in my correspondence with my fuperiors; and I lately received an anfwer, acquainting me that his Majefty's minifters did not think proper to give any countenance to the project. The two objections above alluded to (which I had of courfe infifted on in my report) are ftated as fufficient reafons for its rejection.

You must allow me, Sir, to decline entering into any further particulars on the one hand, becaufe, although I have all along fufpected that the perfons who propofed the plan to me, might not improbably be employed by the enemies of Great Britain, to endeavour with finifter views to infinuate themselves into my confidence; yet as these my furmifes may be falfe, 1 fhould not be justified in betraying the fecrets of men who may have meant me well; and, on the other hand, becaufe, however loose the principles of thefe fpeculators may have been on the fubject of the law of nations (as it regards the duties of neutrality) none of them, in their intercourfe with me, ever expreffed fentiments that were in any degree hoftile to the interefts of the United States.

Philadelphia, July 2.

Address of the Prefident of the United States of America to Congrefs, on opening the Seffion, November 23. Gentlemen of the Senate, and Gentlemen of the Houfe of Representatives,

I WAS for fome time apprehenfive that it would be neceffary, on account of the contagious fick nefs which affected the city of Phi ladelphia, to convene the national

legiflature at fome other place. This measure it was defirable to a void, because it would occafion much public inconvenience, and a confiderable public expence, and add to the calamities of the inhabitants of this city, whofe fufferings must have excited the fympathy of all their fellow-citizens. Therefore, after taking measures to afcertain the state and decline of the fickness, I poftponed my determination, having hopes, now happily realised, that, without hazard to the lives or health of the Members, Congrefs might affemble at this place, where it was next by law to meet. I fubmit, however, to your confideration, whether a power to poftpone the meeting of Congress, without paffing the time fixed by the conftitution upon fuch occafions, would be a useful amendment to the law of One thousand seven hundred and ninety-four. Altho❜ I cannot yet congratulate you on the re-establishment of peace in Europe, and the restoration of fecu rity to the perfons and properties of our citizens from injuftice and violence at fea, we have, neverthelefs, abundant caufe of gratitude to the Source of benevolence and influence, for interior tranquillity and perfonal fecurity, for propitious feafons, profperous agriculture, productive fisheries, and general improvements: and, above all, for a national fpirit of civil and religious liberty, and a calm but steady determination to fupport our fovereignty, as well as our moral and religious principles, against all open and fecret attacks.

Our Envoys Extraordinary to the French Republic embarked, one in July, the other in Auguft, to join their colleagues in Holland.

I have received intelligence of the arrival of both of them in Holland, from whence they all proceeded on their journey to Paris, within a few days of the 19th of September. Whatever may be the refult of this miffion, I trust that nothing will have been omitted on my part to conduct the negotiation to a fuccefsful conclufion, on fuch equitable terms as may be compatible with the fafety, honour, and interefts of the United States. Nothing in the mean time will contribute fo much to the prefervation of peace, and the attainment of juftice, as a manifeftation of the energy and unanimity, of which, on many former occafions, the people of the United States have given fuch memorable proofs, and the exertions of those refources, for national defence, which a benevolent Providence has kindly placed within their power.

It may be confidently afferted, that nothing has occurred fince the adjournment of Congrefs, which renders inexpedient thofe precautionary measures recommended by me to the confideration of the two Houtes, at the opening of your late extraordinary feffion. If that fyftem was then prudent, it is more fo HOW, as increafing depredations trengthen the reafons for its adop-tion.

Indeed, whatever may be the iffue of the negotiation with France, and whether the war in Europe is or is not to continue, I hold it meft certain, that permanent tranquillity and order will not foon be obtained. The ftate of fociety has fo long been disturbed, the fenfe of moral and religious obligations fo much weakened, public faith and national honour have been fo impaired, refpect to treaties has been

fo diminished, and the law of nations has loft fo much of its force, while pride, ambition, avarice, and violence, have been fo much unreftrained, there remains no reasonable ground on which to raise an expectation that a commerce, without protection or defence, will not be plundered.

The commerce of the United States is effential, if not to their exiftence, at leaft to their comfort, their growth, profperity, and happinefs; the genius, character, and ĥabits of the people are highly commercial; their cities have been formed and exift upon commerce : our agriculture, fiflieries, arts, and manufactures, are connected with and dependent upon it. In fhort, commerce has made this country what it is, and it cannot be deftroyed or neglected, without involving the people in poverty and diftrefs. Great numbers are directly and folely fupported by navigation. The faith of fociety is pledged for the prefervation of the rights of commercial and feafaring, no lefs than for those of the other citizens. Under this view of our affairs, I fhould hold myfelf guilty of a ne glect of duty if I forbore to recom mend that we fhould make every exertion to protect our commerce, and to place our country in a fuitable pofture of defence, as the only fure means of preserving both.

I have entertained an expectation that it would have been in my power, at the opening of this feffion, to have communicated to you the agreeable information of the due execution of our treaty with his Catholic Majefty, refpecting the withdrawing of his troops from our territory, and the demarcation of the line of limits: but, by the latest

authen

Authentic intelligence, Spanish går rifons were still continued within our country, and the running of the boundary line had not been commenced. Thefe circumftances are the more to be regretted, as they cannot fail to affect the Indians in a manner injurious to the United States. Still, however, indulging the hope that the anfwers which have been given will remove the objections offered by the Spanish officers to the immediate execution of the treaty, I have judged it proper that we fhould continue in readiness to receive the pofts, and to run the line of limits.

Further information on this fubject will be communicated in the course of the feffion.

In connection with the unpleafant ftate of things on our western frontier, it is proper for me to mention the attempts of foreign agents to alienate the affections of the Indian nations, and to excite them to actual hoftilities against the United States. Great activity has been exerted by thofe perfons who have infinuated themfelves among the Indian tribes refiding within the territories of the United States, to influence them to transfer their affections and force to a foreign nation; to form them into a confederacy, and to prepare them for war against the United States.

Although measures have been taken to counteract these infractions of our rights, to prevent Indian hoftilities, and to preferve entire their attachment to the United States, it is my duty to obferve, that to give a better effect to these measures, and to obviate the confequence of a repetition of fuch practices, a law, providing adequate punishment for fuch offences, may be neceffary.

The Commiffioners appointed under the fifth article of the Treaty of Amity, Commerce, and Naviga tion, between the United States and Great Britain, to ascertain the river which was truly intended under the name of the River St. Croix, mentioned in the treaty of peace, met at Palzamaquody Bay, in Octo ber 1796, and viewed the mouths of the rivers in queftion, and the adjacent fhores and iflands; and being of opinion that actual furveys of both rivers to their fources were neceffary, gave to the agents of the two nations inftructions for that purpofe, and adjourned to meet at Bofton in Auguft. They met, but the furveys requiring more time than had been fuppofed, and not being then completed, the Com+ miffioners again adjourned, to meet at Providence, in the ftate of Rhode Ifland, in June next, when we may expect a final examination and des cifion.

The Commiffioners appointed in purfuance of the 6th article of the treaty, met at Philadelphia in May laft, to examine the claims of Bri tifh fubjects for debts contracted be fore the peace, and still remaining due to them from citizens or inhabitants of the United States. Various caufes have hitherto prevented any determination; but the busi nefs is now refumed, and doubtless will be profecuted without interruption.

Several decifions on the claims of citizens of the United States, for loffes and damages fuftained by reafon of irregular and illegal captures, or condemnations of their veffels or other property, have been made by the Commiffioners in London, conformably to the feventh article of the treaty. The fums awarded by

the Commiffioners have been paid by the British government. A confiderable number of other claims, where costs and damages, and not captured property, were the only objects in queftion, have been decided by arbitration; and the fums awarded to the citizens of the United States have also been paid.

The Commiffioners appointed agreeably to the 21ft article of our treaty with Spain, met at Philadelphia in the fummer paft, to examine and decide on the claims of our citizens for lofles they have fuftained in confequence of their veffels and cargoes having been taken by the fubjects of his Catholic Majefty, during the late war between Spain and France. Their fittings have been interrupted, but now are refumed.

The United States being obligated to make compenfation for the loffes and damages fuftained by Britifh fubjects, upon the award of the Commiffioners acting under the fixth article of the treaty with Great Britain, and for the loffes and damages fuftained by British subjects, by reafon of the capture of their veffels and merchandize, taken within the limits and jurifdiction of the United States, and brought into their ports, or taken by veffels originally armed in ports of the United States; upon the awards of the Commiffioners acting under the feventh article of the fame treaty, it is neceffary that provifion be made for fulfilling thefe obliga

tions.

The numerous captures of American veffels by the cruizers of the French Republic, and of fome by thofe of Spain, have occafioned confiderable expences in making and fupporting, the claim of our

citizens before their tribunals; and the fums required for the purpose have, in divers inftances, been difburfed by the Confuls of the United States. By means of the fame captures, great numbers of our feamen have been thrown afhore in foreign countries, deftitute of all means of fubfiftence; and the fick, in particular, have been exposed to grievous fufferings. The Confuls have in thefe cafes alfo advanced money for their relief. For thefe advances they reasonably expect reimbursements from the United States.

The Confular Act, relative to feamen, requires revifion and amendment: the provifions for their fupport in foreign countries, and for their return, are found to be inadequate and ineffectual. Another provifion feems neceffary to be added to the Confular Act: fome foreign veffels have been discovered failing under the flag of the United States, and with foreign papers. It feldom happens that the Confuls can detect this deception, becaufe they have no authority to demand an infpection of the register and fea-letters.

Gentlemen of the Houfe of

Representatives,

fums for its defence and military operation in time of war, the fum loaned, and debts contracted, have neceffarily become the fubject of what have been called the funding fystems.

The confequences arifing from the continual accumulation of public debts in other countries, ought to admonish us to be careful to prevent their growth in our own. The national defence muft be provided for, as well as the fupport of government; but both fhould be accomplished as much as poffible by immediate taxes, and as little as poffible by loans.

The Eftimates for the service of the enfuing year will, by my direction, be laid before you.

Gentlemen of the Senate and
Gentlemen of the House of
Representatives,

We are met together at a most interesting period. The fituation of the principal powers of Europe are fingular and portentous. Connected with fome by treaties, and with all by commerce, no important event there can be indifferent Such circumftances call, with a peculiar importunity, not lefs for a difpofition to unite in all thofe measures on which the honour, fafety, and profperity of our country depend, than for all the exertions of wifdom and firmness.

to us.

In all fuch measures you may rely on my zealous and hearty conJOHN ADAMS.

currence.

To the Addrefs, which is nearly the Echo of the above Speech, the Prefident made the following Reply.

Gentlemen of the Senate, I thank you for this addrefs. When, after the most laborious in

vestigation, and serious reflection, without partial confiderations or perfonal motives, measures have been adopted or recommended, I can receive no higher teftimony of their rectitude than the approbation of an Affembly fo independ ent, patriotic, and enlightened, as the Senate of the United States.

Nothing has afforded me more entire fatisfaction than the 'coincidence of your judgment with mine, in the opinion of the effential importance of our commerce, and the abfolute neceffity of a maritime de fence. What is it that has drawn to Europe the fuperfluous riches of the three other quarters of the globe but a marine? What is it

that has drained the wealth of Europe itself into the coffers of two or three of its principal commercial powers but a marine? The world has furnished no example of a flourishing commerce without a maritime protection; and a moderate knowledge of man and his hiftory will convince any one, that no fuch prodigy ever can arife. 'A mercantile marine and a military marine muft grow up together-one can not long exist without the other.

JOHN ADAMS.

HE lamentable ftate of the finances becomes worse every moment; all the branches of the public fervice fuffer; they will all fail together in a few days, if a prompt remedy be not administered.

A view of their actual fituation will demonftrate this fad truth. The accounts of credit, opened fince the 1ft Vendemiaire to this