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president's Mtssage.
WASHINGTON CITY, G&dber 27,
7 'his d”? at 12 d'chck, the Pr'sident rs /,'•
If. St rites communicated, by Mr. Coles, bis Sr
treiary, the folio using MESSAGE to hoi!) hou
ses of Corucs.
TV, t [ le Senate and Hotife of Rcprefenufives Os the
United Otatis,
Circumfluices, fellow-cftizenSj which ferious
|y threatened the peace of our country have made
jt a duty to convene you f.t an earlier period
than ufiul. The love of peace to much che
r-; .'d in the ‘bofoir. of cur citizens, which has so
| 0!) g guided the proceedings of their public
Councils, and induced forbearance under so ma
ny wrongs, may not entire our continuance in
the quiet pursuits of industry. The many i
iuriesand depredations committed on our com
merce and navigation upon the high seas for
years pad, the fuccefiive innovations on thofs |
principles of public law wliich have been eflub
lilhad ay the reuion end usage of nations as the
rale of their intercourse, and the umpire and i’e-j
rurity of their lights and peace, and all the cir
cumitances which induced the extraordinary
miifion to London, are already known to you.
The intlru&ions given to our ministers were
f .cned m the lincereft spirit of amity and mode
ritioa,. They accordingly proceeded in con
formity wherewith, to propofc arrangements
ivhieh migbt embtace and fettle all the T-oints
in diff.reuco between us ; which might bring us
to a mutual uoderfhading on our neutral and
WtiiW'il rights and provide fora commercial in
tercourse on conditions of fame equality. Af
ter lor g and fruitiefs endeavors to effed the
ptirpofes of their million, and to obtain arrange
ments within the limits of their inftruftione, they
concluded to figti such ss could be obtained,
and to fend them for confide“ati:>;> : candidly
declaring to the other hegociators, at the fame
time, that they were acting against their ia
ftruytiotis, and that their government therefore
c vald not be pledged for ratification. Some of
fae articles proposed might have been admitted
os a principal of dompromife, but others were
too highly disadvantageous; and rc fufEcient
provision was made again id the principal fbnrce
of the irritations and ccliifions which were con
ff*:rtly endangering the pence of the two nations. I
Thequefiio v therefore whether a treaty (liould
be accepted in that form could have admitted
but of one decision, even had no declarations of
the other party impaired our confidence in it.—
Stdl anxious not tc cloft the doer againtb friend
ly adjuilment, new modification” were framed,
and bother conceftlons audtorffed than coaid be
fore have been fuppofod xi yceffary : and our rri
niders were iudrutted to resume their r.egocia
t'oas on these grounds. On this new reference
to amicable difeufikht we were reposing in confi
dence, when on the tweuty-fecond day of June
lath, by a formal order from a Biitffh admiral,
the Ligate- C- wfapeake, leaving her port for a
d’ftjmt service, was attacked by one of these ves
fek which had been lying in our harbors under
the indulgences of hcfplta’ ftv, was diiabled from i
proceeding, hint federal of her crew killed, and
jour taken away. Oh this outrage no commen
taries are neceffury. Its character hits been pro
nounced by the hrdivnant voice of our citizens
with an cntphafis ar.d unanimity never exceeded.
I immediately by proclamation, interdicted our
harbors and waters to all Britffh armed vessels,
forbade intercourse with them, and, uncertain
how far liollililies were intended, and the town
tis Norfolk, indeed being threatened with imme
diate attack, a iuiSeient force was ordered foi
the protection of that place, and such other pre
parations commenced and pursued ss the pros
pect rendered proper.
An armed veflrl of the IT. bed States was dis
patched with inftruft’ons to our ir. millers at Lon
don, to call on that government for tire fatiafac
tion & fecurtty required by the outrage. Avery
(hort interval ought now to bring the anfwerwhicb
stall be communicated to you as loon as’ receiv
ed ; then also, cr as loon after as public inteveft
fhc.ll be found to admit, the unratifietl treaty and
proceedings relative to it (hall be made known
to you.
r i’u„ (lion, thus begun, has been conthi
irt of the Britiih commanders, by
■ thin c:r wo chance of the
; be cm •• tual violations
fticn, by putting to
the pei -y had forcibly
>n bo; i peake. These
i iu ■ necefl . le policy either
fitting 1 into our har
nainta iarbour such an
i a3 m; 1 * edience to the
rotsd property of our
’ inst t cits. But the
uch a : and its incor.-
’ our lenfe with those
bichi y call for it, and
ml’ v I the navy, as vve
f or : r, from entering
r vie. ime lights, ano
vfide. ive effedl. The
- • oi tl slued an order in
let dialog ad trade *>y neutrals l.t.rccr. ports .
not in amity with them. And being now at j
wa>- with nearly every nation on the >
and Mediterranean seas, our vefiels are required ;
to fanfifice their cargoes at the fn ft port they [
touch, or to return home without, the benefit of I
going to any other market. Under this new j
1"” of the ocean, our trade on the Mediterrane
an has been (wept away by ieizures and condeiri
naf.oDS, and that in other Las is threatened with
the fame fate. i
Our differences with Spain remain fid! unset
tled ; no mealure having been taken ifti her part,
(>nce my lift communications to Congress, to ,
bring them to a clofc, But under a (late of
things wli-ch r.n-y favor re-coufideration, they
have been recently preifed, and an expcblatiou
is entertained that they may soon be brought to
an iftfie of feme fort. With their fubjeils on
our borders, no new collifims have taken place ;
nor feern immediately to be apprehended. To
>ur former grounds of complaint has been ad
ded a very ferioun one, as you will fee by the
decree, a copy of which is now communicated.
Whether this decree which profeiTes to be con
formable to that of the French government of !
Nov. 21, IS'Jo, heretofore communicated to j
CongreL, will also be conformed to that in its j
cbtiiruftiqns and application in relation to the
United States, had not been afeertained at the I
date of our lift communications. These, how- j
ever, gave reason to expeft such a conformity. j
With the other nations of Europe our harmo- !
ny has been uninterrupted, and commerce and
friendly intercourse have been maintained on
their ofiul footing.
Oar pence with the several dates on the coast
of Baibnry appears as firm as at any former peri- j
pd, as likely to continue zs that of any other
nation. I
Arftong our Indian neighbours in the north- i
we Hern quarter, fotne fermentation was observed 1
soon after the late occurrences threatning the i
continuance of our peace. Messages were f?,:d j
to be interchanged, and tokens to be prfyng
wliich usually denote a date of redlcflinefs a
mong them, and the character of the agitators
pointed to the fource’ of excitement. Measures
were immediately taken for providing again ft
that danger—iuitrudlions were given to require
explanuions, and, with aiTurances of our contin
ued j. icndlhip, to admouidi the tribes tc remain
quiet at home, taking no part in quarrels not be
longing to them. A; far as we are yet inform
ed, the tribes in our vicinity, who a;e moil ad
vanced in the pursuits cf induftiry, are n nee rely
; disposed to adhere to their f.itdlliip and us, and
ito iiieir peace with ail others. While those
more, remote do not present app-a/ftnees luffi
ciently quiet to juftify the intennitfiba of milita
ry precaution on our part.
The great tribes on our south w eflerr. quarter,,
much advanced beyond the others in agriculture
| and houlehold arts, appear tranquil and identify
j ing their views with others, in proportion to their
; advancements. With the whole of these people
| in every quarter, I dial! continue to inculcate
l peace and friend (hip with all their neighbors,
j and perfcverance in those occupations an i pur
l.fuits which'will L est promote tliiir own vveil-be
ins-,
The r.ppfdpnatichs of the lad fcffion, far t? - c
•defence cf oar sea-port towns and Karoo >3, were
made under the exppflatio'n that a continuance of
our peace would permit us to proceed in that
work according to our convenience. It has J
been thought better to apply the (unis then giv- j
en towards the defence of N.: .v-York, Charles
ton and New-Orleans chiefly, as mod open and
mod likely firft to need protedlion ; and to leave
places lets immediately in danger to the previ-
Jfions.of the present fefficn. . .
The gun-1 mats too, already provided, have, on
a like principle, been chiefly alfigned to New-
York, New-Orleans and the Chesapeake. Whe.
ther our movable force on the water, so mate
rial in aid of the defenfive works on the land,
(hould be augmented in this or any other form,
is left, to the wiiddra of the lephktiire. For the
, . C*
purpose of manning these vcft'eL in sadden at
tacks on cur harbors, it is a matter for ccnfiil- |
oration whether the feamcn of the U. States may
not justly be formed into a fpccial militia, to be
called on for tours of duty in defence of the har
bors where they (hah happen to be j the ordi
nary militia of the place furniihing that portion
which may consist of kndfmt'u.
The moment our peace was threatened, I
deemed it indispensable to secure a greater pro
vision of those articles of military (lores with
which our rnagizines were not fufficientiy fnrnifh
ed. To have waited a previous and fpeCial func
tion by law, would have 101 l occasion- which
might not be retrieved. I did not hesitate,
therefore, to authorife engagements for such fup
pleinents to our exilling (lock as would render it
adequate to the emergencies threatening us ; and
j I trull that the Legislature feeling the fame anxi
: cty for the fafety of cur country, fa materially
j advanced by this precaution, will approve when
: done, what they would have seen so important to
jbe done, if then afiembled. Expenses, alio, ua
provided for, arose cut of the necefiity of calling
i all our g-n-boats into fervice for the de-
S ■
Luce of Ouf lIMI Xl.'UI ztiH which tceeants will
| be laid before you,
; Whether a regular army is to be raffed, and
to what extent, must depend on the infonnatiou
so (hortly expected. In the mean time 1 have
called on the dates for quotas of militia, to. be hi
readiness for present defence ; and have moreover
encouraged the acceptance of volunteers, and I ana
happy t 0 mform you that these have offered thena
folveb wi.li great alacrity in every part of the u
mon. They are ordered to be organized, and
ready at a moment’s warning, to proceed on any
iervice to which they may be called, and every
preparation within the executive powers has been
made to insure us the benefit of early exertions.
I informed Congress, at their last feflion, of
ti’.e enterprises against the public peace, which
were believed to be in preparation by Aaron
Burr and hi3 associates, of the meaforea taken to
defeat them, and to bring the offenders to just fee*
Their enterprises were happily defeated, by the
patriotic exertions of the militia, whenever called
into aflion, by the fidelity c£ the army, and en
ergy of the commander in chief, in promptly ar
ranging the difficulties presenting themfelvea ou
the Sabine, repairing to meet those arising on the
Miffiflppi, and difiipating before their explosion
plots engendering there. I (hall thunk it my du
ty to lay before you the proceeding*, and the ev
idence publicly exhibited on the arraignment of
the principal offenders before the diftridt court of
Virginia. You will be enabled to judge whether
the defedl was in the testimony, in the law, or in
the administration of the law ; and wherever it
(hall be found the legislature alona can apply or
originate the remedy. The framers of our coni
(iitulior; certainly supposed they had guarded, a$
well their government against definition by
treason, as their citizens against oppreflLn, under
pretence of it ; and if theleends are not attained,
it is of importance to enquire by v/htt means,
more effc£lual, they may be secured.
The accounts of the receipts of revenue dur
ing the year ending on the thirtieth clay of Sep
tember last, being not yet made up, a correct
statement will be hereafter tranimitted from the
Tzerffury. In the mean time it is afeertained
that the receipts have amounted to near sixteen
millions of dollars ; which with the five millions
and and half in the treasury at the beginning of
the year have enabled us, after meeting the cur
rent demands an interest incurred, to pay more
than four millions of the principle cf our funded
debt. These payments with those of the preced
ing five and a half years, have extinguiftied of the
funded debt twenty-five million* and a half of
dollars, being the whole which could be paid or
purchased within the limits of the law, and of
oar contracls, end have left us in the treasury
eight millions and an half dollars. A portion of
this fiim may be cor.lidered as a commencement
of accumulation of the furpluffes of revenue 3
which after paying the inftalments of debt, ao
they dial! become payable, will remain without
any fpccifick object. It may partly indeed be
applied towards compleating the defence of the
exposed points of our country, on such a scale
as (‘all be adapted to cur principles sod c;r'cum
fiances. This object is doubt left among the firfi
entitled to attention, in such a (late of our finan
ces, and it is one which, whether we hav- peace
or war, will provide security where it is due.
—Y/hether what (hall remain cf this', with the
future furpluffes, may be lifefully applied to pur
poses already authcrifedficr more ufefuily to oth
ers requiring new authorities, or how ctherwife
they fl ail be disposed of, are quellions calling for
the notice of Congress ; unlci's indeed they (hall
be fiiperceded by a change in our publick rclx
tior.s, now awaiting the determination of others.
Whatever be that determination, it is a great con*
filiation that it will become known at a moment,
when the fnpreme counsel of the nation is affeni-’
bled at its pole, and ready to give the aids of its
wifuoin and authority to’ whatever cdiirfe the
good of our country (hall then call us to pursue.
Matters of minor importance will be the sub..
jc£l of future communications ; and nothing (hall
be wanting on my part which may give informa
tion or dispatch to the proceedings of the Legif
| Ls .r: ; i the exercise of their high duties, and at
1 a moment so intsre'fting to the public welfare.
TH: JEFFERSON.
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Cdtober 03 O 9
NOTICE.
ALL persons having dcmancis against
the estate of James Shaffer, are requested
to present them legally authenticated; and
those indebted to said estate are required
to make immediate payment to
JJt A UK. SB A LEER , Acini r.