rise to deliberations to which they alone are competent, I have thought it my duty to communicate to them certain correspondences which have taken place.

[DECEMBER, 1793.

and I may expect to learn the result of his special instructions in time to make it known to the Legislature during their present session.

Very early after the arrival of a British Minister here mutual explanations on the inexecution of the Treaty of Peace were entered into with that Minister. These are now laid before you for your information.

It is with extreme concern I have to inform you that the proceedings of the person whom they have unfortunately appointed their Minister Plenipotentiary here have breathed nothing of the friendly spirit of the nation which sent him; their tendency, on the contrary, has been to involve us in war abroad and discord and anarchy at home. So far as his acts, or those of his agents, have threatened our immediate commitment in the war, or flagrant insult to the authority of the laws, their effect has been counteracted by the ordinary cognizance of the laws, and by an exertion of the powers confided to me. Where their danger was not imminent, they have been borne with, from sentiments of regard to his nation, from a sense of their friendship towards us, from a conviction that they would not suffer us to remain long exposed to the action of a person who has so little respected our mutual dispositions, and, I will add, from a reliance on the firmness of my fellow-citizens in their principles of peace and order. In the mean time, I have respected and pursued the stipulations of our treaties, according to what I judged their true sense, and have withheld no act of friendship which their affairs have called for from us, and which justice to others left us free to perform. I have gone further: rather than employ force for the restitution of certain vessels which I deemed the United States bound to restore, I thought it more advisable to satisfy the parties by avowing it to be my opinion that, if restitution were not made, it would be incumbent on the United States to make compensation. The papers now communicated will more particularly apprise you of these transactions.

The vexations and spoliation understood to have been committed on our vessels and commerce by the cruisers and officers of some of the belligerent Powers, appeared to require attention. The proofs of these, however, not having been brought forward, the descriptions of citizens supposed to have suffered were notified that, on furnishing them to the Executive, due measures would be taken to obtain redress of the past, and more effectual provisions against the future. Should such documents be furnished, proper representations will be made thereon, with a just reliance on a redress proportioned to the exigency of the case.

The British Government having undertaken, by orders to the commanders of their armed vessels, to restrain generally our commerce in corn and other provisions to their own ports, and those of their friends, the instructions now communicated were immediately forwarded to our Minister at that Court. In the mean time, some discussions on the subject took place between him and them. These are also laid before you,

G. WASHINGTON. UNITED STATES, December 5, 1793.

The Message and papers therein referred to were, in part, read, and the further reading postponed.

The following Report of the Commissioners appointed to execute the several acts of Congress to provide more effectually for the settlement of the Accounts between the United States and the individual States was also received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES:

The Commissioners appointed to execute the several acts of Congress to provide more effectually for the settlement of the Accounts between the United States and the individual States, report:

That they have maturely considered the claims of the several States against the United States, and the charges of the United States against the individual States.

That they have gone through the process prescribed in the fifth section of the act of Congress passed the 5th day of August, 1790, (the particulars whereof will be found in book A, lodged with the papers of this office, in the Treasury Department,) and find that there is due, including interest, to the 31st day of December, 1789, to the State of

New Hampshire, seventy-five thousand and fifty-five dollars;

Massachusetts, one million two hundred and fortyeight thousand eight hundred and one dollars; Rhode Island, two hundred and ninety-nine thousand six hundred and eleven dollars;

Connecticut, six hundred and nineteen thousand one hundred and twenty-one dollars;

New Jersey, forty-nine thousand and thirty dollars; South Carolina, one million two hundred and five thousand nine hundred and seventy-eight dollars; Georgia, nineteen thousand nine hundred and eightyeight dollars.

And that there is due, including interest, to the 31st day of December, 1789, from the State of

New York, two million and seventy-four thousand eight hundred and forty-six dollars;

Pennsylvania, seventy-six thousand seven hundred and nine dollars;

Delaware, six hundred and twelve thousand four hundred and twenty-eight dollars;

Maryland, one hundred and fifty-one thousand six hundred and forty dollars;

Virginia, one hundred thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine dollars;

North Carolina, five hundred and one thousand and eighty-two dollars.

Which several sums, they, by virtue of the authority

Messrs. STEPHEN R. BRADLEY, from Vermont, THEODORE FOSTER, from Rhode Island, and RuFUS KING, from New York, appeared and took their seats.

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a Letter of the 7th instant, from Samuel Meredith, Treasurer of the United States, with his quarterly accounts, made up to the 31st of March last, together with his accounts respecting the Department of War, made up to the 30th of June last. The Letter was read.

Ordered, That the Letter and papers therein referred to lie on the table.

Agreeably to the order of the day, the Senate took into consideration the draft of an Address reported by the committee in answer to the Speech of the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES to Congress at the opening of the session; which, being amended, and the several paragraphs of the report agreed to, it was adopted, as follows: "To the President of the United States:

66

Accept, sir, the thanks of the Senate for your Speech delivered to both Houses of Congress at the opening of the session. Your re-election to the Chief Magistracy of the United States gives us sincere pleasure. We consider it as an event every way propitious to the happiness of our country; and your compliance with the call, as a fresh instance of the patriotism which has so repeatedly led you to sacrifice private inclination to the public good. In the unanimity which a second time marks this important national act, we trace, with particular satisfaction, besides the distinguished tribute paid to the virtues and abilities which it recognises, another proof of that just discernment and constancy of sentiments and views which have hitherto characterized the citizens of the United States.

"As the European Powers with whom the United States have the most extensive relations were involved in war, in which we had taken no part, it seemed necessary that the disposition of the nation for peace should be promulgated to the world, as well for the purpose of admonishing our citizens of the consequences

[SENATE.

of a contraband trade and of acts hostile to any of the belligerent parties, as to obtain, by a declaration of the existing legal state of things, an easier admission of our right to the immunities of our situation; we, therefore, contemplate with pleasure the Proclamation by you issued, and give it our hearty approbation. We deem it a measure well-timed and wise, manifesting a watchful solicitude for the welfare of the nation, and calculated to promote it.

"The several important matters presented to our all the attention to which they are respectively entitled: consideration will, in the course of the session, engage and, as the public happiness will be the sole guide of our deliberations, we are perfectly assured of receiving your strenuous and most zealous co-operation. "JOHN ADAMS,

"Vice President of the United States,

"and President of the Senate."

Ordered, That Messrs. ELLSWORTH and BUTER wait on the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED at what time and place it will be most convenient STATES, and desire him to acquaint the Senate for him that the foregoing Address should be presented.

TUESDAY, December 10.

JOHN BROWN, from the State of Kentucky, attended to-day.

Mr. ELLSWORTH reported, from the committee appointed yesterday to wait on the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, that the PRESIDENT proposed to receive the Address of the Senate this day, at 12 o'clock, at his own house. Whereupon, the Senate waited on the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, and the VICE PRESIDENT, in their name, presented the Address agreed to on the 9th instant. To this Address the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES was pleased to make the following Reply :

"GENTLEMEN: The pleasure expressed by the Senate on my re-election to the station which I fill, commands my sincere and warmest acknowledgments. If this be an event which promises the smallest addition to the happiness of our country, as it is my duty, so shall it be my study, to realize the expectation.

"The decided approbation which the Proclamation now receives from your House, by completing the proofs that this measure is considered as manifesting a vigilant attention to the welfare of the United States, brings with it a peculiar gratification to my mind.

"The other important subjects which have been communicated to you will, I am confident, receive a due discussion; and the result will, I trust, prove fortunate to the United States.

"G. WASHINGTON."

The Senate then returned to their Chamber, and resumed the reading of the papers communicated in the Message of the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES of the 5th instant, but adjourned before they were got through.

WEDNESDAY, December 11.

CALEB STRONG, from Massachusetts, attended to-day. The credentials of Mr. BROWN and Mr. STRONG

SENATE.]

[DECEMBER, 1798,

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a Letter from the Treasurer of the United States, with his specie account, made up to the 30th of June last; which was read, and ordered to lie on the table.

Ordered, That Messrs. RUTHERFORD, CABOT, ELLSWORTH, LIVERMORE, and MITCHELL, be a committee to take into consideration the petition of Conrad Laub and others, stating that the Hon. ALBERT GALLATIN, at the time he was elected a Senator of the United States, had not been nine years a citizen of the said United States, as is required by the Constitution, and report thereon to the Senate.

The Senate resumed the reading of the papers referred to in the Message of the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES of the 5th instant; and, after progress, adjourned.

hoped for.

About the close of the ensuing year I was informed, through the Representatives of Spain here, that their Government would be willing to renew at Madrid the former conferences on these subjects. Though the transfer of scene was not what would have been desired, yet I did not think it important enough to reject the proposition; and, therefore, with the advice and consent of the Senate, I appointed Commissioners Plenipotentiary for negotiating and concluding a Treaty with that tion, and commerce, and gave them the instructions country, on the several subjects of boundary, naviganow communicated. Before these negotiations, however, could be got into train, the new troubles which had arisen in Europe had produced new combinations among the Powers there, the effects of which are but too visible in the proceedings now laid before you.

In the meantime some other points of discussion had arisen with that country, to wit: the restitution of property escaping into the territories of each other, the mutual exchange of fugitives from justice, and, above all, the mutual interferences with the Indians lying be

tween us. I had the best reason to believe that the Indians on our border were excited by the agents of hostilities threatened and exercised by the Southern that Government. Representations were thereon directed to be made by our Commissioners to the Spanish Government, and a proposal to cultivate, with good faith, the peace of each other with those people. In the mean time corresponding suspicions were entertained, or pretended to be entertained, on their part, of like hostile excitements by our agents to disturb their peace with the same nations. These were brought forward by the Representatives of Spain here, in a style which could not fail to produce attention. A claim of patronage and protection of those Indians was asserted; mediation between them and us by that Sovereign assumed; their boundaries with us made a subject of when these savages were committing daily inroads upon his interference; and, at length, at the very moment our frontier, we were informed by them that "the continuation of the peace, good harmony, and perfect friendship of the two nations, was very problematical for the future, unless the United States should take more convenient measures, and of greater energy, than those adopted for a long time past.'

in the Senate.

The Communications from the Secretary of the Department of War, of the 4th instant, were read, and ordered to lie for consideration.

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a Letter from the Secretary of the Department of War, with a return of the ordnance, arms, and military stores, in possession of the United States, together with a variety of papers, giving a view of the Southwestern frontiers, as connected with the Creek Indians and the State of Georgia, and the Southwestern territory of the United States and the Cherokees; which Letter was read.

Ordered, That the Letter and papers therein referred to lie on the table.

The following Messages were received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, and read: Gentlemen of the Senate, and

of the House of Representatives:

The situation of affairs in Europe, in the course of the year 1790, having rendered it possible that a moment might arrive favorable for the arrangement of our unsettled matters with Spain, it was thought proper to prepare our Representative at that Court to avail us of it. A confidential person was therefore despatched to be the bearer of instructions to him, and to supply, by verbal communications, any additional information of which he might find himself in need. The Government of France was, at the same time, applied to for its aid and influence in this negotiation. Events, how

If their previous correspondence had worn the appearance of a desire to urge on a disagreement, this last declaration left no room to evade it, since it could not be conceived we would submit to the scalping-knife and tomahawk of the savage without any resistance. I thought it time, therefore, to know if these were the views of their Sovereign, and despatched a special mes senger with instructions to our Commissioners, which are among the papers now communicated. Their last letter gives us reason to expect very shortly to know the result. I must add that the Spanish Representatives here, perceiving that their last communication had made considerable impression, endeavored to abate this by some subsequent professions, which, being also among the communications to the Legislature, they will be able to form their own conclusions.

GO. WASHINGTON.
UNITED STATES, December 16, 1793.
Gentlemen of the Senate, and

of the House of Representatives:

I lay before you a Report of the Secretary of State on the measures which have been taken on behalf of