folemnly renounced conqueft, never make without neceffity; but which a nation, happy and free, know how to undertake when their fafety when honour commands. But in courageoufly abandoning : ourselves to this refolution, let us haften to employ the only means that can affure its fuccefs. Turn your attention, gentlemen, to the ftate of the finances; confirm the national credit; watch over the public fortune. Let your deliberations, ever governed by conftitutional principles, take a grand, high-fpirited, and authoritative courfe, the only one that befits the legiflators of a great empire. Let the conftituted powers refpect themfelves to be refpected; let them give mutual aid instead of mutual impediment; and, finally, let it appear that they are diftinct, but not enemies (applanded). It is time to fhew to foreign nations that the French people, their reprefentatives, and their king, are bait one (applauded).. It is to this union, and alfo, let us never forget it, to the refpect we pay to the government of other ftates, that the fafety, confequence, and glory of the empire are attached. For my part, gentlemen, it would be in vain to andeavour to furround with difgu's the exercise of the authority which is confided to In the face of all France I declare, that nothing fhall weary my prefeverance, or relax my efforts. It fhall not be owing to me that the law does not become the protection of the citizen and the terror of the difturber (fhouts of vive le roi). I fhall faithfully preferve the depofit of the conftitution, and no confideration shall determine me to fuffer it to be infringed (applaudea). If men, who only with for difcord, and trouble, take occafion from this firmness, to calumniate my 7 intentions, I will not ftoop to repel by words, the injurious fufpicions they may choose to circulate. Those who watch the progress of government with an attentive, but unprejudiced eye, muft fee that I never depart from the constitutional line, and that I feel profoundly how glorious it is to be the king of a free people. The PRESIDENT'S ANSWER. i The affembly will take the profideration, and communicate their pofitions you have made into condetermination by a messay e. Addrefs from the National Affembly to the King, Dec. 16. Sire,.. IN the language which you majefty held to them, the national affembly recognize the king of the French. They feel more than ever how truly valuable is harmony be tween the two branches of power, and a frank, communication, which is the defire, and will be the welfare of the empire. Sire, the affembly will fix all their attention on the decifive measures which you announce, and if the order of events fhall make these meafurs neceflary, they promise to your majefty more true glory than was ever obtained by any of your ancestors. Try promife to Europe the new fpectacle of a great people, outraged in its immutable love of liberty, arming the hand in union with the heart. Every where the French people will oppofe themfelves with vigour to their enemies, from the Rhine to the Pyreenes, from the Alps to the Ocean. All French fhall be coyered The Speech of George Washington, I MEET you, upon the prefent occafion, with the feelings which are naturally infpired by a ftrong impreffion of the profperous fituation of our common country, and by a perfuafion equally ftrong, that the labours of the feffion, which has juft commenced, will, under the guidance of a spirit no lefs prudent than patriotic, iffue in measures conducive to the stability and increase of national property. Numerous as are the providential bleffings which demand our grateful acknowledgments, the abundance with which another year has again rewarded the industry of the husbandman is too important to efcape recollection. Your own obfervations in your respective fituations will have fatisfied you of the progreffive ftate of agriculture, manufactures, commerce, and navigation. In tracing their causes, you will have remarked with particular pleasure the happy effects of that revival of confidence, 1791. public, as well as private, to which the conftitution and laws of the United States have fo eminently contributed; and you will obferve, with no lefs intereft, new and deci five proofs of the increafing reputation and credit of the nation. But you, nevertheless, cannot fail to derive fatisfaction from the confirmation of thefe circumstances, which will be disclosed in the feveral official communications that will be made to you in the course of your deliberations. The rapid fubfcriptions to the bank of the United States, which completed the fum allowed to be fubfcribed in a fingle day, is among the ftriking and pleafing evidences which prefent themfelves, not only of confidence in the government, but of refource in the community. In the interval of your recefs, due attention has been paid to the execution of the different objects which were fpecially provided for by the laws and refolutions of the laft feffion. Among the most important of thefe is the defence and fecurity of the western frontiers. To accomplish it on the most humane principles, was a primary with. Accordingly, at the fame time that treaties have been provifionally concluded, and other proper means used to attach the wavering, and to confirm in their friendship the welldifpofed tribes of Indians-effectual meafures have been adopted to make thofe of a hoftile defcription fenfible, that a pacification was defired upon terms of moderation and ́justice. These measures having proved unfuccessful, it became neceffary to convince the refractory of the power of the United States to punish their depredations: offenfive operations have therefore been directed-to (H) be be conducted, however, as confiftently as poffible with the dictates of humanity. Some of these have been crowned with full fuccefs, and others are yet depending. The expeditions which have been completed were carried on under the authority, and at the expence of the United States, by the militia of Kentucky, whofe enterprife, intrepidity, and good conduct, are entitled to peculiar commendation. Overtures of peace are ftill continued to the deluded tribes, and confiderable numbers of individuals belonging to them have lately renounced all further opposition, removed from their former fituations, and placed themselves under the immediate protection of the United States. It is fincerely to be defired, that all need of coercion in future may ceafe, and that an intimate intercourfe may fucceed, calculated to advance the happinefs of the Indians, and to attach them firmly to the United States. In order to this, it seems necef Lary That they fhould experience the benefits of an impartial difpenfation of juftice. That the mode of alienating their lands, the main fource of difcontent and war, fhould be fo defined and regulated as to obviate impofition, and, as far as may be practicable, controverfy concerning the reality and extent of the alienations which are made. That commerce with them fhould be permitted under regulations tending to fecure an equitable deportment toward them, and that fuch rational experiments fhould be made for imparting to them the bleffings of civilization as may from time to time fuit their condition. That the executive power of the Unit ཀ་ ed States fhould be enabled to en ploy the means to which the Indians have been long accustomed, for uniting their immediate interefts with the prefervation of peace. And, That effiacious provifion fhould be made for inflicting adequate pe ualties upon all those who, by violating their rights, fhall infringe the treaties. and endanger the peace of the union. A fyftem, correfponding with the mild principles of religion and philanthropy toward an unelightened race of men, whofe happiness materially depends on the conduct of the United States, would be as honourable to the national character, as conformable to the dictates of found policy. The powers fpecially vefted in me by the act laying certain duties on diftilled fpirits, which refpect the fub-divifions of the districts into furveys, the appointment of officers, and the affignment of compenfations, have likewife been carried into effect. In a matter, in which both materials and experience were wanting to guide the calculation, it will be readily conceived that there must have been difficulty in fuch an adjustment of the rates of compenfation, as would conciliate a reafonable competency, with a proper regard to the limits prefcribed by the law. It is hoped, that the circumfpection which has been used, will be found in the refult to have fecured the laft of the two objects; but it is probable, that with a view to the firft, in fome inftances, a revi fion of the provifion will be found advisable. The impreffions with which this law, has been received by the community have been, upon the whole, fuch as were to be expected among enlightened and well-difpofed citi zens, tens, from the propriety and neceffity of the ineafure. The novelty, however, of the tax, in a confiderable part of the United States, and a mifconception of fome of its provifions, have given occafion, in particular places, to fome degree of difcontent. But it is fatisfactory to know, that this difpofition yields to proper explanations and more juft apprehenfions of the true nature of the law. And I entertain a full confidence that it will, in all, give way to motives which arife out of a juft fenfe of duty, and a virtuous regard to the public welfare. If there are any circumftances in the law, which, confiftently with its main defign, may be fo varied as to remove any well-intentioned objections that may happen to exift, it will confift with a wife moderation to make the proper variations. It is defirable, on all occafions, to unite, with a ffeady and firm adherence to conftitutional and neceffary acts of government, the fulleft evidence of a difpofition, as far as may be practicable, to confult the withes of every part of the community, and to lay the foundation of the public adminiftration in the affections of the people. Purfuant to the authority contained in the feveral acts on that fubject, a district of ten miles fquare, for the permanent feat of the government of the United States, has been fixed and announced by proclamation; which diftrict will comprehend lands on both fides of the river Potowmac, and the towns of Alexandria and George-town. A city has also been laid out, agreeable to a plan which will be placed before Congrefs: and as there is a profpect, favoured by the rate of Tales which have already taken place, of ample funds for carrying on the neceffary buildings, there is every expectation of their due progrefs. The completion of the cenfus of the inhabitants, for which provifion was made by law, has been duly notified (excepting in one inftance, in which the return has been informal; and another, in which it has been omitted or mifcarried); and the returns of the officers who were charged with this duty, which will be laid before you, will give you the pleafing affurance, that the prefent population of the United States borders on four millions of perfons. It is proper alfo to inform you, that a further loan of two millions and a half of florins has been completed in Holland, the terms of which are fimilar to thofe of the one laft announced, except as to a finall reduction of charges. Another, on like terms, for fix millions of florins, had been fet on foot, under circumftances that affured immediate completion. Gentlemen of the Senate, Two treaties, which have been provifionally concluded with the Cherokees, and fix nations of Indians, will be laid before you for your confideration and ratification. Gentlemen of the Houfe of Re prefentatives, In entering upon the discharge of your legiflative truft, you must anticipate, with pleasure, that many of the difficulties, neceffarily incident to the firft arrangement of a new government for an extensive. country, have been happily furmounted by the zealous and judicicious exertions of your predeceffors, in co-operation with the other branch of the legiflature. The important objects which remain to be accomplished, will, I am perfuaded, be conducted upon principles equally comprehenfive, and equaly well (H 2) calculated calculated for the advancement of the general weal. The time limited for receiving fubfcriptions to the loans propofed by the act, making provifion for the debt of the United States, having expired, ftatements from the proper department will, as foon as poffible, apprife you of the exact refult. Enough, however, is already known, to afford an affurance that the views of that act have been fubftantially fulfilled. The fubfcription in the domeftic debt of the United States has embraced by far the greatest proportion of that debt; affording, at the fame time, proof of the general fatisfaction of the public creditors with the fyftem which has been propofed to their acceptance, and of the fpirit of accommodation to the convenience of the government with which they are actuated. The fubfcriptions in the debts of the refpective States, as far as the provifions of the law have permitted, may be faid to be yet more general, The part of the debt of the United States which remains unfubfcribed will naturally engage your further deliberations. It is particularly pleafing to me to be able to announce to you, that the revenues which have been,eftab. lifhed promise to be adequate to their objects, and may be permitted, if no unforeseen exigency occurs, to fuperfede, for the prefent, the neceflity of any new burthens upon our conftituents. An object which will claim your early attention, is a provifion for the current fervice of the enfuing year, together with fuch afcertained demands upon the treafury as require to be immediately difcharged, and fuch cafualties as may have ari fen in the execution of the public bufinefs, for which no fpecific ap propriation may have yet been made of all which a proper efti mate will be laid before you. Gentlemen of the Senate and of the Houfe of Reprefentatives, I fhall content myself with a general reference to former communications for feveral objects, upon which the urgency of other affairs has hitherto poftponed any definitive refolution:- their importance will recal them to your attention; and I trust that the progrefs already made in the most arduous arrangements of the govern ment will afford you leifure to re: fume them with advantage. There are, however, fome of them, of which I cannot forbear a more particular mention-these are, the militia-the poft-office and poftroads-the mint-weights and meafures-a provifion for the fale of the vacant lands of the United States. The first is certainly an object of primary importance, whether view, ed in reference to the national fe curity, to the fatisfaction of the community, or to the prefervation of order. In connexion with this, the establishment of competent ma gazines and arfenals, and the for tification of fuch places as are pecu liarly important and vulnerable, naturally prefent themselves to cunfideration. The fafety of the Unit ed States, under divine protection, ought to reft on the basis of fyfte matic and folid arrangement, expofed as little as poffible to the hazards of fortuitous circumstances. The importance of the poft-of fice and poft-roads, on a plan fufficiently liberal and comprehenfive as they refpect the expedition, fafe ty, and facility of communication, is increafed by the inftrumentality in diffufing a knowledge of the laws and proceedings of the government, which, while it contri |