of C-mgrtfs
the expedience of kdt tu irg a fyf
tvm, which ffc and!, in the 11 ft mftan e
call into the field, a*: the public
expence, and for 2 given time, cer
tain portions of the CGmiTyfiib-ird
ad F*'m- com no ITI0 ’ -i ofii_en.—
The infiruftion a <d dif ipline thus
a- quired would gradually difffte
t ; r ugh the en- l c b )dy of the. nni
luia that pra&ica 5 knowledge a.d
promptitude ‘for aftive ftrvice,
which arc the great ends to be pur
fu-d.
Experience hr * lufc no doubt,
either of he necefiirv, or of the ef
ficacy, of competent military fk 11,
in thofe portions of an army, in fit
ting it for the fi .f i duties, which it
may have to perform.
The corps of Engineers, with
th- 1 Military Actrlbtr.v, areoitiried
to the rarly sttcfition of Coogreb.
The BuiViir -s at the Sear, fixe by
law, for rhe preftent Academy, sre
ft -f rin ciftcay, ss n et) dfrd five
nec-fury rutcommcdaToo. Bat a
revifion or the law is recommended,
priurioally with a view to a more
Cukivatf in and and fft.fi m of
the advantages of ft:- h fnft.turions,
bv providing prof- fiiorlhips for ail
the s- ctfiary branches of military
inftruftiop, end by the c(l abb di
mer, t ©fan additional Academy, at
the feat of Government, or Fft
wiiere. The means by which war,
a wdi for defence, as for efft r.cc,
are now earned on, render thtfe
Ichools of the more fcienr.fi: ope
rations an indifpenfiible part ofc.-e
----t;/ fidcqutUt* liven among