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‘PRESIDENT'S MESS AG E. WASHINGTON, Dec.?. This rhtv at 12 o’cfofk, the Pre sident of the Ufii'ed States r.rmmunicated bv Mr. Colvs his Secretary, the following MESSAGE, to both Houses of Congress. ’ To the Senate and Fmse of ZV preventative* f the U. States of America in Congress assembled. IT would have given me, FU- Jow-Citrzens, great satisfaction to announce, in the troment of vour meeting, that the difficulties in our foreign relations, existing at the time of your last separati on, had been amicably ands just lv terminated. I lost no time in taking those measures which were most likely to bung them to euch a tetmlna ion, by special missions, charged with such powers and ins'ructian®, as, in thee * r.t of failure,caulcl leave no •imputation on eithet our modera t on or forbearance. ‘I he delays, which have since taken place in •cur negociationa with the British government, appear to have pro ceeded from causes which do not ioi bid the expectation that, dur ing the coutse of the session, I may be enabled to lay before you • their final issue. What will be that of the negotiations for set tling our differences with Spain, both lag which bad taken place at the date of the last dispatches, enables us to pronounce. On the Western side of the Missis sippi she advanced in considera ble force, and tock post at the settlement of Bayou Pierre, on the Red river. This village was originally settled by France, vvas held by her us long as she held .Louisiana, and w s delivered to S-pain only a; a part of Louisia na. Being small, insulated and distant, it was not observed at the moment of rc-dt livery to France and the United States, that she continued a guard of half a dozen men, which had been stationed there; A propo” B itin however having been lately made by our commander in chief, to assume the Sabine river as a temporary line of separation be tween the troop* of the two nati ons, unrU the issue of our ne* gociations~-*hirtl be known, this ha* been rrarred by the Spanish commandant to his superior, and in the mean time he has with drawn his forces to the western side of the Sabine river. The correspondence on this subject, new communicated, will exhibit more particularly the present state of things in that quarter. /'I he nature of that country requires indispensably that an unusual proportion of the force employed there should be caval ry ,or mounted infantry. In or der, therefore, that the com manding officer might be enabled to act v h effect, 1 had autho rised him to call ®n the Gover nors of Oilcans and Mississippi for a corps es five hundred vo lunteer cavalry. The tempora ry arrangement he has proposed may perhaps render this unne cessary. But 1 inform you with great pleasure, of the prompti tude with which the inhabitants of those territories have tender ed their services in defence of their country. It has done ho nor to themselves, entitled them to the ccntidence of their fellow citizens in every part of the Uni on, and must strength; n the ge neral determination to protect them efficaciously under all cir cumstances which may occur. Having received information that in another part of the Unit ed Statesa great number of pri vate individuals were combining together, arming and organising themselves, contrary to law, to xatry on a military expedition a gainst the territories of Spain, I thought it necessary, by Pro clamation, as well as by special orders, to taxe measures for pre venting and suppressing this en terprise, far seizing the vessels, arms and other means provided for it, & for arresting ‘and bring ing to justice its authors St abet tois. it was due to that good faith wMrb rmrht ever to he the rule of action in public, as well as in p- ivnte transactions; it was due to good order and regular {>ov ernrmnt, thar, while •the public force was acting strictly on the defensive, and merely to protect nnr citizens from aggression, the criminal attempts of private in dividuals to decide, for their country, the question of peace, or war, by rorrmerctng active & unauthorised hostilities,should be pet mptly and efficaciously suppressed. Whether it will he necessary to enlarge nnr regular force, will depend on the result of our ne gotiations with Spain. But as it is uncertain when that result will he known, the provisional mea sures requisite for that, and to meet any pressure intervening in that quarter, will he a subject for your early cnsideration* The possession of both banks of the Mississippi reducing to a single point the defence of that river, its waters and the country adjacent, it becomes highly ne c< ssary t provide, for that point, a more adequate security. Seme position above its mouth, com manding the passage of the river should be rendered sufficiently strong to cover the armed vessels which mnv be stationed there for defence; and, in conjunction with them, to present an insuperable obstacle to any force attempting t<> pass, ‘l'lie approaches to the city of Nt w-Orleans, from the eastern quarter also, will require to be examined, and more effec tually guarded. For the inter nal support of the country, the encouragement of a strong settle ment on the Western side of the Mississippi, within the teach of Ne w Orleans, will be worthy the consideration f the Legislature* ‘1 he gun boats authorised by an act of the last session, are so advanced that thev will be ready for service in the ensuing spring. Circumstances permitted us to allow the time necessary for their more solid construction. Asa much larger number will still he wanting to place our Sea port towns and waters in that state of defence to which we are competent, and they entitled, a similar appropriation f<>r a fur ther provision of them is tecom mencied for the ensuing year. A further appropriation will al so be necessary for repairing for t fications already established, St the erection of such other works as naav have real effect in ob structing the approach of an ene my to our sea port towns, or their remaining bcioie them. In a country whose constituti on is derived from the will of the people, directly expressed by their free suffrage*, where the principal executive lunctionaries and those of the legislature are renewed by them at short peri ods, where under the character of jurors, they exercise in person, the greatest portion of the judi ciary powers, where the laws are consequently so formed and ad ministered as t* bear with equal weight and favor on all, rcsttaiu mg no man in the pursuits ol ho nest industry, and securing to e verv one the property wliicn that acquires, it would not be suppos ed that any saleguards couid be needed against insurrection or enterprise, on the public peace or authority. Ihe laws, however, aware that these should not be trusted to moral restraints only, have wisely provided punishment for these cilines when cotnmit ted. but woedd it no* be saiuia r> to give also the means ot pre venting their commission? where an cttierprize is meditated Uy private individuals, against a so vereign nation in amny with the United States, powers ot preven tion to a certain extent ate given by the laws. Would they not be as reasonable and us'elul, wheie ihe etuerprize preparing is a* gainst the United Siateo’ vV tnle adverting to this brauch of jaw, it is proper to observe, ettat in *a leiprtsts meditated against fo reign nations, the ordinary pro cess oi Lauding tv the observance of the peace and good behaviour, could it he extended to acts to he done out of the jurisdiction of the United State*, would be ef fectual in some cases where the offender is able to keep out of si p-bt every indication of his pur pose which could draw on him the exercise of the powers now giv en hv law. The states on the coast of Bar hary seem generally disposed at present to respect enr peace and friendship. WithJ Tunis alone, some uncertainty remains. Per suaded that it is our interest to maintain our peace with them on equal terms, or not at all, I pro pose to send, in due time, a rein forcement into the Mediterrana ar; unless previous information shall show it to he unnecessary. We continue to receive proofs of the growing attachment of our Indian neighbors, and of their disposition to place all their in terests under the patronage of the United States. These dis position* are inspired by their confidence in our justice, and in the sincere concern we feel for their welfare, And as long as we discharge these high and ho r notable functions with the in e grily and good fault which alone can entitle us to their continu ance, v e mav expect to reap the just reward in their peace and friendship. The evperfi*ion of Messrs. Lewis and Clarke, for exploring (he rivet Missouri at;4 the best communication from that to the Pacific Ocean, has had all the success which could have been expected. They have traced the Missouri nearly to its source, descended the Columbia to the Pacific Ocean, ascertained with accuracy, the geography of that interesting communication across ourcontitienr, leatnt the character of the country, of its commerce, and inhabitants, and it is hut jus tice to say, that Messrs. Lewis St Clarke,and their brave compani ons, have, fey this arduous ser vice, deserved well ol their coun try. The attempt to explore the Red river, under the direction of Mr. Freeman, though conducted with a zeal and prudence merit ing entire approbation, has not been equally successful. After proceeding up it afeout 600 miles nearly as far as the Ftench set tlements had extended when the country was in their possession, our geographers were obliged to return w ithout completing their work. Very useful additions have also beer, made to our knowledge of the Mississippi, by lieut. Pike, who has ascended it to its source, and whose journal and map, giv ing the details of his journey, will shortly be ready lor communica tion to both Houses of Congress, ‘ihose of Messrs, Lewis, Claike and Freeman, will require fur ther time to be digested aud pre pared. These important surveys, in addition to those before posses sed, furnish materials lor com mencing an accurate map of the Mississippi and its west ern waters. Some principal ri vers however remain still to be explored, towards which the au thorisation cl Cangtess, by mo del ate appropriations, will be re quisite. I congratulate you, fellow citi zens, on the approach of the peri od at which you may interpose your authority , constitutionally, to withdraw the citizens of the United States from all further participation in those violations of human rights which have been so long continued on the unof fending inhabitants of Africa, and which the moiaiity, the reputati on, and the best interests of our country, have long been eager to prescribe. Although no law you may pass can take prohibitory ef fect till the first day of the year one thousand eight hundred and eight, yet the intervening period is not too long to prevent, by timely notice, expeditious which cannot be compiealed before that day. The receipts, at the Treasury, during tire j car ending on the 30th day of September last, have a* mounted io near fifteen mil T-ons t .f dollars ; which have enabled lls , after meeting the current de mands. to pay two millions seven hundred thousand-dollars of the American claims, in part of the price of Louisiana ;to pat, of the funded debt, upwards of three millions of principal, and neatly four of interest, and, in addition, to reimburse, in the course of the present month, near two millions of five and an half per cent, stock. These payments and reimburse, n.ents of ihe funded debt, with those which had been made in the four years and an half preced ing, will at the close of the pre snt year, have extinguished np wards of twenty-three millions of principal. The duties composing the Mediterranean fund will cease by law at the end of the pre sent leffion. Considering, how ever, that they are levied chief ly on luxuries, and (hat we have an import on (ait, a ne. cedary of life, the free use of which other wife is so import ant, I recommend to your confideratjon the lupprcflion of the duties on fall, and the continuation of the Mediterra nean fund, inrtead thereof, for a ihort time, after which that alio will become unneceflaYy lot any purpoie now within contemplation. When both of thefc branch es of revenue fit all, in this way be relinquished there will ft ill, erelong, be an accumulation of monies in the treasury be yond the inrtainients of pub lic debt which we are permit ted by contrast to pay. They cannot then, without a modi fication, afiemed to by the public creditors, be applied to the extinguifitment of this debt and the compleat liberation of our revenues, the molt desira ble of all objects. Nor if our peace continues, will they be wanting for any other exirting purpoie. The question, there fore, now comes forward, to what other objects /hall these fnrpluffes be appropriated, and the whole surplus of im port after the entire difeharge of the public debt, and during those intervals when the pur poses of war (hail not call for them ? Shall we lupprefs the import, and give that adven. tage to foreign, over domertic manufabtures ? On a few ar ticles of more general and ne. ceffary ule, the fuppreflion, in due leafon, will doubtlels be right; but the great mass of the articles on which import is paid are foreign luxuries purchased by those only who are rich c nough to afford themselves the use of them. Their patriotism would certainly prefer its con. tinuance, and application to the great purposes of the pub.* lie education, roads, rivers, canals, and such other objetts of public improvement, as it may be thought proper to add to the conrtitutional enumera tion of federal powers. By these operations, new channels of communication will be o pened between the Rate* ; the lines of separation will difap. pear, their intererts will be i dentified, and their union ce mented by new and indilfolu ble ties. Education is here placed a mong the articles of public care, not that it would be pro* poled to take its ordinary branches out of the hands of private emerprize, which ma. nages so much better all the concerns to which it is equal : but a public intiiiution can a lorte supply thole sciences, which though rarely called for, are yet necdi'ary to compieat the circle, all the parts of\;; contribute to the improved of the country, and sonf on , t them to its pi Tervation, y fubjefl is now propofrd f the confideraiion of Congttj because, if approved, by a time the Hate ‘Legi{l*iurfc have deliberated on this tension of the federal lr „j and the laws shall be p 2 ff e and other arrangements for their execution, the r , CCf fary funds will be on hand without employment. I u pole an amendment of i conftiiuliofi, hy con sent of, Hates, neceflary ; because if objefls new recommended not among thole enumerate in the constitution, and, which it permits the p„j,| monies to be applied. The present cotifideratii of a national eflubhfhmcntij education particularly, is re dered proper by this circut Hai.ce also, that, if Congrtl approving the propolis shall think it more eligible, found it on a donation of| 5l; they have it now in theirpo er to endow it with those whit will be among the earliest i produce the neceflary incon, The foundation wouid b the advantage of being ine pendent on war, whic.v m suspend other imptovemoi by requiring for its own pm poses the resources dell tut for them. This, fellow citizens, is if Hate of the public interests the pTcfcnt momentt and at cording to the informal* now porteffed. But such isti liiuation of the nations of I rope, and such too the pred cament in which we ft and wit fome ofthem,that we cannoin ly with ceilainty on the prefc aipeft of our affairs, thatu change from moment tom merit, during the courfei your ft ffion, or after you I have separated. Our duty therefore to ad upon ii things as they are, and to mi a reasonable provision fi whatever they may be. Wei armies to be raised whenever speck of war is visible in n horizon, we never fhouldhi been without them. Our i sources would have been haufted on dangers which b never happened, inrtead of# ing reserved for what is red to take place. A Heady, pt haps a quickened pace, in ?n parations for the defence off iea-port towns and waters, 1 early settlement of the molte poled and vulnerable parts < our country, a militia foor{i if'ed that its effective port® can be called to any point! the union, or volunteers i (lead of them, to serve a W cient time, are means mav always be ready yet nen preying on our resources uni actually c ailed into use. T# will maintain the public inie ells while a more pennant force shall be in a courfe 1 preparation. But much* depend on the with which these means can ■ brought into activity, A * be forced upon us, in fp lic ’ our long and vatn app^ l thejuflice of nations, rapid ll vigorous movements, in it* let, will go tar towards kj'j ing us in its course and and towards throwing its * thens on thole who render • ceffary the resort Rosa l> to force. The refu't of our ons, or such incidents in 1 course as may enable us lo . fer their probable i/Tue