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reviewing these injuries from some of the belligerent powers, the moderation, the firmness, and the wisdom of the legislature, will be called into action. We ought still to hope that time, and a more correct estimate of interest as well as of character, will produce the justice we are bound to expect. But should any nation deceive itself by false calculations, and disappoint that expectation, we must join in the unprofitable contest, of trying which party can do the other most harm. Some of these injuries may perhaps admit a peaceable remedy. Where that is competent, it is always the most desirable. But some of them are of a nature to he met by force only, and all of them may lead to it. I cannot therefore but recommend such preparations as circumstances call for. The first object is to place our seaport towns out of the danger of insult, Measures have already been taken for furnishing them with heavy cannon, for the service of such land batteries as may make a part of their defence against vessels approaching them. In aid of these, it is desirable we should have competent number of gun-boats; and the num, ber, to be competent, must be considerable. If immediately begun, they may be in readiness for service at the opening of the next season.

Whether it will be necessary to augment our land forces, will be de. cided by occurrences probably in the course of your session. In the mean time, you will consider whether it would not be expedient, for a state of peace as well as of war, so to organize or class the militia, as would enable us, on any sudden emergency, to call for the services of the younger portions, unincumbered with the old and those having fami

lies. Upwards of 300,000 able bodied men, between the age of 18 and 26 years, which the last Census shows we may now count within our limits, will furnish a competent number for offence or defence, in any point where they may be wanted, and will give time for raising regu lar forces, after the necessity of them shall become certain; and the reducing to the early period of life all its active service, cannot but be de. sirable to our younger citizens of the present as well as future times, inasmuch as it engages to them in more advanced age, a quiet and undisturbed repose in the bosom of their families. I cannot then but earnestly recommend to your early consideration the expediency of so modifying our militia system, as, by a separation of the more active part from that which is less so, we may draw from it, when necessary, an efficient corps, fit for real and active service, and to be called to in regu. lar rotation.

Considerable provision has been made, under former authorities from congress, of materials for the con struction of ships of war of 74 guns. These materials are on hand, subject to the further will of the legislature.

An immediate prohibition of the exportation of arms and ammunition is also submitted to your determination.

[The message then alludes to the events that have lately happened at Tripoli and Tunis; enters into a view of the transactions that have taken place with the Indian nations, and concludes in the following manner:]

The receipts of the treasury dur. ing the year ending on the 30th day of September last, have exceeded the sum of thirteen millions of dol

Jars.

lars, which, with not quite five millions in the treasury at the beginning of the year, have enabled us, after meeting other demands, to pay nearly two millions of the debt contracted under the British treaty and convention, upwards of four millions of principal of the public debt, and four millions of interest. These payments, with those which had been made in three years and a half preceding, have extinguished of the funded debt nearly eighteen millions of principal.

Congress, by their act of Nov. 10, 1803, authorized us to borrow 1,750,000 dollars, towards meeting the claims of our citizens assumed by the convention with France. We have not, however, made use of this authority; because the sum of four millions and a half, which remained in the treasury on the same 30th day of September last, with the receipts which we may calculate on for the ensuing year, besides paying the annual sum of eight millions of dollars, appropriated to the funded debt, and meeting all the current demands which may be ex. pected, will enable us to pay the whole sum of three millions seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, assumed by the French convention, and still leave us a surplus of nearly a million of dollars at our free disposal. Should you concur in the provisions of arms and armed vessels recommended by the circumstances of the times, this surplus will furnish the means of doing so.

On this first occasion of addressing congress since, by the choice of my constituents, I have entered on a second term of administration, I embrace the opportunity to give this public assurance, that I will exert my best endeavours to administer

faithfully the executive department, and will zealously co-operate with you in any measure which may tend to secure the liberty, property, and personal safety, of our fellow-citizens, and to consolidate the republican forms and principles of our government.

In the course of your session, you shall receive all the aid which I can give for the dispatch of the public business, and all the information necessary for your deliberations, of which the interest of our own country, and the confidence reposed in us by others, will admit a communication. Dec. 3, 1805.

T. Jefferson,

Message from the President of the United States, respecting the Violation of Neutral Rights; the Depredations on the Colonial Trude, and Impressments of American Seamen.

To the Senate and House of Re presentatives of the United States.

In my message to both houses of congress, at the opening of the present session, I submitted to their attention among other subjects, the oppression of our commerce and navigation, by the irregular prac tices of armed vessels, public and private, and by the introduction of new principles, derogatory of the rights of neutrals, and unacknowledged by the usage of nations.

The memorials of several bodies of merchants of the United States are now communicated, and will develope these principles and practices, which are producing the most ruinous effects on our lawfuł commerce and navigation.

The right of a neutral to carry

од

on commercial intercourse with every part of the dominious of a belligerent, permitted by the laws of the country, (with the exception of blockaded ports, and contraband of war), was believed to have been decided between Great Britain and the United States, by the sentence of their commissioners, mutually appointed to decide on that and other questions of difference between the two nations; and by the actual payment of the damages awarded by them against Great Britain, for the infractions of that right. When, therefore, it was perceived that the same principles were revived, with others more novel and extending, the instructions were given to the minister pleuipo. tentiary of the United States at the court of London, and remonstrances duly made by him, on this subject, as will appear by documents transmitted herewith. These were followed by a partial and temporary suspension only, without any disavowal of the principle. He has, therefore, been instructed to urge this subject anew, to bring it more fully to the bar of reason, and to insist on rights too evident, and too important to be surrendered. In the mean time the evil is proceeding under adjudications founded on the principle which is denied. Under these circumstances the subject presents itself for the consideration of congress.

On the impressment of our scamen, our remonstrances have never been intermitted. A hope existed, at one moment, of an arrangement which might have been submitted to; but it soon passed away, and the practice, though relaxed at times in the different seas, bas been constantly pursued in

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Conformably to the answer I have already had the honour to transmit to your excellency, to the question which you addressed to me, relative to the security of the troops of his Britannic Majesty, in the North of Germany, I hasten to lay before you the positive assurances which I have the pleasure to be able to communicate to you.

Your excellency is acquainted with the present state of affairs. You will first perceive that, at the point to which matters have now come, since the unfortunate battle of Austerlitz between Austria and France, in consequence of the return of the great Russian army, and the total uncertainty in which we are with regard to the intentions of Napoleon towards Prussia, the utmost caution is absolutely necessary. The bravest army cannot always reckon upon success; and it is undoubtedly the interest of Prussia, and the interest of the world, to prevent any attack upon her at the present moment, when she would have to bear the whole burthen of the war; and no confederacy adapted to circumstances, has been

formed;

formed; for, in case her armies should prove unsuccessful, the last ray of hope to maintain the security and independence of the continent, would be extinguished.

The king, still animated by the same wish to establish a general peace on a permanent footing, and, if possible, to the satisfaction of all parties, must consequently have been ardently desirous that his mediation, stipulated in the convention signed on the 3d of November, at Potzdam, should have been accepted by France. In an interview which count Von Haugwitz had with Napolcon, on the 28th of November, that monarch manifested a disposition to accept of this mediation on the two following conditions:

1. That during the negocia tion no troops of his Britannic Majesty, nor any Russians nor Swedes, should advance into Holland to commence warlike operations there, after their departure from the North of Germany.

2. That a more extensive circuit should be allowed to the fortress of Hameln, in order to relieve the distress of the garrison for provi

sions.

The king could not accept these propositions under the circumstances of the moment in which they were made; but these have totally changed, and in the present conjuncture, his majesty has not only judged them admissible, upon condition that the emperor Napoicou engages on his side, not to send any troops into the north of Germany, as long as the negociations shall continue, and that he shall not undertake any thing against Hanover during the same interval; but even favourable, as time will thus be gained to take some deliberate

measures, and to prepare for every contingency; either in case a war should break out, or this interme diate state of things should lead to a definitive negociation.

That no time may be lost, his majesty has sent major Von Pfuhl to the French head-quarters, that this arrangement may be carried into effect. At the same time count Haugwitz has received the necessary instructions, bearing date the 19th inst. and the king has given France to understand, that he shall consider the occupation of Hanover by French troops, as an act of hostility.

Agreeably to what I have just stated, his majesty has authorized me to inform your lordship, that, in conformity with the assurances already given, in case the troops of his Britannic majesty, and the Russians, should prove unfortunate, the king engages for the security of the troops of his Britannic majesty in Hanover, and grants them perfect liberty, in case of necessity, to retreat to the Prussian army, and to the states of the king, but with the following modifications, which circumstances render necessary :

1. That they take their positions in the rear of the Prussian troops, and abstain, during the period of the intermediate negociation, from every movement and step of a provoking nature towards Holland.

2. That in case the Prussian troops shall be attacked by the French, his majesty may rely with perfect confidence on the support and co-operation of the troops of his Britannic majesty, as long as they shall continue in the north of Germany. His majesty has given orders for a respectable corps to advance into Westphalia, and will

adopt

adopt every necessary measure for security and defence. The Russian troops, under the command of general count Tolstoy, are already at the entire disposal of his majesty, as the emperor Alexander has fully authorized him to dispose of them at pleasure; and likewise of those which are under general Benningsen, in Silesia.

I therefore request your excelleney to write as speedily as possible to lord Cathcart, the commander-in-chief of the troops of his Britannic majesty, and to prevail upon him to take, without delay, such steps as are necessary for these different purposes; and in particular to comply with the invitation that will be transmitted to him by the order of the king, through count Kalkreuth, to consult personally with him and count Tolstoy, on the positions which the troops of his Britannic majesty, the Russians, and Prussians, will have to take in consequence of the abovementioned arrangements.

As the Swedish troops are in the same predicament with those of his Britannic majesty and the Russians, it would be extremely desirable to prevail upon his Swedish majesty to conform to this arrange

ment.

I hope that to this end your lordship will act in concert with prince Dolgorucki, whom his imperial majesty of all the Russias has charged with every thing relative to the destination of the Russian army. In case his Swedish majesty wil resign the conduct of his troops to count Tolstoy, the king is ready to give them the same guarantee which he offers to the troops of his Britannic majesty, during their continuance in the north of Germany.

With regard to the provisioning of the fortress of Hameln, it is conceived, that the grant of a certain district, from which the garrison might themselves procure provisions, would be attended with great inconveniencies, both in respect to the subjects of his Britannic majesty, and on account of the collusions which might thence ensue between the troops. It therefore appears preferable, to furnish necessaries from the Hanoverian territory, through an intermediate person, to whom general Barbon must send a statement of what he wants for daily consumption, and on whose requisition the Hanoverian ministry will take care that it be delivered at the places appointed for that purpose.

But general Barbou must, on his side, engage to re main quiet within the town of Hameln.

Conformably to these ideas, the king has sent M. Von Krusemark, lieutenant-colonel of the Garde du Corps, and adjutant to field-marshal Von Mollendorff, to Hanover. I have given him, for my part, a letter to the minister of his Britannic majesty at Hanover, and another for general Barbou, that the necessary arrangements for providing instantaneously for the subsistence of the garrison of Hameln may be made, and put in exe. cation without delay.

I have now nothing left, my lord, but to refer to the verbal communication I had the honour to make to you, and to intreat you to take in general such steps as you shall think expedient for carrying into execution the whole arrangement which I have had the honour to submit to you. I request you to have the goodness to inform the 3 commander

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