Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1817-12-16

OF tIEE UNI I'D STAT Is Transmitted,
to both Houses OF Congress, the following
Message, by Mr.. JOSEPH JONES MoNaoE, his
Secretary
Fellolo-Citizas of thu Senate;
and of the Hasse Of Representatives,
At no period Of oui' political existence
had we 81 much cause TO telicitate ourselves
at the prosperous and happy condition Of our
country. The abundant fruits of the earth
have filled it with plenty. An extensive and
profitable commerce has greatly augmented
our revenue. The public credit has attain
ed an extraordinary elevation. Our prepar-
atoms for defence, in case OF future wars,
from which, by the experience OF all ma
tons, we ought not 10 expect to be exempt
ed, are advancing, under well digested
system. with all the dispatch which SO inn
portant a work VIII admit Our free gov
eminent, founded on the interest and attec-
tons of the people, has gained, and is daily
gaming, strength. Local jealousies are rap
lilly yielding 10 more generous, enlarged ana
enlightened views Of national policy. FOR
advantages so numerous and highly impor-
tant. il is our duty 10 unite in grateful ac-
acknowledgements to that omnipotent BENZ,
from whom they are derived, and in unceas-
iny PRAYER that he will endow us with viz he
and strength to maintain and hand them
down, in their utmost purity, to our latest
posterity.
Ihave the satisfaction to inform YOU, that
an. arrangement, which had been commen-
ced by my predecessor, with the British
government, for the reduction OF the naval
force, by Great Britain and the u. States, on
the lakes, has been concluded by which it
is provided, that neither party shall keep in
service, on Lake Champlain, more than one
vessel on Lake Ontario, more than one
and on Lake Erie, and the upper lakes, more
than two to be armed, each, withone can
non only: and that all the other armed YES
sells, of both parties, of which an exact list
is interchanged, shall be dismantled 1t is
also agreed, that the force retained shall be
restricted, in its duty, to the internal purpo-
ses of each party and that the arrange
ment shall remain in force until six months
shall have expired, after notice given by one
Of the parties to the other of its desire that
it should terminate. BY this arrangement,
useless expence, on both sides, and, what Is
Of still greater importance, the danger OF
collision, between armed vessels, in those
inland waters, which was great, Is prevented
I have the satisfaction also to state, that
the Commissioners, under the fourth article
of the treaty Of Client, to whom it was re-
ferred to decide, to which party the several
islands in the Bay of Passamaquoddy belong
ed under the treaty of one thousand seven
hundred and eighty-three, have agreed in
report, by which all the islands in the pos
session of each party before the late war
have been decreed to it. The Commission |
ers acting under the other articles OF the |
treaty of Client, for the settlement OF boun- |
diaries, have also been engaged in the dis
Charge of their respective duties, but have
not vet completed them. 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 by the treaty
of one thousand seven hundred and eighty |
three, is still in negotiation. The PROPOSE
ton 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 the United
States and British ports in Europe, had been
placed on footing of equality, has been de-
clined by the British government. This
subject having been thus amicably discussed
between the two governments, and 1t appear
ing that the British government is unwilling
to depart from its present regulations, it re-
mains for Congress TO decide whether they
will make any other regulations, in conse-
sequence thereof, for the protection and i'm
proyement of our navigation.
The neg collation. with Spain, for spoliations
on our commerce, and the settlement oil
boundaries, remains, essentially, in the state
it held, by the communications that were
made to Congress by my predecessor. 1t
has been evidently the policy of the Spanish
government to keep the negotiation suspend
ed, aud in this the United States have &C
quiesced, from an amicable disposition to-
wards Spain, and in the expectation that her
government would, from a sense OF Justice,
finally accede to such an arrangement as
would be equal between the parties. A dis
position has been lately slrewn by the Span
ish government to move in the negotiation,
which has been met by this government.
and, should the conciliatory and friendly