The Sun.
London, England, 1820-01-07 00:00:00

AMERICAN PAPERS.

THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE.

WASHINGTON, DEC. 7.—This day, at twelve
o'clock, the Pre,i(lent of thr United States trans-
mitted to both Howe* of Congress, by Mr. J. J.
MUNIUDE, the following

MESSAGE.

Fellow-Citizens of the Senate, and of the
House of Representatives,

The public Imildiogs bring advanced to a stage
to afford accommodation for Congress, 1 Offer you

my sincere congratulations on the re•cotumence-
ment of your duties in the Capitol.

In h,inging to view the incidents most descry-

it'll:, attention, which have occurred since your
last Session, I regret to haee to-state, that seve-
ral of our principal cities have suffered by sick-
ness ; that an unusual drolif,7,lo has prevailed in
the Middle and lVestern States ; and that a de-

rAugernent tai been telt in mputie of our monied

instittrions, which has proportionably affveted
tbtir credit. l attt happy, however, to ►rave it in my
power to ,ss+►re yo+►, that the health of attr ci►ies
is now completely restored ; that the produce of
the year, though less abundant than usual, ‘vill

not only be amply suficie•nt for home consump-
tion, but uff►rds a large surplus for the supply of
the wants of other nitions and that the derange-
ment in the circulating paper medium, by being
lett to those remedies which its obvious causes

sug4ested, and the gLtod senile and virme of our
fcllow-ciiizens supplied, h*a diminished.
1-laviog intottned Congress, oil the 27th of
Febrnary la“, that a treaty of amity, settlement,
and hmits, had heel, concluded, in this city, be-

t weer) tlie United States awl Spain, mod ified

by the enrupet (nit authorities of 'the former, toll
confidence was entertained th.tt it would haee been
ratified by his Catholic M eijest y, with equal prompti-
tude, and a like earnest desire to terminate, on
the conditions of that treaty, the differences which

had so 'nog exiited htttreeo the two coootriec

Every view which the subject atitni!ted of, was
thought to have justified this conclusion ---
Great losses bad been sustained .by citizens of
the United States, from Spanish cru►zers, more
tLan twenty years betnie, which hail not been
redressed. These losses had been acknow-
ledged and provided for by a treaty, as far back
as th,e year 18)2, which, although concluded at
Madrid, was not then ratified by the Government
of Spain, nor since, until the last year, when it
was suspended by tl►e late treAty, a more satisfar..

tory provision to bolt parties, as was presumed,
having been made tor them. Other differences
had arisen in this long interval. affecting their
highest interests, which were likewise provided
for by this last treaty. The treaty itself, was
formed on great consideration, and a tho-
rough knowledge of all circumstances, the sub-
ject matter of every article having been for years
under discussion, and repeated references hav-
ing been made, by the Minister of Spain, to
his Government, on the points respecting which
the greatest difference of opinion prevailed. It
was formed by a Minister duly authorized for
the purpose, who bad represented his government
in the United States, and been employed in this
long-protracted negociation, several years, and
who, it is not
.denied, kept strictly within the
letter of his instructions. The faith of Spain was
therefore pledged, under circumstances of peculiar
force and solemnity, for its ratification. On the
part of the United States, this Treaty was evi-
dently acceded to in a spirit of conciliation and
concession. The indemnity for injury Ad losses,
so long before sustained, and now again acknow-
ledged and provided for, was to be paid by them,
without becoming a charge on the treasury of
Spain. For territory ceded by Spain, other
territory of great value, to which our claim was
believed to be well founded, was ceded by the
United States, and in a quarter more interesting
to her.

This cession was, nevertheless, received as the

means of indemnifying our citizens, in a consi-
derable sum, the presumed amount of their losses•
Other considerations, of great weight, urged the
cession of this territory by Spain. It was sot--
roundel by the territories of the United States on
every side, except on that of the ocean. Spain
had lost her authority over it, and falling into
the bands of adventurers connected with the sa-

rates, it was made the means of unceasing au-
novance anci injury to our Union, in many of its
most essential interests. By ibis cession, then,

Spain ceded a territory. in reality, of no value to
her, and obtained concessions of the highest im-
portance, by the settlement of long siancling clif-
terences will) the United States, affecting their
respective chino and limits, and likewise relievetl

httsrll from the obligation of a Treaty relating to
it, which she had failed to fulfil, and also From
the responsibility incident to the 111051 flagrant and