Speech Transcript:

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:

At a moment when the nations of Europe are in commotion and arming
against each other, and when those with whom we have principal
intercourse are engaged in the general contest, and when the
countenance of some of them toward our peaceable country threatens
that even that may not be unaffected by what is passing on the
general theater, a meeting of the representatives of the nation in
both Houses of Congress has become more than usually desirable.
Coming from every section of our country, they bring with them the
sentiments and the information of the whole, and will be enabled to
give a direction to the public affairs which the will and the wisdom
of the whole will approve and support.

In taking a view of the state of our country we in the first place
notice the late affliction of two of our cities under the fatal fever
which in latter times has occasionally visited our shores. Providence
in His goodness gave it an early termination on this occasion and
lessened the number of victims which have usually fallen before it.
In the course of the several visitations by this disease it has
appeared that it is strictly local, incident to cities and on the
tide waters only, incommunicable in the country either by persons
under the disease or by goods carried from diseased places; that its
access is with the autumn and it disappears with the early frosts.

These restrictions within narrow limits of time and space give
security even to our maritime cities during three quarter of the
year, and to the country always. Although from these facts it appears
unnecessary, yet to satisfy the fears of foreign nations and cautions
on their part not to be complained of in a danger whose limits are
yet unknown to them I have strictly enjoined on the officers at the
head of the customs to certify with exact truth for every vessel
sailing for a foreign port the state of health respecting this fever
which prevails at the place from which she sails. Under every motive
from character and duty to certify the truth, I have no doubt they
have faithfully executed this injunction. Much real injury has,
however, been sustained from a propensity to identify with this
endemic and to call by the same name fevers of very different kinds,
which have been known at all times and in all countries, and never
have been placed among those deemed contagious.

As we advance in our knowledge of this disease, as facts develop the
source from which individuals receive it, the State authorities
charged with the care of the public health, and Congress with that of
the general commerce, will become able to regulate with effect their
respective functions in these departments. The burthen of quarantines
is felt at home as well as abroad; their efficacy merits examination.
Although the health laws of the States should be found to need no
present revisal by Congress, yet commerce claims that their attention
be ever awake to them.

Since our last meeting the aspect of our foreign relations has
considerably changed. Our coasts have been infested and our harbors
watched by private armed vessels, some of them without commissions,
some with illegal commissions, others with those of legal form, but
committing practical acts beyond the authority of their commissions.
They have captured in the very entrance of our harbors, as well as on
the high seas, not only the vessels of our friends coming to trade
with us, but our own also. They have carried them off under pretense
of legal adjudication, but not daring to approach a court of justice,
they have plundered and sunk them by the way or in obscure places
where no evidence could arise against them, maltreated the crews, and
abandoned them in boats in the open sea or on desert shores without
food or clothing. These enormities appearing to be unreached by any
control of their sovereigns, I found it necessary to equip a force to
cruise within our own seas, to arrest all vessels of these
descriptions found hovering on our coasts within the limits of the
Gulf Stream and to bring the offenders in for trial as pirates.

The same system of hovering on our coasts and harbors under color of
seeking enemies has been also carried on by public armed ships to the
great annoyance and oppression of our commerce. New principles, too,
have been interpolated into the law of nations, founded neither in
justice nor in the usage or acknowledgment of nations. According to
these a belligerent takes to itself a commerce with its own enemy
which it denies to a neutral on the ground of its aiding that enemy
in the war; but reason revolts at such inconsistency, and the neutral
having equal right with the belligerent to decide the question, the
interests of our constituents and the duty of maintaining the
authority of reason, the only umpire between just nations, impose on
us the obligation of providing an effectual and determined opposition
to a doctrine so injurious to the rights of peaceable nations. Indeed,
the confidence we ought to have in the justice of others still
countenances the hope that a sounder view of those rights will of
itself induce from every belligerent a more correct observance of
them.

With Spain our negotiations for a settlement of differences have not
had a satisfactory issue. Spoliations during a former war, for which
she had acknowledged herself responsible, have been refused to be
compensated but on conditions affecting other claims in no wise
connected with them. Yet the same practices are renewed in the
present war and are already of great amount. On the Mobile, our
commerce passing through that river continues to be obstructed by
arbitrary duties and vexatious searches. Propositions for adjusting
amicably the boundaries of Louisiana have not been acceded to. While,
however, the right is unsettled, we have avoided changing the state of
things by taking new posts or strengthening ourselves in the disputed
territories, in the hope that the other power would not by a contrary
conduct oblige us to meet their example and endanger conflicts of
authority the of which may not be easily controlled. But in this hope
we have now reason to lessen our confidence.

Inroads have been recently made into the Territories of Orleans and
the Mississippi, our citizens have been seized and their property
plundered in the very parts of the former which had been actually
delivered up by Spain, and this by the regular officers and soldiers
of that Government. I have therefore found it necessary at length to
give orders to our troops on that frontier to be in readiness to
protect our citizens, and to repel by arms any similar aggressions in
future. Other details necessary for your full information of the state
of things between this country and that shall be the subject of
another communication.

In 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
the 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 be met by force only, and all of them may lead to
it. I can not, therefore, but recommend such preparations as
circumstances call for.

The first object is to place our sea port towns out of the danger of
insult. Measures have been already taken for furnishing them with
heavy cannon for the service of such land batteries as may make a
part of their defense against armed vessels approaching them. In aid
of these it is desirable we should have a competent number of gun
boats, and the number, 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
decided 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, unencumbered with the old and those having
families. Upward of 300,000 able-bodied men between the ages of 18
and 26 years, which the last census shews we may now count within our
limits, will furnish a competent # for offense or defense in any point
where they may be wanted, and will give time for raising regular
forces after the necessity of them shall become certain; and the
reducing to the early period of life all its active service can not
but be desirable to our younger citizens of the present as well as
future times, in as much as it engages to them in more advanced age a
quiet and undisturbed repose in the bosom of their families. I can
not, 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 it in regular rotation.

Considerable provision has been made under former authorities from
Congress of material for the construction 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.

Turning from these unpleasant views of violence and wrong, I
congratulate you on the liberation of our fellow citizens who were
stranded on the coast of Tripoli and made prisoners of war. In a
government bottomed on the will of all the life and liberty of every
individual citizen become interesting to all.

In the treaty, therefore, which has concluded our warfare with that
State an article for the ransom of our citizens has been agreed to.
An operation by land by a small band of our country-men and others,
engaged for the occasion in conjunction with the troops of the
ex-Bashaw of that country, gallantly conducted by our late consul,
Eaton, and their successful enterprise on the city of Derne,
contributed doubtless to the impression which produced peace, and the
conclusion of this prevented opportunities of which the officers and
men of our squadron destined for Tripoli would have availed
themselves to emulate the acts of valor exhibited by their brethren
in the attack of the last year. Reflecting with high satisfaction on
the distinguished bravery displayed whenever occasions permitted it
in the late Mediterranean service, I think it would be an useful
encouragement as well as a just reward to make an opening for some
present promotion by enlarging our peace establishment of captains
and lieutenants.

With Tunis some misunderstandings have arisen not yet sufficiently
explained, but friendly discussions with their ambassador recently
arrived and a mutual disposition to do whatever is just and
reasonable can not fail of dissipating these, so that we may consider
our peace on that coast, generally, to be on as sound a footing as it
has been at any preceding time. Still, it will not be expedient to
withdraw immediately the whole of our force from that sea.

The law providing for a naval peace establishment fixes the number of
frigates which shall be kept in constant service in time of peace, and
prescribes that they shall be manned by not more than two-third of
their complement of sea men and ordinary sea men. Whether a frigate
may be trusted to two-third only of her proper complement of men must
depend on the nature of the service on which she is ordered; that may
sometimes, for her safety as well as to insure her object, require
her fullest complement. In adverting to this subject Congress will
perhaps consider whether the best limitation on the Executive
discretion in this case would not be by the # of sea men which may be
employed in the whole service rather than by the # of vessels.
Occasions oftener arise for the employment of small than of large
vessels, and it would lessen risk as well as expense to be authorized
to employ them of preference. The limitation suggested by the # of sea
men would admit a selection of vessels best adapted to the service.

Our Indian neighbors are advancing, many of them with spirit, and
others beginning to engage in the pursuits of agriculture and
household manufacture. They are becoming sensible that the earth
yields subsistence with less labor and more certainty than the
forest, and find it their interest from time to time to dispose of
parts of their surplus and waste lands for the means of improving
those they occupy and of subsisting their families while they are
preparing their farms. Since your last session the Northern tribes
have sold to us the lands between the Connecticut Reserve and the
former Indian boundary and those on the Ohio from the same boundary
to the rapids and for a considerable depth inland. The Chickasaws and
Cherokees have sold us the country between and adjacent to the two
districts of Tennessee, and the Creeks the residue of their lands in
the fork of the Ocmulgee up to the Ulcofauhatche. The three former
purchases are important, in as much as they consolidate disjoined
parts of our settled country and render their intercourse secure; and
the second particularly so, as, with the small point on the river
which we expect is by this time ceded by the Piankeshaws, it
completes our possession of the whole of both banks of the Ohio from
its source to near its mouth, and the navigation of that river is
thereby rendered forever safe to our citizens settled and settling on
its extensive waters. The purchase from the Creeks, too, has been for
some time particularly interesting to the State of Georgia.

The several treaties which have been mentioned will be submitted to
both Houses of Congress for the exercise of their respective
functions.

Deputations now on their way to the seat of Government from various
nations of Indians inhabiting the Missouri and other parts beyond the
Mississippi come charged with assurances of their satisfaction with
the new relations in which they are placed with us, of their
dispositions to cultivate our peace and friendship, and their desire
to enter into commercial intercourse with us. A state of our progress
in exploring the principal rivers of that country, and of the
information respecting them hitherto obtained, will be communicated
as soon as we shall receive some further relations which we have
reason shortly to expect.

The receipts of the Treasury during the year ending on the 30th day
of September last have exceeded the sum of $13M, which, with not
quite $5M in the Treasury at the beginning of the year, have enabled
us after meeting other demands to pay nearly $2M of the debt
contracted under the British treaty and convention, upward of $4M of
principal of the public debt, and $4M of interest. These payments,
with those which had been made in 3 years and a half preceding, have
extinguished of the funded debt nearly $18M of principal. Congress by
their act of 1803 November 10, authorized us to borrow $1.75M toward
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 $4.5M, which remained in the Treasury on the same 30th day of
September last, with the receipts of which we may calculate on for
the ensuing year, besides paying the annual sum of $8M appropriated
to the funded debt and meeting all the current demands which may be
expected, will enable us to pay the whole sum of $3.75M assumed by
the French convention and still leave us a surplus of nearly $1M 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 endeavors to administer faithfully the executive
department, and will zealously cooperate with you in every 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 public business, and all the information
necessary for your deliberations, of which the interests of our own
country and the confidence reposed in us by others will admit a
communication.