The Mirrour — Concord, N.H., 1793-12-23 00:00:00, page 1

4, [Vol. IL- Num. 61.]
Congreffinal Register.
• In the House of Representatives.
DECEMBER 2. j
SIXTY SIX members met, and।
proceeded to the organization
otthe House. Oa counting the
-votes for a Speaker, after a firff and
}fecond trial, the number were, for
f Frederick A. Muhlenberg, 37.
Theodore Sedgwick, 37.
December 3,—A message was
received from the Senate, inform
ing the House, that the Senate were
. waiting to receive them in the Sen
ate Chamber, in order to meet the
President of the United States—
whereupon the Members repaired
to the Senate Chamber.
1 At 12 o'clock, the President ar
rived, accompanied by the Secreta
ry of State, the Secretary of the
I 'Treafury, the Secretary at War,
' the Attorney General, and other of
k ficers of Government, and in the
presence of a numerous assembly of
citizens and foreigners, delivered to
-both Houses the following
/ADDRESS:
Fellow Citizens of the Senate, and
Os the Houle of Representatives,
SINCE the commencement of
the term, for which 1 have been
again called into ofFce, no fit occa
sion tea arisen for expressing to my
ft ,fellow citizens at large, the deep
and refpedful sense, which I feel,
) of the renewed testimony of pub
lick approbation. While on the
one hand, it awakened my grati
tude for all those inftantes of affec
tionate partiality, witfi which I
gig been honoured by my coun-
Qty ; on the other, it could not pre
~ vent an earnest wish for, that retire
ment, from which no privait con
sideration Ihould ever have torn me.
But, influenced by the belief, that
- my conduct would be estimated
according to its real motives ; and
^that the people, and the authorities
Derived from them, would support
exertions, having nothing personal
* for their objed, I have obeyed the
feffrage which commanded me to
resume the Executive Power ; and
I humbly implore that Being, on
whose will the fate of nations de
pends, to crown with success our
mutual endeavours for the general
happiness.
As bon as the war in Europe
•had embraced those powers with
whomihe United States have the
post excenfive relations •, there was
reason co apprehend that our in
tercourse with them might be io
" terrupted, and our disposition lor
peace, drawn into question, by the
h fcfpicions, too often entertained by
belligerent nations.——lt seemed
therefore to Mmy duty, to admon-
Qifh our citizens of the confluences
of a contraband trade, and of hof
,hile ads to any of the parties ; and
obtain, by a declaration of the
rat 4y% h/^^ ^^, y #%„
existing legal Bate of things, anl 1
easier admission of our rights toi
the immunities, belonging to our
fiiuation—Under these impressions,
the proclamation, which will be
laid before you, was issued.
In this posture of affairs, both
new and delicate, I resolved to a
dopt general rules, which should
conform to the treaties, and assert
the privileges of the United States.
These were reduced into a system,
which will be communicated to
you. Although 1 have not thought
myfelf at liberty to forbid the sale
of the prizes, permitted by out
treaty of commerce with France to
be brought into our ports ; I have
not refuted to cause them to be re
Bored, when they were taken with
in the proteaion of our territory ;
or by vessels commissioned or e
quipped in a warlike form within
the limits of the United States.
It rests with the wisdom of Con
gress to correa, improve or enforce
ttys plan of procedure, and it will
probably be found expedient to
extend the legal code, and the jurif
didion of the courts of the United
States, to many cases which, tho*
dependent on principles already re
cognized, demand some further
provisions. r
^Wheo individuals (hall, within
the United States, array themselves
in anility against any of the pow
eiflflrar ; or enter upon military
expeditions or enterprizes within
the jurifdiaion of the United
States ; or trfurp and exercise ju
dicial authority within the United
States ; or where the penalties on
violations of the law of nations may
have been indiftinftly marked, or
ar^nadequare ; the fe offences can
not receive too early and close an
attention, and require prompt and
decisive remedies.
Whatsoever those remedies may
be, they will be well administered
by the Judiciary, who possess a long
eftabJifhed course of invefli^tion,
!effeaual process, and officer^in the
habit of executing it.—ln like man
ner, as several of the courts have
doubted, under particular 'circum
flances, their power to liberate the
vessels of a nation at peace, and
even of a citizen of the U. States,
although seized under a falfe col
our of being hostile property ; and
have denied their power to liberate
certain captures within the protec
tion of our territory fit would seem
proper to regulate their jurifdiaion
in these points. But if the Execu
tive is to be the resort in either of
the two last mentioned c^s, it is
hoped, that he will be authorized
by law, to have fads, ascertained
by tfecourts, when, for his own
information, he fhafirequeft it.
I cannot recommend to your no
tice measures for the fulfilment of
our duties to the tie of the world,
BY E. R USSELL.—CON CORD--NEWHAMPSHIRE.
without again pressing upon you
the necefficy of placing ourselves in
a condition of complete defence,
and of exiftiog from them the ful
filment of their duties towards us.
The United States ought not to
indulge a persuasion, that, contrary
co the order of human events, they
will forever keep at a distance those
painful appeals to arms with which
the hiffory of every other nation
abounds —There is a rank due to
fc United States among nations ;
which will be withheld, if not ab
solutely loft, by the reputation of
weakness. If we desire to avoid
insult we must be able to repel it ;
if we desire to secure peace, one of
the most powerful instruments of
our riling prosperity, it must be
known, that we are at all times rea
dy for war.
The documents which will be
presented to you, will show the
amount, and kinds of arms and mi
litary ftoreamow in our magazines
and arsenals ; and yet an addition
even to these fopplies cannot with
prudence be negleded ; as it # would
leave nothing to the uncertainty of
procuring a warlike apparatus in
the moment of publics danger.—
Nor can such arrangements, with
such objects, be exposed co the
censure or jealoofy of the warmest
friends of republican government.
They are incapable of abuse in the
hands of the militia, who ought to
possess a pride in being the depoff
tory of the force of the Republick,
and may be trained to a &rfoof
energy, equal to every military ex
igency of the United States. But
it is an enquiry, which cannot be
too solemnly fefyd, whether @
ad, “more effeaually to provide
for the national defence by effab
lilhing a^ uniform militia through
out the United States," has organ
ized them so as to produce their
full effed ; whether your own ex
perience in the several Bates nfo
not detected some imperfeaions id
the scheme ; and whether a mate
rial feature in an improvement of
it, ought not to be to afford an pp
portunity for the Rudy of those
branches of the military art, which
can scarcely ever be attained by
practice alone ?
Theconneaion of the United
States with Europe, has become
extremely interesting—The occur
rences, which relate to it, and have
passed under the knowledge of the
executive, will be exhibited to Con
gress in a fubfer cpmmunica'
cion. w
When we contemplate the war
on our frontiers, it may be truly af
firmed, that every fcafonable effort
has been made to adjust the causes
of diffention with the Indians,
north of the Ohio. The inflec
tions given to the commiffioneta e
vince a moderation and equity, pro-
ceeding from a sincere love of
peace, and a liberality, having no I
reftriftion but the eflential inrerefts
and dignity of thefrUoiMd States,
The attempt, however^ an ami
cable negociation having been fruf
trated, the troops have marched to
ad offensively. Although the pro
posed treaty did not arrest the
progress of military preparation, it
is doubtful, how far the advance of,
tthe season, before good faith jufti
fied adive movements, may retard
them, during the remainder of the
year. From the papers and intel
ligence which relate to this impor
tant fubjeft, you will determine,
whether the deficiency in,he num
ber of troops, granted by law, (hall
be compensated by fuccours of mi
litia; or additional encouragemen ts
(hall be proposed to recruits. An
,anxiety has been also demonstrated
, by the Executive, for peace with
. the Creeks and the Cherokees.-=
IThe former have been relieved y/ith
)corn and with clothing, and efifete
Ifive measures against them prohib-
I ited, during the recess of Congress
1 —To fatisfy the complaints of rhe
ilatter, ptofecutiona have been infti
. cuted for the violences committed
iupon them. But the papers, which
. will be delivered to you, disclose
[the critical footing on which we
,fad in regard to both those tribes,
;and it is with Congress to pro
nounce what shall be done.
After they shall have provided
, for the prefect emergency, it will
fmerit their most terious labours, to
- render tranquility with the savages
I permanent, by creating ties of in
:tereft.—Next to a rigorous execu
tion df justice on the violaters of
:peace^ife establishment of com
>merce with the Indian nations in
behalf of the United States, is most
likely to conciliate their attach,
ment. But it ought to be con
duded without fraud, without ex
-Itortion, with constant and plentiful
supplies, with a ready market for
the commodities of the Indians, &
'aftated price for what they give in
: payment, and receive in exchange
—lndividuals will not pursue such
a traffick, unless they be allured by
the hope of profit, but it will be
enough for the United States to be
reimbutfed only. Should this rec
ommendation accord with the &^
pinion of Congress, they will rec
oiled, that it cannot be accom
plished by any means yet in the
hands of the Executive.
Gratkrnifthe Hoge of Rtfrfa&ta/, Q
The Commissioners, charged with
the settlement of accounts between
the United and Individual fates,
concluded their important functions
within the time limited by law § &
the balances, Bruck in their .report,
which will be laid before Congrei, J
have tan placed @ the bool, ofJ
the Treafory, a
[December 23, 1793.]