SPECIAL MESSAGES OF JOHN ADAMS.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

JUNE 12, 1797.

Gentlemen of the Senate and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives :— I HAVE received information from the commissioner appointed on the part of the United States, pursuant to the third article of our treaty with Spain, that the running and marking of the boundary line between the colonies of East and West Florida and the territory of the United States, have been delayed by the officers of his catholic majesty; and that they have declared their intention to maintain jurisdiction, and to suspend the withdrawing of his troops from military posts they now occupy, within the territory of the United States, until the two governments shall, by negotiation, have settled the meaning of the second article respecting the withdrawing of the troops, garrisons, or settlements, of either party in the territory of the other; that is, whether, when the Spanish garrisons withdraw, they are to leave the works standing or to demolish them; and, until, by an additional article to the treaty, the real property of the inhabitants shall be secured; and, likewise, until the Spanish officers are sure the Indians will be pacific. The first two questions, if to be determined by negotiation, might be made subjects of discussion for years; and, as no limitation of time can be prescribed to the other, a certainty in the opinion of the Spanish officers that the Indians will be pacific, it will be impossible to suffer it to remain an obstacle to the fulfilment of the treaty on the part of Spain.

To remove the first difficulty, I have determined to leave it to the discretion of the officers of his catholic majesty, when they withdraw their troops from the forts within the territory of the United States, either to leave the works standing or to demolish them; and, to remove the second, I shall cause an assurance to be published, and to be particularly communicated to the minister of his catholic majesty, and to the governor of Louisiana, that the settlers or occupants of the lands in question shall not be disturbed in their possessions by the troops of the United States; but, on the contrary, that they shall be protected in all their lawful claims; and to prevent or remove every doubt on this point, it merits the consideration of Congress, whether it will not be expedient immediately to pass a law, giving positive assurances to those inhabitants, who, by fair and regalar grants, or by occupancy, have obtained legal titles or equitable claims to lands in that country, prior to the final ratification of the treaty between the United States and Spain, on the twenty-fifth of April, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six.

This country is rendered peculiarly valuable by its inhabitants, who are represented to amount to nearly four thousand, generally well effected and

much attached to the United States, and zealous for the establishment of a government under their authority.

I therefore recommend to your consideration the expediency of erecting a government in the district of Natchez, similar to that established for the territory northwest of the river Ohio, but with certain modifications, relative to titles or claims of land, whether of individuals or companies, or to claims of jurisdiction of any individual state.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

JUNE 22, 1797.

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives :

IMMEDIATELY after I had received your resolution of the tenth of June, requesting a report respecting the depredations committed on the commerce of the United States, since the first of October, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six, specifying the name of the vessel taken, where bound to or from, species of lading, the value (when it can be ascertained) of the vessel and cargo taken, and by what power captured, particularizing those which have been actually condemned, together with the proper documents to ascertain the same, I directed a collection to be made of all such information as should be found in the possession of the government in consequence of which, the secretary of state has made the report and the collection of documents which accompany this message, and are now laid before the house of representatives, in compliance with their desire.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

JULY 3, 1797.

Gentlemen of the Senate and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:THE whole of the intelligence which has for some time past been received from abroad, the correspondences between this government and the ministers of the belligerent powers residing here, and the advices of the officers of the United States, civil and military, upon the frontiers, all conspire to show, in a very strong light, the critical situation of our country. That Congress might be enabled to form a more perfect judgment of it, and of the measures necessary to be taken, I have directed the proper officers to prepare such collections of extracts from the public correspondences as might afford the clearest information. The reports made to me from the secretary of state and the secretary of war, with the collection of documents from each of them, are now communicated to both houses of Congress. I have desired that the message, reports, and documents, may be considered as confidential, merely, that the members of both houses of Congress may be apprized of their contents before they should be made public. As soon as the houses shall have heard them, I shall submit, to their discretion, the publication of the whole, or any such parts of them, as they shall judge necessary or expedient for the public good.

་

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

JANUARY 17, 1798.

Gentlemen of the Senate and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:— THE situation of affairs between the United States and the Cherokee Indians having evinced the expediency of a treaty with that nation, for the promotion of justice to them, as well as of the. interests and convenience of our citizens, I have nominated, and, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, appointed commissioners to hold conferences, and conclude a treaty, as early as the season of the year, and the convenience of the parties, will admit.

As we know very well, by experience, that such negotiations can not be carried on without considerable expenses, I recommend to your consideration the propriety of making an appropriation, at this time, for defraying such as may be necessary for holding and concluding a treaty.

That you may form your judgments with greater facility, I shall direct the proper officer to lay before you an estimate of such articles and expenses as may be thought indispensable.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

JANUARY 18, 1798.

Gentlemen of the Senate and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives :A REPRESENTATION has been made to me, by the judge of the Pennsylvania district of the United States, of certain inconveniences, and disagreeable circumstances which have occurred in the execution of the law, passed on the twenty-eighth day of May, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-six, entitled, " An act for the relief of persons imprisoned for debt," as well as of certain doubts which have been raised concerning its construction. This representation, together with a report of the attorney-general on the same subject, I now transmit to Congress, for their consideration, that, if any amendments or explanations of that law should be thought advisable, they should be adopted.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

JANUARY 23, 1798.

Gentlemen of the Senate and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:AT the commencement of this session of Congress, I proposed, in the course of it, to communicate to both houses further information concerning the situation of our affairs in the territories of the United States situated on the Mississippi river, and its neighborhood; our intercourse with the Indian nations; our relations with the Spanish government, and the conduct of their officers and agents: this information will be found in a report of the secretary of state, and the documents attending it, which I now present to the senate and house of representatives.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

JANUARY 8, 1799.

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:

IN compliance with your desire, expressed in your resolution of the second of this month, I lay before you an extract of a letter from George C. Moreton, acting consul of the United States at the Havana, dated the, 13th of November, 1798, to the secretary of state, with a copy of a letter from him to L. Tresevant and William Timmons, Esquires, with their

answer.

Although your request extends no further than such information as has been received, yet it may be a satisfaction to you to know that, as soon as this intelligence was communicated to me, circular orders were given by my direction to all the commanders of our vessels-of-war-a copy of which is also here with transmitted. I, also directed this intelligence, and these orders, to be communicated to his Britannic majesty's envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the United States, and to our minister plenipotentiary to the court of Great Britain, with instructions to him to make the proper representations to that government on this subject. It is but justice to say, that this is the first instance of misbehavior of any of the British officers toward our vessels-of-war that has come to my knowledge. According to all the representations that I have seen, the flag of the United States, and their officers and men, have been treated by the civil and military authority of the British nation in Nova Scotia, the West India islands, and on the ocean, with uniform civility, politeness, and friendship. I have no doubt that this first instance of misconduct will be readily corrected.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

MARCH 2, 1799.

Gentlemen of the Senate and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:JUDGING it of importance to the public that the legislature should be informed of the gradual progress of their maritime resources, I transmit to Congress a statement of the vessels, with their tonnage, warlike force, and complement of men, to which commissions, as private armed vessels, have been issued since the ninth of July last.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

DECEMBER 19, 1799.

Gentlemen of the Senate and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives :THE letter herewith transmitted will inform you that it has pleased Divine Providence to remove from this life our excellent fellow-citizen, GEORGE WASHINGTON, by the purity of his character, and a long series of

services to his country, rendered illustrious through the world. It remains for an affectionate and grateful people, in whose hearts he can never die, to pay suitable honors to his memory.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

DECEMBER 19, 1799.

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives :—

I RECEIVE, with great respect and affection, the condolence of the house of representatives, on the melancholy and affecting event, in the death of the most illustrious and beloved personage which this country ever produced. I sympathize with you, with the nation, and with good men through the world, in this irreparable loss sustained by us all.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

JANUARY 6, 1800.

Gentlemen of the Senate and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives :IN compliance with the request in one of the resolutions of Congress of the twenty-first of December last, I transmitted a copy of those resolutions, by my secretary, Mr. Shaw, to Mrs. Washington, assuring her of the profound respect Congress will ever bear to her person and character; of their condolence in the late afflicting dispensation of Providence ; and entreating her assent to the interment of the remains of General George Washington in the manner expressed in the first resolution. As the sentiments of that virtuous lady, not less beloved by this nation than she is at present greatly afflicted, can never be so well expressed as in her own words, I transmit to Congress her original letter.

It would be an attempt of too much delicacy to make any comments upon it; but there can be no doubt that the nation at large, as well as all the branches of the government, will be highly gratified by any arrangement which may diminish the sacrifice she makes of her individual feelings.

SPECIAL MESSAGE.

JANUARY 14, 1800.

*

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives :

As the enclosed letter, from a member of your house, received by me in the night of Saturday, the eleventh instant, relates to the privileges of the house, which, in my opinion, ought to be inquired into in the house itself, if anywhere, I have thought proper to submit the whole letter and its tendencies to your consideration, without any other comments on its matter or style: but, as no gross impropriety of conduct, on the part of persons holding commissions in the army or navy of the United States, ought to pass without due animadversion, I have directed the secretary of war and the secretary of the navy to investigate the conduct complained of, and to report to me without delay, such a statement of facts as will enable me to decide on the course which duty and justice shall appear to prescribe.