The National Register.
London, England, 1820-01-10 00:00:00

No. 1,216--Vot.. XIII.]

UNITED STATES OF 4.t.,,R1CA.

)THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
" Fellow Citizens of the Senate and of the
llouse of Representatives,
" The public buildings being advanced to a stage to
efford accommodation to Congress. I offer you my :in-
we congratulation; on the recommencement of your
duties in the Capitol.
" In bringing to view the incidents most deserving
attention, which have occurred since your last Session,
• I regret to have to state that several of our principal
cities have suffered by sickness; that an unusual
drought has prevailed in the middle and western States,
and that a derangement has been felt in some of our
monied institutions, which has proportiouably affected
their credit. I am happy, however, to have it in my
power.to assure you•that the health of our cities is new
completely restored ; that the produce of the year,
though less abundant ran usual, will not only be amply
'efficient for homeconsumption, but afford a large sur-
plus fur the supply of the Wants of other nations; and
that tbo tlerangetnent in the circulating paper medium
by being left to those remedies which its obvious Mars
*uggeshedfuud the good sense and virtue of our fellow
eitizens supplied, has diminished.
• (The president then explains at greet length the grounds
en which the treaty was mad e withSparn fur the cession
of the Florida.; states...the reasons which have been as-
signed by the court of Madrid for us withholding in
ratification ; and advises Congress not to proceed to
take possession of the.Fluridas by force, till they shall
have heard the arguments which may be used by the
extraordinary minister whom the King of Spain pro-
aci.;es :to send to America immediately. The speech
then proceeds as follows
"In the civil war existing between Spain and the
• -Spattish provinces in this hemisphere, the greatest care
has been taken to enforce the laws intended to preserve
an impartial neutrality. Our ports have continued to
be equally open to both parties. and on the saute condi-
tion., and our citizens have been equally restrained from
interfering in favour of either to the prejudice of the
other. The progress of the war, however, has operated
nianifestly iat favour of the Colonies. Buenos Ayres
still maintains unshaken the independence which it de-
clared its 1816, and has enjoyed since 1810. Like sue-
ma has also lately attended Chili and the provinces
north of the La 21sta, bordering on it; apd likewise
Veiteattela.
" This contest has, from its commencement. been
very iiiteresting.to other powers, and to none more
than the Unit/al States-. A virtuous .people may and
•will confute themselves within the limits of s strict
neutrality ; but it is not it, their power to behold a con-
flict so vitally important to their neighbonrs, without
the sensibility and sympathy which naturally belong to
such a case. It has been the steady purpose of this Go.
15CLUwelat to prevent that fee hog leading to excess; and
it 'Ore" uratifyilig so hate it its my power to state. that
to strong has been the sense, throughotiqthe whole
community, of whit was due to die character and out,.
tuitions of the nation, that few examples of a cout-de
kind lose occurred.
" The distance of the colonies from the parew, coun-
try, and the peat extent of their population and fe•
.sources, gave them great advantages which, it was apo.,
teipated. at a very early period, tt wotihl be difficult for'
Spain to atalliOUlit. The steadiness, coti-,ltiency. and
-success with which they have pursued aim ottimt. as
.evinced more particularly by the undistvahed sovereign-
ty which B511:1105 Ayres has so long I,4lkjoyed, evidently
give them a strong claim to the fa%ortroble consideration
•sfiother ustiout. These sentimen 40, on the part of the
United Stales. have not been o ithlteld from rube,
iPowers, with whom it is atsira,ule to ac: in concert.
Should ithecome manifest to tase world, that the Ohms
of Spain to subdue those provinces will lie triodes*,
it limy lie presumed that the Spanish Governineui iiscil
Will got op ate coolest. in protinciott such a determi-
nation, it be doubted, that the 44110100 of fr tend Iv
Phwtr:-. who have takes, no part tit time cootroversy, will
have ilwir 100:110:4110lhoellee.
'- 1115 of the Istahisi importance to our national ch.a.
racier, Slid iiillibpviasubk to 1110 1111 l rah iy of nor clt i,5015.
tont all t tolatin- ol our mutrality should be pre%suntd.
No door Amid,' be left isp,cli Stir the 0051110 of mill. 14W1'.
lotoppolhoolly Jhhoulehl In :Joy w.imm spay 1..
advantage idol, tot. I.r.imise the lillrrt.st ul 10010 tar
A'S 11111 1101100. II 15 5011101:ra, 110:1001e, ki Ilic cuss-
ellher.llloll 01 Coir4us 5., W111:1;11.1. 11 way WA Ixt ath i1t.4144;
to revise the alaW lii 111 W liesira, le result.
It is sulma.ittesi, al.u, whether it wry not be
adeis..aLle to ac.ibulte, by law, the several limit or