Speech Transcript:

"In vain may we expect peace with the Indians on our frontiers so long
as a lawless set of unprincipled wretches can violate the rights of
hospitality, or infringe the most solemn treaties, without receiving
the punishment they so justly merit."

I meet you upon the present occasion with the feelings which are
naturally inspired by a strong impression of the prosperous
situations of our common country, and by a persuasion equally strong
that the labors of the session which has just commenced will, under
the guidance of a spirit no less prudent than patriotic, issue in
measures conducive to the stability and increase of national
prosperity.

Numerous as are the providential blessings which demand our grateful
acknowledgments, the abundance with which another year has again
rewarded the industry of the husbandman is too important to escape
recollection.

Your own observations in your respective situations will have
satisfied you of the progressive state of agriculture, manufactures,
commerce, and navigation. In tracing their causes you will have
remarked with particular pleasure the happy effects of that revival
of confidence, public as well as private, to which the Constitution
and laws of the United States have so eminently contributed; and you
will have observed with no less interest new and decisive proofs of
the increasing reputation and credit of the nation. But you
nevertheless can not fail to derive satisfaction from the
confirmation of these circumstances which will be disclosed in the
several official communications that will be made to you in the
course of your deliberations.

The rapid subscriptions to the Bank of the United States, which
completed the sum allowed to be subscribed in a single day, is among
the striking and pleasing evidences which present themselves, not
only of confidence in the Government, but of resource in the
community.

In the interval of your recess due attention has been paid to the
execution of the different objects which were specially provided for
by the laws and resolutions of the last session.

Among the most important of these is the defense and security of the
western frontiers. To accomplish it on the most humane principles was
a primary wish.

Accordingly, at the same time the treaties have been provisionally
concluded and other proper means used to attach the wavering and to
confirm in their friendship the well-disposed tribes of Indians,
effectual measures have been adopted to make those of a hostile
description sensible that a pacification was desired upon terms of
moderation and justice.

Those measures having proved unsuccessful, it became necessary to
convince the refractory of the power of the United States to punish
their depredations. Offensive operations have therefore been
directed, to be conducted, however, as consistently as possible with
the dictates of humanity.

Some of these have been crowned with full success and others are yet
depending. The expeditions which have been completed were carried on
under the authority and at the expense of the United States by the
militia of Kentucky, whose enterprise, intrepidity, and good conduct
are entitled of peculiar commendation.

Overtures of peace are still continued to the deluded tribes, and
considerable numbers of individuals belonging to them have lately
renounced all further opposition, removed from their former
situations, and placed themselves under the immediate protection of
the United States.

It is sincerely to be desired that all need of coercion in future may
cease and that an intimate intercourse may succeed, calculated to
advance the happiness of the Indians and to attach them firmly to the
United States.

In order to this it seems necessary -

That they should experience the benefits of an impartial dispensation
of justice.
That the mode of alienating their lands, the main source of
discontent and war, should be so defined and regulated as to obviate
imposition and as far as may be practicable controversy concerning
the reality and extent of the alienations which are made.
That commerce with them should be promoted under regulations tending
to secure an equitable deportment toward them, and that such rational
experiments should be made for imparting to them the blessings of
civilization as may from time to time suit their condition.
That the Executive of the United States should be enabled to employ
the means to which the Indians have been long accustomed for uniting
their immediate interests with the preservation of peace.
And that efficacious provision should be made for inflicting adequate
penalties upon all those who, by violating their rights, shall
infringe the treaties and endanger the peace of the Union.
A system corresponding with the mild principles of religion and
philanthropy toward an unenlightened race of men, whose happiness
materially depends on the conduct of the United States, would be as
honorable to the national character as conformable to the dictates of
sound policy.

The powers specially vested in me by the act laying certain duties on
distilled spirits, which respect the subdivisions of the districts
into surveys, the appointment of officers, and the assignment of
compensations, have likewise carried into effect. In a manner in
which both materials and experience were wanting to guide the
calculation it will be readily conceived that there must have been
difficulty in such an adjustment of the rates of compensation as
would conciliate a reasonable competency with a proper regard to the
limits prescribed by the law. It is hoped that the circumspection
which has been used will be found in the result to have secured that
last two objects; but it is probable that with a view to the first in
some instances a revision of the provision will be found advisable.

The impressions with which this law has been received by the
community have been upon the whole such as were to be expected among
enlightened and well-disposed citizens from the propriety and
necessity of the measure. The novelty, however, of the tax in a
considerable part of the United States and a misconception of some of
its provisions have given occasion in particular places to some degree
of discontent; but it is satisfactory to know that this disposition
yields to proper explanations and more just apprehensions of the true
nature of the law, and I entertain a full confidence that it will in
all give way to motives which arise out of a just sense of duty and a
virtuous regard to the public welfare.

If there are any circumstances in the law which consistently with its
main design may be so varied as to remove any well-intentioned
objections that may happen to exist, it will consist with a wise
moderation to make the proper variations. It is desirable on all
occasions to unite with a steady and firm adherence to constitutional
and necessary acts of Government the fullest evidence of a disposition
as far as may be practicable to consult the wishes of every part of
the community and to lay the foundations of the public administration
in the affections of the people.

Pursuant to the authority contained in the several acts on that
subject, a district of 10 miles square for the permanent seat of the
Government of the United State has been fixed and announced by
proclamation, which district will comprehend lands on both sides of
the river Potomac and the towns of Alexandria and Georgetown. A city
has also been laid out agreeably to a plan which will be placed
before Congress, and as there is a prospect, favored by the rate of
sales which have already taken place, of ample funds for carrying on
the necessary public buildings, there is every expectation of their
due progress.

The completion of the census of the inhabitants, for which provision
was made by law, has been duly notified (excepting one instance in
which the return has been informal, and another in which it has been
omitted or miscarried), and the returns of the officers who were
charged with this duty, which will be laid before you, will give you
the pleasing assurance that the present population of the United
States borders on 4,000,000 persons.

It is proper also to inform you that a further loan of 2,500,000
florins has been completed in Holland, the terms of which are similar
to those of the one last announced, except as to a small reduction of
charges. Another, on like terms, for 6,000,000 florins, had been set
on foot under circumstances that assured an immediate completion.

Gentlemen of the Senate:

Two treaties which have been provisionally concluded with the
Cherokees and Six Nations of Indians will be laid before you for your
consideration and ratification.

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:

In entering upon the discharge of your legislative trust you must
anticipate with pleasure that many of the difficulties necessarily
incident to the first arrangements of a new government for an
extensive country have been happily surmounted by the zealous and
judicious exertions of your predecessors in cooperation with the
other branch of the Legislature. The important objects which remain
to be accomplished will, I am persuaded, be conducted upon principles
equally comprehensive and equally well calculated of the advancement
of the general weal.

The time limited for receiving subscriptions to the loans proposed by
the act making provision for the debt of the United States having
expired, statements from the proper department will as soon as
possible apprise you of the exact result. Enough, however, is known
already to afford an assurance that the views of that act have been
substantially fulfilled. The subscription in the domestic debt of the
United States has embraced by far the greatest proportion of that
debt, affording at the same time proof of the general satisfaction of
the public creditors with the system which has been proposed to their
acceptance and of the spirit of accommodation to the convenience of
the Government with which they are actuated. The subscriptions in the
debts of the respective States as far as the provisions of the law
have permitted may be said to be yet more general. The part of the
debt of the United States which remains unsubscribed will naturally
engage your further deliberations.

It is particularly pleasing to me to be able to announce to you that
the revenues which have been established promise to be adequate to
their objects, and may be permitted, if no unforeseen exigency
occurs, to supersede for the present the necessity of any new
burthens upon our constituents.

An object which will claim your early attention is a provision for
the current service of the ensuing year, together with such
ascertained demands upon the Treasury as require to be immediately
discharged, and such casualties as may have arisen in the execution
of the public business, for which no specific appropriation may have
yet been made; of all which a proper estimate will be laid before
you.

Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of Representatives:

I shall content myself with a general reference to former
communications for several objects upon which the urgency of other
affairs has hitherto postponed any definitive resolution. Their
importance will recall them to your attention, and I trust that the
progress already made in the most arduous arrangements of the
Government will afford you leisure to resume them to advantage.

These are, however, some of them of which I can not forbear a more
particular mention. These are the militia, the post office and post
roads, the mint, weights and measures, a provision for the sale of
the vacant lands of the United States.

The first is certainly an object of primary importance whether viewed
in reference to the national security to the satisfaction of the
community or to the preservation of order. In connection with this
the establishment of competent magazines and arsenals and the
fortification of such places as are peculiarly important and
vulnerable naturally present themselves to consideration. The safety
of the United States under divine protection ought to rest on the
basis of systematic and solid arrangements, exposed as little as
possible to the hazards of fortuitous circumstances.

The importance of the post office and post roads on a plan
sufficiently liberal and comprehensive, as they respect the
expedition, safety, and facility of communication, is increased by
their instrumentality in diffusing a knowledge of the laws and
proceedings of the Government, which, while it contributes to the
security of the people, serves also to guard them against the effects
of misrepresentation and misconception. The establishment of
additional cross posts, especially to some of the important points in
the Western and Northern parts of the Union, can not fail to be of
material utility.

The disorders in the existing currency, and especially the scarcity
of small change, a scarcity so peculiarly distressing to the poorer
classes, strongly recommend the carrying into immediate effect the
resolution already entered into concerning the establishment of a
mint. Measures have been taken pursuant to that resolution for
procuring some of the most necessary artists, together with the
requisite apparatus.

An uniformity in the weights and measures of the country is among the
important objects submitted to you by the Constitution, and if it can
be derived from a standard at once invariable and universal, must be
no less honorable to the public councils than conducive to the public
convenience.

A provision for the sale of the vacant lands of the United States is
particularly urged, among other reasons, by the important
considerations that they are pledged as a fund for reimbursing the
public debt; that if timely and judiciously applied they may save the
necessity of burthening our citizens with new taxes for the
extinguishment of the principal; and that being free to discharge the
principal but in a limited proportion, no opportunity ought to be lost
for availing the public of its right.