Tuesday, December 3.

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that I meet the fixth Congrefs of the United States of America. Coming from all parts of the Union, at this critical and interefting period, the Members muft be fully poffeffed of the fentiments and withes of our conftit

uents.

The flattering profpects of abundance from the labours of the people, by land and by fea; the profperity of our extended commerce, notwithstanding interruptions, occafioned by the belligerent state of a great part of the world-the return of health, induftry, and trade to thofe cities which have lately been afflicted with difeafe, and the various inestimable advantages, civil and religious, which, fecured under our happy frame of government, are continued to us unimpaired, demand of the whole American people fincere thanks to a benevolent: Deity, for the merciful difpenfations of his providence. But while thefe numerous bleffings are recollect ed, it is a painful duty to advert to the ungrateful return which

of the people in certain counties of Pennfylvania; where,feduced by the arts and mifreprefentations of defigning men, they have openly refifted the law directing the valuations of houfes and lands. Such defiance was given to the civil authority, as rendered hopeless all further attempts, by judicial procefs, to enforce the execution of the law, and it became neceffary to direct a military force to be employed, confifting of fome companies of regular troops, volunteers and militia, by whose zeal and activity, in co-operation with the judicial power, order and fubmif fion were reftored, and many of the offenders arrested. Of thefe fome have been convicted of mifdemeanours, and others, charged with various crimes, remain to be tried.

To give due effect to the civ il adminiftration of government, and to enfure a juft execution of the laws, a revision and amendment of the judiciary fyftem is indifpenfably neceffary. In this extenfive country, it cannot but

happen,

happen, that numerous questions relpecting the interpretation of the laws, and the rights and duties of officers and citizens. must arife. On the one hand, the laws fhould be executed; on the other, individuals fhould be guarded from oppreffion. Neither of thefe objects is fufficiently affured under the prefent organization of the judicial department: I therefore carneftly recommend the fubject to your ferious confideration.

Perfevering in the pacific and humane policy, which has been invariably profeffed, and fincerely purfued, by the executive authority of the United States, when indications were made on the part of the French Republic, of a difpofition to accommodate the exifting differences between the two countries, I felt it to be my duty to prepare for mecting their advances by a nomination of Minifters upon certain conditions, which the honour of our country dictated, and which its moderation had given it a right to prescribe. The affurances, which were required of the French Government, previous to the departure of our Envoys, have been given, through their Minifter of Foreign Relations; and I have directed them to proceed on their miffion to Paris. They have full power to conclude a Treaty, fubject to the Conftitutional advice and confent of the Senate. The characters of thefe gentlemen are fure pledges to their country, that nothing incompatible with its honour or intereft, nothing inconfiftent with our obligations of good faith or friendship to any other nation, will be ftipulated.

It appearing probable, from the information I received, that our commercial intercourfe with fome ports in the island of St. Domingo might fafely be renewed, I took fuch fteps, as feemed to me expedient, to afcertain that point. The refult being fatisfactory, I then, in conformity with the act of Congrefs on the fubject, directed the reftraints and prohibitions of that intercourfe to be difcontinued, on terms, which were made known by proclamation. Since the renewal of this intercourse, our citizens, trading to thofe ports, with their property, have been duly refpected, and privateering from those ports has ceased.

In examining the claims of British fubjects by the commif fioners at Philadelphia, under the fixth article of the treaty of amity, commerce and navigation, with Great Britain, a difference of opinion, on points deemed effential in the interpretation of that article, has arifen between the commiffioners appointed by the United States and the other members of that board, from which the former have thought it their duty to withdraw. It is fincerely to be regretted, that the execution of an article, produced by a mutual fpirit of amity and juftice should have been thus unavoidably interrupted. It is, however, confidently expected, that the fame spirit of amity, and the fame fenfe of justice, in which it originated, will lead to fatisfactory explanations. In confequence of the obstacles to the progrefs of the commiffion in Philadelphia, his Britannic Majefty has directed the commiffioners, appointed by him, under the

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seventh article of the treaty, relating to British captures of American veffels, to withdraw from the Board fitting in London, but with the express declaration of his determination to fulfil, with punc tuality, and good faith, the engagements which his Majefty has contracted by his treaty with the United States, and that they will be inftructed to refume their functions, whenever the obstacles which impede the progrefs of the commiffion at Philadelphia, fhall be removed. It being in like manner my fincere determination, fo far as the fame depends on me, that with equal punctuality and good faith, the engagements contracted by the United States in their treaties with his Britannic Majefty fhall be fulfilled, I fhall immediately inftruct our minifter at London, to endeavour to obtain the explanations néceffary to a just performance of thofe engagements on the part of the United States.

With fuch difpofitions on both fides, I cannot entertain a doubt that all difficulties will foon be removed, and that the two Boards will then proceed and bring the bufinefs, committed to them, refpectively, to a fatisfactory conclufion.

The act of Congrefs, relative to the feat of the government of the United States, requiring that on the first Monday of December next, it should be transferred from Philadelphia to the diftrict, chofen for its permanent feat, it is proper for me to inform you, that the commiffioners, appointed to provide fuitable buildings for the accommodation of Congrefs, and the Prefident, and for the public

offices of the government, have made a report of the state of the buildings, defigned for thefe purpofes in the city of Washington, from which they conclude, that the removal of the feat of gov ernment to that place, at the time required, will be practicable, and the accommodations fatisfactory. Their report will be laid before you.

Gentlemen of the House of Reprefentatives,

Al

I thall direct the estimates of the appropriations, neceffary for the fervice of the enfuing year, together with an account of the revenue and expenditure, to be laid before you. During a period in which a great portion of the civilized world has been involved in a war, unusually calamitous and deftructive, it was not to be expected, that the United States could be exempted from extraordinary burthens. though the period is not arrived, when the measures adopted to fecure our country against foreign attack can be renounced, yet it is alike neceffary to the honour of the government, and the fatis faction of the community, that an exact economy fhould be maintained. I invite you, Gentlemen, to investigate the different brances of the public expenditure. The examination will lead to beneficial retrenchments, or produce a conviction of the wifdom of the measures to which the expenditure relates.

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

At a period, like the prefent, when momentous changes are occurring, and every hour is preparing new and great events in the political world-when a fpir