Whereas, by an act of congress of the United States, passed on the 6th day of May last, it was provided, that on satisfactory evidence being given to the president of the United States, that the ports in the islands or colonies in the West Indies, under the dominion of Great Britain, have been opened to the vessels of the United States, the president should be, and thereby was authorized to issue his proclamation, declaring that the ports of the United States should be opened to the vessels of Great Britain employed in the trade and intercourse between the United States, and such islands and colonies, subject to such reciprocal rules and restrictions as the president of the United States might, by such proclamation, make and publish And, whereas, satisfactory evidence has been given to the president of the United States, that the ports herein-named in the islands or colonies in the West Indies, under the dominion of Great Britain, have been opened to the vessels of the United States, that is to say

[Then follow the names of the

different ports in the West In dies.]

The vessels of Great Britain, bona fide British-built, owned, and the master and three-fourths of the mariners of which, at least, shall belong to Great Britain; or any United States-built ship or vessel which has been sold to and become the property of British subjects, such ship or vessel being also navigated with a master and three-fourths of the mariners, at least, belonging to Great Britain; and provided always that no ar ticles shall be imported into the United States in any such British ship or vessels other than articles of growth, produce, or manufac ture of the British islands and colonies of the West Indies, when imported in British vessels coming from any such island or colony, and articles of the growth, pr duce, or manufacture of the Bri tish colonies in North America, or the island of Newfoundland, in vessels coming from the port of St. John's in that island, from any of the aforesaid ports of the British colonies in North America.

By the President, JAMES MONRO

Fellow Citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives; Many causes unite to make your present meeting peculiarly interesting to your constituents. The operation of our laws on the various subjects to which they apply, with the amendments which they occasionally require, imposes an

nually an important duty on the representatives of a free people Our system has happily advance to such maturity, that I am st aware that your cares in that re spect will be augmented. Other causes exist, which are highly interesting to the whole civilian world, and to no world, and to no portion of it mere

so, in certain views, than to the United States. Of these causes, and of their bearing on the interests of our Union, I shall communicate the sentiments which I have formed, with that freedom which a sense of duty dictates. It is proper, however, to invite your attention, in the first instance, to those concerns respecting which i legislative provision is thought to be particularly urgent.

On the 24th of June last, a convention of navigation and commerce was concluded in this city, between the United States and France, by ministers duly authorized for the purpose. The sanction of the executive having been given to this convention under a conviction that, taking all its stipulations into view, it rested essentially on a basis of reciprocal and equal advantage, I deemed it my duty, in compliance with the authority vested in the executive by the second section of the act of the last session, of the 6th of May, concerning navigation, to suspend, by proclamation, until the end of the next session of congress, the operation of the act intituled "An act to impose a new tonnage duty on French ships and vessels, and for other purposes," and to suspend, likewise, all other duties on French vessels, or the goods imported in them, which exceeded the duties on American vessels, and on similar goods imported in them. submit this convention forthwith to the senate for its advice and consent as to the ratification.

I shall

Since your last session, the prohibition which had been imposed on the commerce between the United States and the British colonies in the West Indies, and on this continent, has likewise been

removed. Satisfactory evidence having been adduced that the ports of those colonies had been opened to the vessels of the United States by an act of the British parliament, bearing date on the 24th of June last, on the conditions specified therein, I deemed it proper, in compliance with the provision of the first section of the act of the last session above recited, to declare, by proclamation, bearing date on the 24th of August last, that the ports of the United States should thenceforward, and until the end of the next session of congress, be open to the vessels of Great Britain employed in that trade, under the limitation specified in that proclamation.

A doubt was entertained, whether the act of congress applied to the British colonies on this continent, as well as to those in the West Indies; but as the act of parliament opened the intercourse equally with both, and it was the manifest intention of congress, as well as the obvious policy of the United States, that the provisions of the act of parliament should be met, in equal extent, on the part of the United States, and as also the act of congress was supposed to vest in the president some discretion in the execution of it, I thought it advisable to give it a corresponding construction.

-Should the constitutional sanction of the senate be given to the ratification of the convention with France, legislative provision will be necessary to carry it fully into effect, as it likewise will be to continue in force, on such conditions as may be deemed just and proper, the intercourse which has been opened between the United States and the British colonies. Every light in the possession of the exe

cutive will, in due time, be communicated on both subjects.

Resting essentially on a basis of reciprocal and equal advantage, it has been the object of the executive, in transactions with other powers, to meet the propositions of each with a liberal spirit, believing that thereby the interest of our country would be most effectually promoted. This course has been systematically pursued in the late occurrences with France and Great Britain, and in strict accord with the views of the legislature. A confident hope is entertained, that, by the arrangement thus commenced with each, all differences respecting navigation and commerce with the dominions in question will be adjusted, and a solid foundation be laid for an active and permanent intercourse, which will prove equally advantageous to both parties.

The decision of his Imperial majesty the emperor of Russia, on the question submitted to him by the United States and Great Britain, concerning the construction of the first article of the treaty of Ghent, has been received. A convention has since been concluded between the parties, under the mediation of his Imperial majesty, to prescribe the mode by which that article shall be carried into effect, in conformity with that decision. I shall submit this convention to the senate for its advice and consent, as to the ratification, and, if obtained, shall immediately bring the subject before congress, for such provisions as may require the interposition of the legislature.

In compliance with an act of the last session, a territorial government has been established in Florida on the principles of our

system. By this act, the inhabitants are secured in the full enjoyment of their rights and liberties,

and to admission into the Union, with equal participation in the government with the original States, on the condition heretofore prescribed to other territories. By a clause in the ninth article of the treaty with Spain, by which that territory was ceded to the United States, it is stipulated that satis faction shall be made for the injuries, if any, which, by process of law, shall be established to have been suffered by the Spanish officers, and individual Spanish inhabitants, by the late operations of our troops in Florida. No provision having yet been made to carry that stipulation into effect, it is submitted to the consideration of congress, whether it will not be proper to vest the competent power in the district court at Pensacola, or in some tribunal to be specially organized for the purpose.

The fiscal operations of the year have been more successful than had been anticipated at the commencement of the last session of

congress.

The receipts into the treasury, during the three first quarters of the year, have exceeded the sum of 14,745,000 dollars. The payments made at the treasury during the same period have exceeded 12,279,000 dollars; leaving in the treasury, on the 30th day of September last (including 1,168,392 dollars and 24 cents, which were in the treasury on the 1st day of January last) a sum exceeding 4,128,000 dollars.

Besides discharging all demands for the current service of the year, including the interest and re-imbursement of the public debt, the six per cent stock of 1796, amount

ing to 80,000 dollars, has been redeemed. It is estimated that, after defraying the current expenses of the present quarter, and redeeming the two millions of six per cent stock of 1820, there will remain in the treasury, on the 1st day of January next, nearly 3,000,000 of dollars. It is estimated that the gross amount of duties which have been secured, from the 1st of January to the 30th of September last, has exceeded 19,500,000 dollars, and the amount for the whole year, will probably not fall short of 23,000,000 of dollars.

Of the actual force in service under the present military establishment, the posts at which it is stationed, and the condition of each post, a report from the secretary of war, which is now communicated, will give a distinct idea. By like reports the state of the Academy at West Point will be seen, as well as the progress which has been made in the fortifications along the coast, and at the national armories and arsenals. The position on the Red River, and that at the Sault of St. Marie, are the only new posts that have been taken. These posts, with those already occupied in the interior, are thought to be well adapted to the protection of our frontiers. All the force not placed in the garrisons along the coast, and in the ordnance dépôts, and indispensably necessary there, is placed on the frontiers.

The organization of the several corps composing the army is such as to admit its expansion to a great extent, in case of emergency, the officers carrying with them all the light which they possess to the new corps to which they might be appointed.

VOL. LXIV.

With the organization of the staff, there is equal cause to be satisfied. By the concentration of every branch, with its chief in this city, in the presence of the department, and with a grade in the chief military station, to keep alive and cherish a military spirit, the greatest promptitude in the execution of orders, with the greatest economy and efficiency, are secured. The same view is taken of the Military Academy. Good order is preserved in it, and the youth are well instructed in every science connected with the great objects of the institution. They are also well trained and disciplined in the practical parts of the profession. It has always been found difficult to control the ardour inseparable from that early age, in such manner as to give it a proper direction. The rights of manhood are too often claimed prematurely; in pressing which too far, the respect which is due to age, and the obedience necessary to a course of study and instruction, in every such institution, are sometimes lost sight of. The great object to be accomplished is the restraint of that ardour, by such wise regulations and government, as, by directing all the energies of the youthful mind to the attainment of useful knowledge, will keep it within a just subordination, and at the same time elevate it to the highest purposes. This object seems to be essentially obtained in this institution, and with great advantage to the Union.

The Military Academy forms. the basis in regard to science, on which the military establishment rests. It furnishes annually, after due examination, and on the report of the academic staff, many 2 Q

well-informed youths, to fill the vacancies wich occur in the several corps of the army; while others, who retire to private life, carry with them such attainments as, under the right reserved to the several states to appoint the officers and to train the militia, will enable them, by affording a wider field for selection, to promote the great object of the power vested in congress, of providing for the organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia. Thus, by the mutual and harmonious co-operation of the two governments in the execution of a power divided between them, an object always to be cherished, the attainment of a great result on which our liberties may depend, cannot fail to be secured. I have to add, that in proportion as our regular force is small, should the instruction and discipline of the militia, the great resource on which we rely, be pushed to the utmost extent that circumstances will admit.

It

A report from the secretary of the navy will communicate the progress which has been made in the construction of vessels of war, with other interesting details, respecting the actual state of the affairs of that department. has been found necessary for the protection of our commerce to maintain the usual squadrons on the Mediterranean, the Pacific, and along the Atlantic coast, extending the cruises of the latter into the West Indies, where piracy, organized, into a system, has preyed on the commerce of every country trading thither. A cruise has also been maintained on the coast of Africa, when the season would permit, for the suppression of the slave trade; and orders

have been given to the commanders of all our public ships to seize our own vessels, should they find any engaged in that trade, and to bring them in for adjudication.

In the West Indies, piracy is of recent date, which may explain the cause why other powers have not combined against it. By the documents communicated, it will be seen that the efforts of the United States to suppress it have had a very salutary effect. The benevolent provision of the act, under which the protection has been extended alike to the commerce of other nations, cannot fail to be duly appreciated by them.

In compliance with the act of the last session, intituled "An act to abolish the United States Trading Establishments," agents were immediately appointed and instructed under the direction of the secretary of the treasury, to close the business of the tradinghouses among the Indian tribes, and to settle the accounts of the factors and sub-factors engaged in that trade, and to execute, in all other respects, the injunctions of that act, in the mode prescribed therein. A final report of their proceedings shall be communicated to congress as soon as it is received.

It is with great regret I have to state that a serious malady has deprived us of many valuable citizens of Pensacola, and checked the progress of some of those arrangements which are important to the territory. This effect has been sensibly felt with respect to the Indians who inhabit that territory, consisting of the remnants of several tribes who occupy the middle ground between St. Augustine and Pensacola, with with extensive claims but undefined boundaries.