Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-12-04

|
eress. the following Message. by Mr.. JOSEPH
JONES MONROE. his Secretary:
FeiiO,r Cuizeas offhe Senate,
| and Of the House of REPRESENTATIVES.
At no period of our political xi>Ience had we
SO much caHsc 10 felicitate ourselves at the
| prosperous and happy condition OF our country.
The abundant fruits of the earth have filled il
| with plenty. An extensive and profitable COM
merce has greatly augmented our revenue.
The public credit has attained an extraordina-
| ry elevation. Our preparations for defence,
| in case of future wars, from winch, by The en-
| perience of all nations, we onght not to en-
| pect 10 he exempted, are advancing, under a
| we'll digested system, with all the dispatch
which important work will admit. Our
| free government, founded on the interest ana
affections of the people, has gained, andls DAT
| ~ gaining strength. Local Jeaiousies are ia,
pidly Welding 10 more generous, enlarged ana
enlightened views OF nation al policy. FOR au-
vantaees so numerous end highly important,
| IL is our duty 10 unite i'm grateful acknowledge
| they are derived, and in unceasing prayer that
| he will endow us with virtue and steneth to
maintain aud hand them down, in their utmost
| purity, 10 our latest posterity
l have the satisfaction to Inform you. tia an
| arrangement, which had been commenced by
my predecessor, with the British government,
| for the reduction of the naval force, by Great
| Britain and the United States on the lakes,
| has been concluded bySwhich il is provided
| that neither party shall keep in service, on
| Lake Clamplain. more than one vessel ON
Lake Ontario. more than one; and on Lake
| Erie, and the upper Lakes, more than two;
| TO be armed zach, with one cannon only; and
that all the other armed vessels, of both parties,
| of which an extract list is interclanged, shall
| lie dismantcd. 1t is also agreed, that the
force retained shall be restricted, in its duty,
| TO the internal purposes OF each party and
| that the arrangement shall remain in force
until SIN months shall have expired, after no.
tice given by one of the parties TO the other
OF its desire that II should terminate. BY this
arrangement, useless eNpence, on both sides,
| and, what Is OF still greater Importance, the
| danger 0f collision, between armed vessels in
| those inland waters, which was great, is pre-
! vented.
have the satisfaction also to state, that the
! Commissioners, under the fourth article of
| The treaty OF Client, 10 whom it was refer
| red 10 decide, TO which party the several is
| lands i'll the Bay OF Passamaquoddy belonged
| under the treaty efene thousand seven hun
| dred and eighty three, have agreed in report
| by which all the islands il. the possession of
each party before the late war have been de-
| creed TO it. Tile Commissioners acting under
| the other articles OF the treaty OF Client, for
| the settlement OF boundaries, have also been
| engaged in the discharge OF their respec tive
! duties, but have not yet completed them.
1 The difference which arose between The two
| governments under that treaty, respecting the
! right of The United States TO take and cure
| fish on the coast OF the British provinces north
| of our limits, which had been secured bv
| the treaty OF one thousand seven hundred and
| elEhtN-three, IS stu III negotiation.
| The proposition made by this government.
| to extend To the colonies of Great Britain the
| principle OF the convention of London by which
the commerce between the ports of tile u s.
| and British ports in Europe, had been placed
on a footing of equality, has heen declined BIZ
the British government This subject having
| been linus aniicably discussed between the two
| governments, and II appearing that the British
government IS unwilling 10 depart from its pre-.
| sent regulations il remains tor Congress TO de-
| N he lheN vii max OH ,,i.
tons, in consequence thereof, for the protuc.
ton and improvement of our navigation
The negotiation with Spain, for spOliation:
on our commerce, and the settlement of boun
daIes, remains, essentially, in the state il held
Dy the Communications that ere made to Con
gress by my predecessor. 1t has been evident
~ tile policy OF The Spanish gov crnmentt to keer
the negOclatlon suspended, and i'll this the u
nited States have acqniesced, from an amica
bic disposition towards Spain, and in the ex
pectatlon that her government would. from a
sense OF justice, finally accede to such An ar
ranSement as would he equal between the par
ties. A disposition has been slately shewn b,
the Spanish government to move in the neso
cation, which has heen met by this govern
mont, and. should tile comciliatory and friend,,
policy, which has Invariably guided our conn
ellis, be rccprocatcd, d Just and satisfactor,
arrangement may be expected 1t is proper
however, TO remark. tkat no proposition Ina
yet beenmade, from which such result ca,
be presumed.
|
tue contest between Spain and the colonie
would become highly interesting to the Unite,
States. Ii was natural that our citizens shout,
sympathise III events which affected thei
heIsnDors. ltseemed probable, also, that tn
prosecution OF the conflict along our coast an,
IN contiguous countries, would occasional,
interrupt our commerce, aud otherwise afIec
the persons aud property ofour citizens. 'rbes
aniiclpaii0nS have been realized. Such inu
RES nave been reserved from persous actin
under the authority of both the parties am
Tor winch redress has in most instances ber
withheld. Through every stage of the conflict
the United States nave maintained an impart
| al Deutfalty, giving AID TO neither of the mar
ties IN men, money, ships or munitions of wa,
liiey have regarded the contest not i'm IN
light OF an ordinary insuTrectiun or rebeIIior
but as civil war between parties nearly euua
| having, as 10 neutral powers, eunaI ri,SI,f,
Our ports have been open to both and ev.r
article, the fruit OF our soil, or of the iudustr
2 ofour citizens, which either was permitted
take, has been equally free To the othe,
should the colonies establish their iutlener
: dence, it proper now 10 state, that This oo
vernlnent neither seeks, nor would accent
! from them any advantage, in commerce or q
1 therwlse, which will not be equally open to al
Z other nations. The colonies will in thar eveSt
become independent states. free from any :
i blIgatlonto, or connection with US which
= may not then be their interest to form on th
basis OF fair reciprocity.
\ In the summer of the present year an exPf
ultlOn was set Oh foot against East Florida b
persona Claiming 10 act under the authority q
, some OF tile colonies, who took possession a
} Amelia Island, at the mouth Of tile ST. Mary
4 river, near the boundary OF the state Of GeoI
gJa. As this province lies eastward of IN
Mississippi, and is bounded by the Unite
States and the ocean on every side. and ha
been subject OtnegOcidtion with tile govern
ment OF Spain, as indemnity for losses BY spo
> liatiOn, or IN exchange for territory of e1na
value westward Of the Mississippi. a fact we
known to the world, it excited surprise that !
|. ny countenance should be given 10 this mea
y sure by any Of the colonies. As il would be dil
T. ticult to reconcile il with the friendly rela