Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1818-11-24
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
WASHINGTON. Nov. l

| PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
WASHINGTON, Nov. II.
This day, at IL O'Clock, the President
of the United States transmitted to both
Houses of Congress, by his Secretary, Mr..
j. j. Monroe, the following
MESSAGE:
Fettow-citisens Of the Senate,
and Of the House Of Representatives.,
The suspicious circumstances, under
which you will commence the duties Of the
present session, will tighten the burthen,
inseparable from the high trust committed
to you. The fruits Of the earth have been
unusually abundant commerce has flour
ished; the revenue has exceeded the most
favourable anticipation, and peace and ami
ty are preserved with foreign nations, on
conditions just and honorable TO our coun-
try. For these inestimable blessings, we
cannot but be grateful to that Prov violence
which watches over the destinies of ma
tions.
As the term limited for the operation Of
the commercial convention with Great
Britain will expire early in the month Of
July next, and il was deemed important
| that there should be 20 interval, during
which, that portion of our commerce which
was provided for by that convention should
not be regulated, either by arrangement
between the two governments, or by the
authority Of Congress, the Minister of the
United States al London was instructed,
early in the last summer, to invite the at
tention of the British government to the
subject, with view TO that object. He
was instructed to propose, also, that the
negotiation which it was wished to open,
might extend 10 The general commerce OF
the two countries, aud to every other inter,
lest and unsettled difference between them !;
particularly those relating to impressment,
the fisheries, and boundaries, 10 the hope
that an arrangement might be made, on
principles Of reciprocal advantage, which
might comprehend aud provide, in sat
i isfactory manner, for all these high con-
Germs. ! have the satisfaction TO state.
that the proposal was received, by the
British government, in the spirit which
lprompted it; and that negotiation has
been opened at London, embracing al
these objects. On full consideration OF the
great extent and magnitude of the trust
it was thought proper to commit it TO no.
less than two of our distinguished citizens
and, in consequence, the Envoy Extraor
binary and Minister Plenipotentiary Of
the United States, at Paris, has been asso-
ciated with our Envoy Extraordinary and
Minister Plenipotentiary, at London; to
both of whom corresponding Instructions
have been given, and they are now en-
gagged in the discharge of its duties. 1t is
proper to add, that, to prevent any incon-
venience resulting from the delay incident
to negotiation on SO many important
subjects, it was agreed, before entering on
lit, that the existing convention should be
continued for a term not less than eight
years.
/ Our relations with Spain remain nearly
in the state in which they were at the close
of the last session. The convention Of
1902, providing for the adjustment of a
certain portion of the claims Of our citizens
for injuries sustained by spoliation, and so
long suspended by the Spanish govern
ment, has at length been ratified by it; but
no arrangement has yet been made for the
payment of another portion of like claims,
not less extensive or well founded, or for
other classes of claims, or for the settle
ment of boundaries. These subjects have
again been brought under consideration in
both countries, but no agreement has been
entered iGto respecting them. 10 the mean
time, events have occurred, which clearly
prove the i'll effects of the policy, which
that government has SO long pursued, on
the friendly relations of the two countries,
+ which, it is presumed, il is at least of as
much importance TO Spain, as tothe United
States, to maintain. A state Of things
has existed 10 the Floridas, the tendency
of which has been obvious 10 all who have
paid the slightest attention to the progress
{ of affairs in that quarter. Throughout the
whole of those provinces TO which the
Spanish title extends, the government Of
Spain has scarcely been felt Its authority
has been confined, almost exclusively, TO
the walls of Pensacola and ST. Augustine,
within which only small garrisons have
been maintained. Adventures from every
country, fugitives from justice, and alb
Isconding slaves, have found an asylum
there. Several tribes of Indians, strong
in the humber of their warriors, remark
able for their ferecity, and whose settle
ments extend to our limits, inhabit those
provinces. These different hordes Of peo-
pie, connected together, disregarding, on
the one side, the authority of Spain, and
protected, on the other, by an imaginary