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abroad, and of a just confidence in itself, which are among the best pledges for its peaceful career. Under other aspects of our country, the strongest features of its flourishing condition are seen, in a population rapidly increasing, on a territory as productive as it is extensive; in a general industry, and fertile ingenuity, which find their ample rewards; and in an affluent revenue, which admits a reduction of the publick burdens, without withdrawing the means of sustaining the publick credit, of gradually discharging the publick debt, of providing for the necessary defensive and precautionary establishments, and of patronizing, in every authorized mode, undertakings conducive to the aggregate wealth and individual comfort of our citizens.

It remains for the guardians of the publick welfare, to persevere in that justice and good will towards other nations, which invite a return of these sentiments towards the United States; to cherish institutions which guarantee their safety, and their liberties, civil and religious; and to combine with a liberal system of foreign commerce, an improvement of the national advantages, and a protection and extension of the independent resources of our highly favoured and happy country.

In all measures having such objects, my faithful co-operation will be afforded.

JAMES MADISON.

MESSAGE

FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES TO CONGRESS. TRANSMITTING A COMMERCIAL CONVENTION

WITH GREAT BRITAIN. DECEMBER 23, 1815.

I LAY before Congress copies of a proclamation notifying the convention concluded with Great Britain on the 3d day of July last, and that the same has been duly ratified and I recommend to Congress such legislative provisions as the convention may call for on the part of the United States. JAMES MADISON.

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JAMES MADISON,

PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

To all and singular to whom these presents shall come, greeting:

WHEREAS a convention between the United States of America and his Britannick majesty, to regulate the commerce between the territories of the United States and of his Britannick majesty, was signed at London on the third day of July, in the year one thousand eight hundred and fifteen, by plenipotentiaries respectively appointed for that purpose, which convention is in the words following,

to wit:

A CONVENTION

To regulate the commerce between the territories of the United States and of his Britannick Majesty.

THE United States of America and his Britannick Majesty being desirous, by a convention, to regulate the commerce and navigation between their respective countries, territories, and people, in such a manner as to render the same reciprocally beneficial and satisfactory, have respectively named plenipotentiaries and given them full powers to treat of and conclude such convention; that is to say, the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate thereof, hath appointed for their plenipotentiaries John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, and Albert Gallatin, citizens of the United States; and his royal highness the Prince Regent, acting in the name and on behalf of his Majesty, has named for his plenipotentiaries the right honourable Frederick John Robinson, vice-president of the committee of privy council for trade and plantations, joint paymaster of his majesty's forces, and a member of the imperial parliament, Henry Goulburn, Esq. a member of the imperial parliament, and under secretary of state, and William Adams, Esq. doctor of civil laws; and the said plenipotentiaries having mutually produced and shown their said full powers, and exchanged copies of the same, have agreed on and concluded the following articles, videlicet:

Art. 1. There shall be between the territories of the

United States of America and all the territories of his Britannick majesty in Europe, a reciprocal liberty of commerce. The inhabitants of the two countries respectively shall have liberty freely and securely to come with their ships and cargoes to all such places, ports, and rivers in the territories aforesaid to which other foreigners are permitted to come, to enter into the same, and to remain and reside in any parts of the said territories respectively; also to hire and occupy houses and ware-houses for the purposes of their commerce: and generally the merchants. and traders of each nation respectively shall enjoy the most complete protection and security for their commerce, but subject always to the laws and statutes of the two countries respectively.

Art. 11. No higher or other duties shall be imposed on the importation into the United States of any articles, the growth, produce,or manufacture of his Britannick majesty's territories in Europe, and no higher or other duties shall be imposed on the importation into the territories of his Britannick majesty in Europe of any articles, the growth, produce, or manufacture of the United States, than are or shall be payable on the like articles being the growth, produce, or manufacture of any other foreign country; nor shall any higher or other duties or charges be imposed in either of the two countries, on the exportation of any articles to the United States or to his Britannick majesty's territories in Europe, respectively, than such as are paya.. ble on the exportation of the like articles to any other foreign country; nor shall any prohibition be imposed on the exportation or importation of any articles, the growth, produce, or manufacture of the United States, or of his Britannick majesty's territories in Europe, to or from the said territories of his Britannick majesty in Europe, or to or from the said United States, which shall not equally extend to all other nations.

No higher or other duties or charges shall be imposed in any of the ports of the United States on British vessels, than those payable in the same ports by vessels of the United States; nor in the ports of his Britannick majesty's territories in Europe on the vessels of the United States than shall be payable in the same ports on British vessels.

The same duties shall be paid on the importation into the United States of any articles, the growth, produce, or

manufacture of his Britannick majesty's territories in Europe, whether such importation shall be in vessels of the United States or in British vessels, and the same duties shall be paid on the importation into the ports of any of his Britannick majesty's territories in Europe of any article, the growth, produce, or manufacture of the United States, whether such importation shall be in British vessels or in vessels of the United States.

The same duties shall be paid, and the same bounties allowed on the exportation of any articles, the growth, produce, or manufacture of his Britannick majesty's territories in Europe to the United States, whether such exportation shall be in vessels of the United States, or in British vessels; and the same duties shall be paid, and the same bounties allowed on the exportation of any articles, the growth, produce, or manufacture of the United States to his Britannick majesty's territories in Europe, whether such exportation shall be in British vessels, or in vessels of the United States.

It is further agreed, that in all cases where drawbacks are, or may be allowed upon the re-exportation of any goods, the growth, produce, or manufacture of either country, respectively, the amount of the said drawbacks shall be the same, whether the said goods shall have been originally imported in a British or American vessel; but when such re-exportation shall take place from the United States in a British vessel, or from the territories of his Britannick majesty in Europe in an American vessel, to any other foreign nation, the two contracting parties reserve to themselves, respectively, the right of regulating or diminishing, in such case, the amount of the said drawback.

The intercourse between the United States and his Britannick majesty's possessions in the West Indies, and on the continent of North America, shall not be affected by any of the provisions of this article, but each party shall remain in the complete possession of its rights, with respect to such an intercourse.

Art. 11. His Britannick majesty agrees that the vessels of the United States of America shall be admitted and hospitably received at the principal settlements of the British dominions in the East Indies, videlicet: Calcutta, Madras, Bombay, and Prince of Wales' Island, and that

the citizens of the said United States, may freely carry on trade between the said principal settlements and the said United States, in all articles of which the importation and exportation, respectively, to and from the said territories, shall not be entirely prohibited: provided only, that it shall not be lawful for them, in any time of war between the British government and any state or power whatever, to export from the said territories, without the special permission of the British government, any military stores or naval stores, or rice. The citizens of the United States, shall pay for their vessels, when admitted, no higher or other duty or charge than shall be payable on the vessels of the most favoured European nations, and they shall pay no higher or other duties or charges on the importation or exportation of the cargoes of the said vessels, than shall be payable on the same articles when imported or exported in the vessels of the most favoured European nations.

But it is expressly agreed, that the vessels of the United States shall not carry any articles from the said principal settlements to any port or place, except to some port or place in the United States of America, where the same shall be unladen.

It is also understood, that the permission granted by this article, is not to extend to allow the vessels of the United States, to carry on any part of the coasting trade of the said British territories; but the vessels of the United States having, in the first instance, proceeded to one of the said principal settlements of the British dominions in the East Indies, and then going with their original cargoes, or part thereof, from one of the said principal settlements to another, shall not be considered as carrying on the coasting trade. The vessels of the United States may also touch for refreshment, but not for commerce, in the course of their voyage to or from the British territories in India, or to or from the dominions of the emperor of China, at the Cape of Good Hope, the island of St. Helena, or such other places as may be in the possession of Great Britain, in the African or Indian seas; it being well understood that in all that regards this article, the citizens of the United States shall be subject, in all respects, to the laws and regulations of the British government, from time to time established.

Art. iv. It shall be free for each of the two contracting

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