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MESSAGE

FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO CONGRESS. JAN. 28, 1799.

An edict of the Executive Directory of the French Republick of the 29th of October, 1798, enclosed in a letter from our minister plenipotentiary in London of the 16th of November is of so much importance that it cannot be too soon communicated to you and the publick. JOHN ADAMS.

Extract of a letter from Rufus King, Esq. Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States at London, to the Secretary of State, dated November 16, 1798.

"THE annexed arrete would appear extravagant and incredible, if it proceeded from any other authority; but mankind is so accustomed to the violence and injustice of France, that we almost cease to express our surprise and indignation at the new instances that she continues to display."

The Executive Directory, upon the report of the Minister of Foreign Relations, considering that the fleets, privateers and ships of England and Russia are in part equipped by foreigners

Considering that this violation is a manifest abuse of the rights of nations, and that the powers of Europe have not taken any measures to prohibit it. Decrees,

1st. Every individual, native (ou originaire) of friendly countries, allied to the French Republick or neutral, bearing a commission, granted by the enemies of France, or making part of the crews of ships of war and others, enemies, shall be by this single fact declared a pirate, and treated as such, without being permitted in any case to allege that he had been forced into such service, by violence, threats or otherwise.

2d. The Executive Directories of the Batavian, Ligurian, Cisalpine and Roman Republicks shall be instructed to this effect.

3d. The provisions contained in the first article shall be notified to those powers which are neutral or allied to the French Republick.

4th. The Minister of Exterior Relations is charged with the execution of the present arrete which shall be printed in the Bulletin of the laws.

MESSAGE

FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. FEB. 15, 1799.

In pursuance of the request in your resolve of yesterday, I lay before you such information as I have received touching a suspension of the arret of the French Republick communicated to your House by my message of the 28th of January last. But if the execution of that arret be suspended, or even if it were repealed, it should be remembered that the arret of the Executive Directory of the 2d of March, 1797, remains in force; the third article of which subjects explicitly and exclusively American seamen to be treated as pirates, if found on board ships of the enemies of France. JOHN ADAMS.

Extract of a letter from Rufus King, Esq. Minister Plenipotentiary, &c. to the Secretary of State. London, Nov. 28, 1798. ANNEXED I send you a copy of a note from Lord Grenville, respecting the French arrete transmitted to you with my No. 9. A late French paper contains a second arrete which postpones the execution of the first.

Lord Grenville to Mr. King.

THE undersigned, his majesty's secretary of state for foreign affairs, has the honour of communicating to Mr. King, minister plenipotentiary for the United States of America, for the information of his government, that by a decree published officially at Paris, it appears to have been declared in the name of the French Directory, that every person being a native of or originally belonging to neutral countries, or to such as are in amity and alliance with the French Republick, who shall bear any commission under his majesty; or who shall form a part of the crews of any British ships of war or other vessels, should, on the proof of that fact alone, be considered and treated as a pirate, and that it has been ordered that this resolution shall be notified to the neutral powers and to those in alliance with France.

Even this decree, contrary as it is to the usages of every civilized nation, cannot excite any surprise, as proceeding from those in whose name it has been published. To the different powers who are thus insulted, and whose innocent subjects are exposed to the most cruel treatment on the part of a government professing friendship or alliance with them, his majesty must leave it to adopt such measures as they will, without doubt, judge necessary, in the case of an outrage hitherto unexampled in the history of the world.

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The king however feels, that protection is also due from him to those who sail under his flag, either in his majesty's ships of war or in other British yessels; his majesty has therefore not hesitated to direct it to be signified to the commissary for French prisoners in Great Britain, that the first instance of the execution of this decree, shall be followed by the most rigorous retaliation against the French prisoners whom the fortune of war has already, or may hereafter place at the king's disposal.

It would certainly never be but with extreme reluctance that the king could yield to the painful necessity of exposing so many unfortunate individuals to the fatal but inevitable effects of this atrocious decree; but his majesty will have at least the satisfaction of feeling that nothing has been omitted on his part to prevent its execution, and that the authors of it can alone be considered responsible for all its guilt and all its consequences. GRENVILLE.

Downing Street, Nov. 27, 1798.

SPEECH

OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, OPENING CONGRESS, DECEMBER 3, 1799.

Gentlemen of the Senate, and

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives,

It is with peculiar satisfaction, that I meet the sixth Congress of the United States of America.-Coming from all parts of the Union, at this critical, and interesting period, the members must be fully possessed of the sentiments and wishes of our constituents.

The flattering prospects of abundance, from the labours of the people, by land and by sea; the prosperity of our extended commerce, notwithstanding interruptions occasioned by the belligerent state of a great part of the world; the return of health, industry and trade, to those cities, which have lately been afflicted with disease; and the various and inestimable advantages, civil and religious, which, secured under our happy frame of government, are continued to us, unimpaired; demand of the whole American people, sincere thanks to a benevolent Deity, for the merciful dispensations of his Providence.

But, while these numerous blessings are recollected, it is a painful duty to advert to the ungrateful return, which has been made for them, by some of the people, in certain counties of Pennsylvania, where, seduced by the arts and misrepresentations of designing men, they have openly resisted the law, directing the valuation of houses and lands. Such defiance was given to the civil authority as rendered hopeless, all further attempts, by judicial process, to enforce the execution of the law; and it became necessary to direct a military force to be employed,

consisting of some companies of regular troops, volunteers, and militia, by whose zeal and activity, in co-operation with the judicial power, order and submission were restored, and many of the offenders arrested. Of these, some have been convicted of misdemeanors, and others, charged with various crimes remain to be tried.

To give due effect to the civil administration of government, and to ensure a just execution of the laws, a revision and amendment of the judiciary system is indispensably necessary. In this extensive country, it cannot but happen, that numerous questions respecting the interpretation of the laws and the rights and duties of officers and citizens, must arise. On the one hand, the laws should be executed; on the other individuals should be guarded from oppression : neither of these objects is sufficiently assured, under the present organization of the judicial department, I therefore earnestly recommend the subject to your serious consideration.

Persevering in the pacifick and humane policy, which had been invariably professed, and sincerely pursued by the executive authority of the United States; when indications were made, on the part of the French Republick, of a disposition to accommodate the existing differences between the two countries, I felt it to be my duty to prepare for meeting their advances, by a nomination of ministers upon certain conditions which the honour of our country dictated, and which its moderation had given it a right to prescribe. The assurances which were required of the French government, previous to the departure of our envoys, have been given, through their Minister of Foreign Relations; and I have directed them to proceed on their mis sion to Paris. They have full power to conclude a treaty, subject to the constitutional advice and consent of the Senate. The characters of these gentlemen, are sure pledges to their country, that nothing incompatible with its honour or interest, nothing inconsistent with our obligations of good faith or friendship to any other nation, will be stipulated.

It appearing probable, from the information I received, that our commercial intercourse, with some ports, in the island of St. Domingo might safely be renewed, I took such steps as seemed to me expedient to ascertain that point. The result being satisfactory, I then, in conformity with the act of Congress on the subject, directed the restraints, and prohibitions of that intercourse to be discontinued, on terms which were made known by proclamation. Since the renewal of this intercourse, our citizens trading to those ports, with their property have been duly respected, and privateering from those ports has ceased.

In examining the claims of British subjects by the commissioners at Philadelphia, acting under the sixth article of the treaty of amity, commerce and navigation, with Great Britain, a difference of opinion, on points deemed essential, in the interpretation of that article has arisen between the commissioners

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 sincerely to be regretted, that the execution of an article produced by a mutual spirit of amity and justice, should have been this unavoidably interrupted. It is, however, confidently expected, that the same spirit of amity and the same sense of justice in which it originated, will lead to satisfactory expla nations. In consequence of the obstacles to the progress of the commission in Philadelphia, his Britannick Majesty has directed the commissioners appointed by him, under the seventh article of the treaty, relating to British captures of American vessels, to withdraw from the board sitting in London : but with the express declaration of his determination to fulfil with punctuality and good faith, the engagements, which his majesty has contracted by his treaty with the United States; and that they will be instructed to resume their functions, whenever the obstacles, which impede the progress of the commission at Philadelphia, shall be removed. It being in like manner, my sincere determination, so far as the same depends on me, that with equal punctuality and good faith, the engagements contracted by the United States, in their treaties with his Britannick majesty, shall be fulfilled, I shall immediately instruct our minister at London to endeavour to obtain the explanations necessary to a just performance of those engagements, on the part of the United States. With such dispositions on both sides, I cannot entertain a doubt, that all difficulties will soon be removed, and that the two boards will then proceed and bring the business committed to them respectively, to a satisfactory conclusion.

The act of Congress, relative to the seat of the government of the United States, requiring that on the first Monday of December next, it should be transferred from Philadelphia, to the district chosen for its permanent seat, it is proper for me to inform you, that the commissioners appointed to provide suitable buildings for the accommodation of Congress, and of the President, and of the publick offices of the government, have made a report of the state of the buildings designed for those purposes in the city of Washington; from which they conclude that the removal of the seat of government to that place, at the time required, will be practicable, and the accommodation satisfactory. Their report will be laid before you.

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives,-I shall direct the estimates of the appropriations necessary for the service of the ensuing 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 destructive, it was not to be expected, that the United States could be exempted from extraordinary burdens. Although the period is not arrived, when the measures adopted, to secure our country against foreign attacks can be renounced, yet it is alike necessary for the honour of the government, and the satisfaction of the community, that

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