than ourselves, are advancing with gigantic strides in the career of public improvement, were we to slumber in indolence, or fold up our arms, and proclaim to the world that we were palsied by the will of our constituents, would it not be to cast away the bounties of Providence, and doom ourselves to perpetual inferiority? In the course of the year now drawing to its close, we have beheld, under the auspices, and at the expense of one state of this Union, a new university unfolding its portals to the sons of science, and holding up the torch of human improvement to eyes that seek the light. We have seen, under the persevering and enlightened enterprise of another state, the waters of our western lakes mingled with those of the ocean. If undertakings like these have been accomplished in the compass of a few years, can we, the representative authorities of the whole Union, fall behind our fel

low-servants in the exercise of the trust committed to us for the benefit of our common sovereign, by the accomplishment of works important to the whole, and to which neither the authority nor the resources of any one state can be adequate?

Finally, fellow-citizens, I shall await with cheering hope and faithful co-operation, the result of your deliberations; assured that, without encroaching upon the powers reserved to the authorities of the respective states, or to the people, you will, with a due sense of your obligations to your country, and of the high responsibilities weighing upon yourselves, give efficacy to the means committed to you for the common good. And may he who searches the hearts of the children of men, prosper your exertions to secure the blessings of peace, and promote the highest welfare of our country.

JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.

Fellow Citizens of the Senate and Chamber of Representatives. -This is the precise day appointed by our Constitution for the assembly of the Representatives of the Republic, in order that they may exert themselves for the happiness and prosperity of their constituents. If, in the two former sessions, Congress assembled at a later period than is provided for by the Constitution, owing to causes which are inherent in infant societies (although the enemies of the Republic have affected to overlook them), the present assembly will convince them, that with the pro

gress of time, we approach nearer to the exact observance of constitutional principles. I must congratulate Colombia and yourselves on an event which gives stability to the political system and hopes of the most happy results from the present session. It is with the greatest pleasure that the Executive is about to fulfil its duty, and contribute to this favourable issue, by giving you an accurate idea of the state of the affairs of the Republic in the various branches of its administration.

The government of his Catholic majesty, far from abandoning its

former pretensions to the sovereignty of these countries, as justice, experience, and the ruin of the Spanish nation would counsel, still labours to advance its hostile views, without affording the slightest hope of reconciliation. The Executive has reason to think that the cabinet of Madrid is well aware of a conciliatory disposition on our part, and of our desire to terminate a war, which, during fifteen years, has involved both nations in so many evils. The earnestness, however, with which the Executive has sought peace with Spain on the basis of independence, has not caused its vigilance to slumber. Congress may be assured that our means of defence are at the present moment abundant, and that any enterprise on the part of Spain against the Republic will only serve to add lustre to our arms, and to increase the humiliations of Spain.

The

Our relations with the American governments subsist on a footing of friendship and good understanding becoming states sustaining a common cause. The services and supplies which we have rendered to Peru have so materially altered the situation of that country, that no doubt can exist of its acquiring liberty and independence. liberator and president of Colombia has displayed on this occasion even more than on former ones, those virtues which are peculiar to illustrious men, and to which the Colombian republic owes its existence. Surrounded with difficulties almost insurmountable: obliged to contend with enemies who to numerical superiority, united the confidence inspired by victory; fettered by disasters brought on by rashness, weakness, and perfidy; doubtful of receiving in time the

fresh succours which the congress had so promptly decreed; the liberator has triumphed over all these obstacles, and, aided by the patriotism of those Peruvians who remained faithful to their duty, and by the valour of the united army, has liberated an important part of the vast territory previously possessed by the Spanish troops, after inflicting on them a severe humiliation in Junin. The Executive has every hope that the auxiliaries which left Panama for Peru in October, have arrived at an opportune moment, and that, by extending the scene of operations, they will consolidate the advantages already gained, accelerate the day of Pe ruvian liberty, and irrevocably fix the destiny of South America. This new glory was reserved for Colombia, and for you the satisfaction of having contributed thereto by all the means in your power, and more especially, by having permitted the liberator to leave the territories of the republic. In conformity with the resolution of the legislature, I have not ratified the convention respecting territorial limits entered into between Colombia and Peru. Notwithstanding the importance of this measure, the Executive has abstained from renewing the negotiations, under an impression that we ought to give an example of good faith and generosity, by suspending all discussion thereon, whilst the Peruvian republic shall be occupied by the troops of Colombia.

The republic of Mexico has just given a terrible lesson to usurpers of the rights of the people. General Iturbide violated the law which banished him, and landed on the Mexican territory under circumstances which alarmed the

government. He was declared a traitor deserving death by act of Congress, and the penalty was inflicted without opposition. It seems evident that the Mexican government has, by this measure, made an important stride towards stability and prosperity. Recent intelligence from that part of America states that the most energetic and extraordinary measures are taken to defend its independence against the views of Spain, and to compel those towns that disregard the pact of union to return to their duty.

The provinces of Guatimala continue to preserve unmolested the sovereignty into which they spontaneously elected themselves. An accredited minister from that government to the republic is now residing in our capital. A favourable opportunity, therefore, presents itself of settling points of great interest. The establishment of limits between Colombia and Guatimala, is imperiously called for, in consequence of certain foreigners pretending to a right to the coast of Mosquito, and inasmuch as the interior boundary-line between the countries is not ascertained. The Executive, in strict compliance with the law of the 12th of July of the year 1821, has declared that that part of the Atlantic coast which extends from Cape Gracias a Dios to the river Chagres belongs to the republic, and that colonization made therein without the sanction of the government and laws of Colombia is null and void. I submit this decree to your judgment, as well as the arguments I have adduced in defence of the integrity of the territory of the republic, and its rights, and in order to frustrate the views of our enemies.

The agitated state of the Brazilian empire has not yet enabled us to form relations of friendship and good understanding with that government, with which we have likewise to arrange questions regarding territorial limits. We are assured of the good disposition of the emperor towards Colombia; and, on our part, we have avoided all cause of complaint and dissension. When the moment shall arrive for negotiating with the Brazilian government, the Executive will not fail to observe that frankness and good faith which form the basis of its principles, by conforming to the last territorial treaty made between Spain and Portugal, in Madrid, in 1777.

With the United States we maintain the most friendly and cordial relations. The treaty of peace, friendship, navigation, and commerce, celebrated by the Executive with those States, through the medium of duly-authorized plenipotentiaries, will be forthwith laid before you. The principles we have therein adopted are so commendable in their nature, as to render all eulogium superfluous. Never has the government of Colombia appeared more attached to that spirit of civilization and humanity which ought to distinguish the governments of free people, than in this treaty. Colombia will have the laudable pride of having been the first among the states of ancient Spanish America, to appear before the world united by public treaties with the most favoured nation of liberty. You will also examine the convention entered into with these States, for the purpose of putting an end to the horrible traffic in negroes of Africa. Our laws have already forbidden this execrable traffic, and the Exe

cutive has formed its conduct on their basis. The law of the 21st of July of the year 11, has forbidden the introduction of slaves; and the provisional cruising ordinances condemn as lawful prizes all vessels trading in African negroes, that may be captured in the waters within the jurisdiction of the Republic; but no penalty being awarded for the violation of this law, and it being a justice due to the human race to modify our cruising laws, the Executive thinks that these objects have been obtained by our convention with the United States.

To convey a correct idea of our relations with Europe, I deem it incumbent on me to deal frankly, by entering on a detail which will give you this information, and at the same time demonstrate to the world the political principles of the government of Colombia. The commissioners of his Britannic Majesty in this capital requested that the Executive would issue the exequatur necessary for the recognition of the consuls sent by the king to some of our ports. As no commissions accompanied this application, as is usual and customary, the Executive was under the painful necessity of deferring the exequatur until these commissions should be duly presented by the several parties, relying on their being framed in the terms usual amongst nations. As soon as the person on whom the title of consulgeneral had been conferred arrived in this capital, he presented his commission, assuring the Executive, at the same time, that the commissions of the consuls of La Guayra, Maracaibo, Carthagena, and Panama, were conceived in the same terms. The commission makes mention of the provinces of

Colombia, instead of the republic of Colombia, by which latter title it was determined by our fundamental law, that this country should be known since the year 1819; and the consuls are therein accredited to the authorities that might happen to be established, instead of being accredited to the Executive power, or president of the Republic, as they ought to have been, agreeably to the principles of public right, to our constitution, and to the conduct observed by the United States. The Executive considered these errors as a necessary consequence of that state of ambiguity and practical difficulties, in which the English government found itself placed in treating of the recognition of the independence of Colombia, as was stated to Parliament by the ministers of his Britannic Majesty's government: for, in reality, it would have been a manifest contradiction to have accredited consuls to the ports of Colombia in the usual terms, and as the rights of nations demand, without recognizing the independence and existence of the government from which it sought the admission of these officers. The Executive did not hesitate in adopting the line of conduct most conformable with the dignity of the Republic, and serviceable to the interests of the British nation. Placed in the painful situation of deceiving the Republic, by illegally recognizing as duly accredited consuls, persons who did not come recommended to the government of Colombia, and who did not appear destined for the ports of the Republic, I did not hesitate to refuse the exequatur to their nominations, and caused to be explained to the commissioners of his Britannic majesty the powerful motives 1 had

for adopting this resolution, assuring them at the same time, that in order to give fresh proof of friendship and good will towards the British government and people, I would permit the persons appointed to these consulships to protect the commerce and interests of English subjects in the capacity of agents for the protection of sailors and commerce. The commissioners accepted these terms with pleasure, without refuting the strong arguments on which my denial of the exequatur was grounded. If the congress will call to mind, that in my former message I pledged myself that in the course of the negotiation about to be opened with the commissioners of his Britannic Majesty, I would not lose sight of the dignity of the government, and the interests of the Colombian people, it will perceive by the present statement, that I have strictly redeemed my pledge. Public right does not recognize the admission of consuls as a bounden duty from one nation to another. The obligation so to admit them arises solely from treaties or conventions celebrated between the parties, or from a state of peace and friendship between nations whose independence is reciprocally admitted. This principle, which the English government itself has lately observed towards the consul - general of Buenos Ayres in London, would have authorized the Executive to withhold the exequatur, even had the commissions of the consuls been addressed to the republic and government of Colombia. Since this occurrence nothing has transpired in furtherance of the recognition of our independence. The government of his Britannic Majesty makes this event to depend on circumstances peculiar to the in

terests of Great Britain, and on the nature of the information it may receive from its respective commissioners. But if the government of his Britannic Majesty be guided by the feeling of the English nation, and that the information given respecting the state of Colombia be dictated by justice and impartiality, we may presume that this important decision on the part of the King of the united kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland is at hand.

The commission of the King of the Low Countries has had the same issue. Mr. Quartell arrived in this capital with powers from the governor and rear-admiral of the Island of Curaçoa, issued in virtue of positive orders from his government. The commissioner gave us assurances of the favourable sentiments of the King of Holland towards the republic of Colombia, and of his desire to establish and cultivate such relations of friendship and commerce as might be useful to both parties. The Executive accepted these demonstrations with gratitude, and, in like manner, gave assurances of the same sentiments towards the kingdom of the Low Countries. The commissioner required the exequatur for the consular commissions issued by the governor and rearadmiral of Curaçoa, which the Executive denied, on the plea that the nomination to these offices rests with the government from whence they proceed, and not with its subordinate authorities. But as it was necessary to give the Dutch government a proof of the sincerity of our protestations of friendship, I permitted the persons appointed to these consulships to exercise the office of commercial agents, the same as if this informality had not been observed.