The Sun.
London, England, 1806-01-03 00:00:00

of Congress : . .
To the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America,
" At a moment when the Nations of Europe are'
in commotion and arming against each other, when
those with whom we have principal intercourse are
tingaged in the general contest, and when the coun-
tenance Of some of them towards our pekeable
Country threatens that even that may not be unaf-
feded by what is passing on the general theatre, 'a
meeting of the Representatives of the Nation in both
Houses of Congress has become more than usually
desirable_ Coming from every Seecion of our Coun-
try, they bring with them the sentiment and the
information of the whole, and will be enabled to give -
a diredion to the public affairs which the will and
the wisdom of the whole. will approve and sup-
" In taking a view of the state of our Country,,
we, in the first place, notice the late affliction oft wo
of our Cities under the fatal fever which in latter
times has occasionally visited our shores. Provi-
dence, in his goodness, gave it an early termination.
on this occasion, and lessened the number of vic-
titns which have usually fallen before it. In the
course of the several visitations by this disease, it
has appeared that it is strictly local, incident to cities-
and leu the tide-waters only, incommunicable in the
_ Country either by' persbns under the disease or by
.goods carried from diseased places ; that its -access
is with the autumn, and it disappears with the early
frosts. These restrictions, within narrow limits of
time, and space, .give security even to our maritime
cities during three-fourths of the year; and in the
country always. Although from these fads it ap-
pears unnecessary, yet, to satisfy the tears of foreign
nations, and cautions on their part not to be corn.;
plained of in danger whose.litnits are yet unknown
to them, ',have striEtly enjoined on the Officers at
the head of the Customs to certify with truth,
for every vessel sailing:for a foreign port, the_state
of health respe&ing this fever which prevails at the
place from which she -sails. Under' every motive
from chara&Aer and-duty to.certify the truth, I have
uo doubt they have faithfully executed this injunc-
tion. Much real injury has; however, been "sustain-
ed from a propensity- to identify with this endemic,
and:txtall by the same name; fevers of very ditThrent
which have been known at all times, and in
all countries, and never have. been placed, among'
tho,e deerned contagions. As we advance in our
knowlddge-of this disease, as fads develope the
source from which individuals receive it, the 'State
Authorities; ;charged' v ith the care of the Public
Healthe-and ,Congress that of the General Cond-
tnerce, will become able to regudate With area their
respective .Tut etions in'. these departments. The
burthen of quarantine is felt at home as'well as
abroad—their efficacy merits examination. Altho'
.the Health Laws of the States should be found to
need no present revisal by Congress, yet Commerce
claims that their attention be ever awake to theth:
" Since our last meeting, the aspe6l of our foreign
rclations- has considerably changed. • Our Coasts
have been infested, and our Harbours watched by
private Armed Vessels, some of them without Corn--
missions, others with those of legal form,. but com-
mitting piratical alts beyond the authority of their
Commissiens. They have captured in the.very 'en-
trance of our harbours as well. as upon the high seas,
not only the Vessels of our friends co hill to trade
with us, but our own also. They have carried them
off under pretence 'of legal adjudication ; but not dar-
ing to approach a Courtof Justice they have phinder-
-ed and sunk them by the way, in obseure places,
where no evidence could arise against thern,mal-treat-
ed the crews,andabandoned them in boats in the open
sea, or ou'desert shores, without food or covering.
These enormities/appearing to be unreached by any
controui of their Sovereigns, I found it necessary to

equip a tierce, to cruize within our own seas, to arrest
all Vessels of these descriptions found hovering on
our Coasts, within the limits of the guilt stream, and
to bring the offenders:in for trial as pirates.
`` The same system of hovering on our coasts and
harbours,. under.colour of seekil;rr enemies, has been
also carried on by public armeTships, to the great
annoyance and oppression of our commerce. New
principles too have been interpolated into. the law of
nations, founded neither in justice nor the usage or
acknowledgment' of nations. According to, these a
Belligerent takes
.to itself a:commerce with its own
enemy, which it denies to a neutral, (in the.ground
of aiding .that enemy in the war. But reason revolts
at such inconsistency, and the neutral having equal
right with the belligerent to decide the questiun, the
interests of our Constituents, and the duty of main-
taining the authority of Kkison, the only umpire
betwc(n just, Naticins, impose on us the obligation
of providing an efieCinal'apd determined ypposition
to.a doetrineso injurious to the rights of peaceable
Nations. Indeed the confidence we ought to have in
the-justice of others, stillcountenances the hope that
a sounder view of those rights will of itself induce
from every Belligerent a more correa.observance of

theM.
" With Spain our Negotiations for a Settlement
of differences have not had dsatisfaCtory issue. Spo-
, Nations during the former War, for which she had
tbrnially acknowledged herself responsible, hate been
refused to be compensated but on conditions. aife6iing
other claims in no wise 'conneded with them. Yet
the same pritaices are renewed in the present war,
and are already of a great amount. On the I‘..lobile
our commerce passing through that river continues
'to be 'obstructed by arbitrary duties and vexatious
searches. Propositions for adjusting amicably- the
boundaries of Louisiana have not been acceded to.
While, however, the .right is unsettled, we have
avoided changing the state of things, by taking new
posts, or strengthening ourselvt'js in the disputed
'territories, in the hope that the, other Power, would
not, by a contrary condua, oblige us to meet their
.exaMple, and endanger coufli'&s of authority, the
issue of which may not be easily controlled.
in this hope we have now reason to lessen our' con-
f.dence.
Inroads have been recently made into the ter-

" Whether it will be necessary to augment our
land forces, will be decided by occurrences:probably
in the course of your Session. In the mean time yon
will consider Whether it would not be expedient, for
a state of peace ascw.ell as of war, so to organise or
class the Militia as would enable.us, on any erner,
gency, to call for the service of the younger por-
tions, unineumbered with the old and those having
Upwards of 300,000 able-bodied men,
between the ages of 18 and. 26 years, Nt)liich the last
census shews we may now count within our limits,
Will furnish a competent number for offence or de-
fence; in in any point_where 'they may be wanted, and
will give time for raising regular force when the ne-
cessity of them shall become certain; and the reducing
to theearly.peridd of life all its a&ive service, cannot
but bcdesirabi::. to our younger Citizens of the present
as well,as- future times,inasmuch as it engages to them
in more advanced age, a quiet undisturbed repose
in the boSoth of their families. I cannot then but
earnestly recommend to your early consideration the
expediency of so modifying our militia system as,
by a,separation of the more r-etive part from that
which is less so, we' may draw from it, when neces-
Sarv, an efficient corps, fit for real and active service,
and to be calle&to it in regularrotation.
Considerable provision has been made under
former authorities from Congress, of materials for
the construction of ships of war of 74 guns. These
materials are on hand, subject to the further. brill of
the Legislature.
" An immediate prohibition of the exportation of
arms and ammunition is also submitted to your de-
termination. _ _ _

" Turning from these unpleasant views of-violence
and wrongs,.l congratulate you on the liberation of
our fellow-citizens whb were stranded on the Coast
•of Tripoli. and made prisoners of war. In a Govern-
ment bottomed on the v ill of all, the life and liberty:
Of every citizen beCoMes interesting to all. In the
Treaty, .therefore, which has concluded our warfare
with that State, an article for the ransom of our citi-
zens has been agreed to. An operation by land, by a
small band of our Countrymen, and others engaged
for the occasion, in conjunCtion with the Troops of
the Ex-bashaw of that Country, gallantly conduaed
by our late Consul EATON, and their Successful en-
terprize on the City of Derne, contributed, -doubt-
less, to the impression which produced Peace ;_
and the conclusion of this prevented opportunities of
which the Officers and men of our Squadron destined
for Tripoli would ' have availed themselves to
emulate the atas of valour exhibited by their brethren
in' the attack of the last year. Refleeting with high
satisfaaion on the distinguished bravery displayed
whenever occasions permitted in the late Mediter-
ranean service;- I think it would be an useful encou-
ragement, as well as a just reward, to make an open-
ing for some present promotion by enlarging our
- peace establishment of Captains and Lieutenants.
With TuniS somenlisunderstandings have arisen,
not, yet sufficiently explained) but friendly discus-
sions with their Ambassadors, recently arrived, and
a mutual disposition to do whatever is just and rea-
sonable, cannot fail of dissipating these. So that we
nay consider our Peace on that coast generally, to
be on' as sound -a footing as. it has -been at anY pre-
ceding time., Still it will not be expedient to with-
draw immediately the whole of our force from that
sea.

" The Law s providing for a Naval Peace Esta-
blishment fixes the rainier of Frigates which shall
be kept in constant service in time of Peace ; and
prescribes that they shall be manned by not more
than two-thirds of their complement of seamen
and ordinary seamen. Whether a Frigate may be
trusted to two-thirds only of the proper comple-
ment of men, must depend on the nature of the
service on which she is ordered; that may sometimes,
for her safety, as well as to insure her objedt, require
her fullest complement. In ,adverting to this sub-
jedt Congress will'perhaps consider whether the best
limitation on the Executive discretion in this cage,
would not be by the number of seamen which May
be employed in the whole service, rather than -by the
number of vessels. Occasions oftener arise for the
employment of small, than of large vessels; and it
would lessen risk as well as expetice, to be autho-
rised to employ them of preference. The limitation
suggested by the ntimber'of seamen would admit a
serOion pt yessels best adapted,to the service.
Our Indian neighbours are advancing; many of
thein with spirit, and others beginning to engage in
the pursuits of ag,riCulture and' household manufac-
ture. They are becoming sensible that the earth yields
subsistenee with leSs labour than the forest, and find.
it their interest, from three to time, ,to dispose of
parts'of their surplus and waste lands, for the means

LON DO : i'rinted by RICHARD, HA of No. 4, Niv,rtlett.ccitt.rf, tiow.:street ;
At the SUN-OFDICE, No: 112, StT3:l2, whore /itivf.rtis..imeiz4s Orders