Speech Transcript:

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

Circumstance, fellow citizens, which seriously threatened the peace
of our country have made it a duty to convene you at an earlier
period than usual. The love of peace so much cherished in the bosoms
of our citizens, which has so long guided the proceedings of their
public councils and induced forbearance under so many wrongs, may not
insure our continuance in the quiet pursuits of industry. The many
injuries and depredations committed on our commerce and navigation
upon the high seas for years past, the successive innovations on
those principles of public law which have been established by the
reason and usage of nations as the rule of their intercourse and the
umpire and security of their rights and peace, and all the
circumstances which induced the extraordinary mission to London are
already known to you.

The instructions given to our ministers were framed in the sincerest
spirit of amity and moderation. They accordingly proceeded, in
conformity therewith, to propose arrangements which might embrace and
settle all the points in difference between us, which might bring us
to a mutual understanding on our neutral and national rights and
provide for a commercial intercourse on conditions of some equality.
After long and fruitless endeavors to effect the purposes of their
mission and to obtain arrangements within the limits of their
instructions, they concluded to sign such as could be obtained and to
send them for consideration, candidly declaring to the other
negotiators at the same time that they were acting against their
instructions, and that their Government, therefore, could not be
pledged for ratification.

Some of the articles proposed might have been admitted on a principle
of compromise, but others were too highly disadvantageous, and no
sufficient provision was made against the principal source of the
irritations and collisions which were constantly endangering the
peace of the two nations. The question, therefore, whether a treaty
should be accepted in that form could have admitted but of one
decision, even had no declarations of the other party impaired our
confidence in it. Still anxious not to close the door against
friendly adjustment, new modifications were framed and further
concessions authorized than could before have been supposed
necessary; and our ministers were instructed to resume their
negotiations on these grounds.

On this new reference to amicable discussion we were reposing in
confidence, when on the 22nd day of June last by a formal order from
a British admiral the frigate Chesapeake, leaving her port for a
distant service, was attacked by one of those vessels which had been
lying in our harbors under the indulgences of hospitality, was
disabled from proceeding, had several of her crew killed and 4 taken
away. On this outrage no commentaries are necessary. Its character
has been pronounced by the indignant voices of our citizens with an
emphasis and unanimity never exceeded. I immediately, by
proclamation, interdicted our harbors and waters to all British armed
vessels, forbade intercourse with them, and uncertain how far
hostilities were intended, and the town of Norfolk, indeed, being
threatened with immediate attack, a sufficient force was ordered for
the protection of that place, and such other preparations commenced
and pursued as the prospect rendered proper. An armed vessel of the
United States was dispatched with instructions to our ministers at
London to call on that Government for the satisfaction and security
required by the outrage. A very short interval ought now to bring the
answer, which shall be communicated to you as soon as received; then
also, or as soon after as the public interests shall be found to
admit, the unratified treaty and proceedings relative to it shall be
made known to you.

The aggression thus begun has been continued on the part of the
British commanders by remaining within our waters in defiance of the
authority of the country, by habitual violations of its jurisdiction,
and at length by putting to death one of the persons whom they had
forcibly taken from on board the Chesapeake. These aggravations
necessarily lead to the policy either of never admitting an armed
vessel into our harbors or of maintaining in every harbor such an
armed force as may constrain obedience to the laws and protect the
lives and property of our citizens against their armed guests; but
the expense of such a standing force and its inconsistence with our
principles dispense with those courtesies which would necessarily
call for it, and leave us equally free to exclude the navy, as we are
the army, of a foreign power from entering our limits.

To former violations of maritime rights another is now added of very
extensive effect. The Government of that nation has issued an order
interdicting all trade by neutrals between ports not in amity with
them; and being now at war with nearly every nation on the Atlantic
and Mediterranean seas, our vessels are required to sacrifice their
cargoes at the first port they touch or to return home without the
benefit of going to any other market. Under this new law of the ocean
our trade on the Mediterranean has been swept away by seizures and
condemnations, and that in other seas is threatened with the same
fate.

Our differences with Spain remain still unsettled, no measure having
been taken on her part since my last communications to Congress to
bring them to a close. But under a state of things which may favor
reconsideration they have been recently pressed, and an expectation
is entertained that they may now soon be brought to an issue of some
sort. With their subjects on our borders no new collisions have taken
place nor seem immediately to be apprehended. To our former grounds of
complaint has been added a very serious one, as you will see by the
decree a copy of which is now communicated. Whether this decree,
which professes to be conformable to that of the French Government of
1806 November 21, heretofore communicated to Congress, will also be
conformed to that in its construction and application in relation to
the United States had not been ascertained at the date of our last
communications. These, however, gave reason to expect such a
conformity.

With the other nations of Europe our harmony has been uninterrupted,
and commerce and friendly intercourse have been maintained on their
usual footing.

Our peace with the several states on the coast of Barbary appears as
firm as at any former period and as likely to continue as that of any
other nation.

Among our Indian neighbors in the northwestern quarter some
fermentation was observed soon after the late occurrences,
threatening the continuance of our peace. Messages were said to be
interchanged and tokens to be passing, which usually denote a state
of restless among them, and the character of the agitators pointed to
the sources of excitement. Measures were immediately taken for
providing against that danger; instructions were given to require
explanations, and, with assurances of our continued friendship, to
admonish the tribes to remain quiet at home, taking no part in
quarrels not belonging to them. As far as we are yet informed, the
tribes in our vicinity, who are most advanced in the pursuits of
industry, are sincerely disposed to adhere to their friendship with
us and to their peace with all others, while those more remote do not
present appearances sufficiently quiet to justify the intermission of
military precaution on our part.

The great tribes on our southwestern quarter, much advanced beyond
the others in agriculture and household arts, appear tranquil and
identifying their views with ours in proportion to their advancement.
With the whole of these people, in every quarter, I shall continue to
inculcate peace and friendship with all their neighbors and
perseverance in those occupations and pursuits which will best
promote their own well-being.

The appropriations of the last session for the defense of our sea
port towns and harbors were made under expectation that a continuance
of our peace would permit us to proceed in that work according to our
convenience. It has been thought better to apply the sums then given
toward the defense of New York, Charleston, and New Orleans chiefly,
as most open and most likely first to need protection, and to leave
places less immediately in danger to the provisions of the present
session.

The gun boats, too, already provided have on a like principle been
chiefly assigned to New York, New Orleans, and the Chesapeake.
Whether our movable force on the water, so material in aid of the
defensive works on the land, should be augmented in this or any other
form is left to the wisdom of the Legislature. For the purpose of
manning these vessels in sudden attacks on our harbors it is a matter
for consideration whether the sea men of the United States may not
justly be formed into a special militia, to be called on for tours of
duty in defense of the harbors where they shall happen to be, the
ordinary militia of the place furnishing that portion which may
consist of landsmen.

The moment our peace was threatened I deemed it indispensable to
secure a greater provision of those articles of military stores with
which our magazines were not sufficiently furnished. To have awaited
a previous and special sanction by law would have lost occasions
which might not be retrieved. I did not hesitate, therefore, to
authorize engagements for such supplements to our existing stock as
would render it adequate to the emergencies threatening us, and I
trust that the Legislature, feeling the same anxiety for the safety
of our country, so materially advanced by this precaution, will
approve, when done, what they would have seen so important to be done
if then assembled. Expenses, also unprovided for, arose out of the
necessity of calling all our gun boats into actual service for the
defense of our harbors; all of which accounts will be laid before
you.

Whether a regular army is to be raised, and to what extent, must
depend on the information so shortly expected. In the mean time I
have called on the States for quotas of militia, to be in readiness
for present defense, and have, moreover, encouraged the acceptance of
volunteers; and I am happy to inform you that these have offered
themselves with great alacrity in every part of the Union. They are
ordered to be organized and ready at a moment�s warning to
proceed on any service to which they may be called, and every
preparation within the Executive powers has been made to insure us
the benefit of early exertions.

I informed Congress at their last session of the enterprises against
the public peace which were believed to be in preparation by Aaron
Burr and his associates, of the measures taken to defeat them and to
bring the offenders to justice. Their enterprises were happily
defeated by the patriotic exertions of the militia whenever called
into action, by the fidelity of the Army, and energy of the commander
in chief in promptly arranging the difficulties presenting themselves
on the Sabine, repairing to meet those arising on the Mississippi,
and dissipating before their explosion plots engendering there. I
shall think it my duty to lay before you the proceedings and the
evidence publicly exhibited on the arraignment of the principal
offenders before the circuit court of Virginia.

You will be enabled to judge whether the defect was in the testimony,
in the law, or in the administration of the law; and wherever it shall
be found, the Legislature alone can apply or originate the remedy. The
framers of our Constitution certainly supposed they had guarded as
well their Government against destruction by treason as their
citizens against oppression under pretense of it, and if these ends
are not attained it is of importance to inquire by what means more
effectual they may be secured.

The accounts of the receipts of revenue during the year ending on the
30th day of September last being not yet made up, a correct statement
will be hereafter transmitted from the Treasury. In the mean time, it
is ascertained that the receipts have amounted to near $16M, which,
with the $5.5M in the Treasury at the beginning of the year, have
enabled us, after meeting the current demands and interest incurred,
to pay more than $4M of the principal of our funded debt. These
payments, with those of the preceding 5.5 years, have extinguished of
the funded debt $25.5M, being the whole which could be paid or
purchased within the limits of the law and of our contracts, and have
left us in the Treasury $8.5M.

A portion of this sum may be considered as a commencement of
accumulation of the surpluses of revenue which, after paying the
installments of debt as they shall become payable, will remain
without any specific object. It may partly, indeed, be applied toward
completing the defense of the exposed points of our country, on such a
scale as shall be adapted to our principles and circumstances. This
object is doubtless among the 1st entitled to attention in such a
state of our finances, and it is one which, whether we have peace or
war, will provide security where it is due. Whether what shall remain
of this, with the future surpluses, may be usefully applied to
purposes already authorized or more usefully to others requiring new
authorities, or how otherwise they shall be disposed of, are
questions calling for the notice of Congress, unless, indeed, they
shall be superseded by a change in our public relations now awaiting
the determination of others. Whatever be that determination, it is a
great consolation that it will become known at a moment when the
supreme council of the nation is assembled at its post, and ready to
give the aids of its wisdom and authority to whatever course the good
of our country shall then call us to pursue.

Matters of minor importance will be the subjects of future
communications, and nothing shall be wanting on my part which may
give information or dispatch to the proceedings of the Legislature in
the exercise of their high duties, and at a moment so interesting to
the public welfare.