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As before obferved, we are of ficially informed that the British -government have issued no new orders for capturing the veffels of the United States. We are alfo officially informed, that, on the appearance of the notification of that decree, the minifter of the United States at Paris applied for information," Whether orders were iffued for the feizure of neutral veffels, and was informed, that no fuch order was iffued, and further, that no fuch order would be iffued, in cafe the British did not feize our veffels." This communication from the minifter of the United States at Paris, to their minifter at London, was dated the 28th of Au"guft; but the decree of the directory bears date the 14th Mellidor, anfwering to the 2d of July. These circumstances, together with fome obfervations in your note, leave the American government in a ftate of uncertainty of the real intentions of the government in France. Allow me then to afk, whether, in the actual state of things, our commerce is confidered as liable to fuffer any new restrictions on the part of the French republic? Whether the restraints now exercised by the British government are confidered as of a nature to juftify a denial of thofe rights which are pledged to us by our treaty with your nation? Whether orders have been actually given to the fhips of wat of the French republic to capture the veffels of the United States? And what, if they exift, are the precife terms of thofe orders?

The queftions, fir, you will fee, are highly interefting to the United States. It is with extreme concern that the government finds itself reduced to the neceffity of afking an explanation of this nature; and if

it fhall be informed that a new line of conduct is to be adopted towards this country, on the ground of the decree referred to, its furprise will equal its regret, that principles fhould now be queftioned, which, after repeated difcuffions both here and in France, have been demonftrated to be founded, as we conceive, in the obligations of impartial neutrality, of ftipulations by treaty, and of the law of nations. I

hope, fir, you will find it convenient, by an early anfwer, to remove the fufpence in which the government of the United States is now held on the question above ftated.

I fhall close this letter by one remark on the fingularity of your caufing the publication of your note. As it concerned the United States, it was properly addressed to its government, to which alone pertained the right of communicating it in fuch time and manner as it should think fit to the citizens of the United States.

I am, fir, with great refpect,

Your most obedient fervant,

TIMOTHY PICKERING. United States, Philadelphia, Nov. 3. To M. Adet, minifter plenipotentiary of the French republic.

A Proclamation by George Washington, Prefident of the United States of America.

Whereas an explanatory article, to be added to the treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation, between the United States and his Britannic majefty, was concluded and figned at Philadelphia, on the 4th day of May laft, by Timothy Pickering, efq. fecretary of state, on the part of the United States, and by Phineas Bond, efq. the commiffioner of

his Britannic majefty, which explanatory article is in the words following:

EXPLANATORY ARTICLE.

Whereas by the third article of the treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation, concluded at London on the nineteenth day of November, one thousand feven hundred and ninety-four, between his Britannic majefty and the United States of America, it was agreed that it fhould at all times be free to his majefty's fubjects, and to the citizens of the United States, and alfo to the Indians dwelling on either fide of the boundary line affigned by the treaty of peace to the United States, freely to pafs and repafs, by land or inland navigation, into the refpective territories and countries of the two contract ing parties on the continent of America (the country within the limits of the Hudfon Bay company only excepted), and to navigate all the lakes, rivers, and waters thereof, and freely to carry on trade and commerce with each other, fubject to the provifions and limitations contained in the faid article: And whereas, by the eighth article of the treaty of peace and friendship concluded at Grenville, on the third day of Auguft, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, between the United States, and the nations or tribes of Indians called the Wyandots, Delawares, Shawanoes, Ottawas, Chippewas, Putawatimies, Miamis, Eel River, Wecas, Kickapoos, Piankafhaws, and Kafkafkias, it was ftipulated that no perfon fhould be permitted to refide at any of the towns or hunting camps of the faid Indian

tribes as a trader, who is not fur

nished with a licence for that purpole, under the authority of the

United States; which latter ftipu lation has excited doubts whether in its operation it may not interfere with the due execution of the faid third article of the treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation: and it being the fincere defire of his Britannic majefty, and of the United States, that this point fhould be fo explained as to remove all doubts, and promote mutual fatisfaction and friendship: and for this purpofe his Britannic majefty having named for his commiffioner, Phineas Bond, efq. his majefty's conful general for the middle and fouthern ftates of America (and now his majesty's chargé d'affaires to the United States); and the prefident of the United States having named for their commiffioner Timothy Pickering, efq. fecretary of state of the United States, to whom, agreeable to the laws of the United States, he has entrusted this negotiation: they, the faid commiffioners, having communicated to each other their full powers, have, in virtue of the fame, and conformably to the fpirit of the last article of the faid treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation, entered into this explanatory article, and do by thefe prefents explicitly agree declare, That no ftipulations in any treaty fubfequently concluded by either of the contracting parties with any other state or nation, or with any Indian tribe, can be underftood to derogate in any manner from the rights of free intercourfe and commerce secured by the aforefaid third article of the treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation, to the fubjects of his majesty, and to the citizens of the United States, and to the Indians dwelling on either fide of the boundary line aforefaid; but that all the faid perfons fhall remain at full liberty

freely

freely to pafs and repafs, by land or inland navigation, into the refpective territories and countries of the contracting parties, on either fide of the faid boundary line, and freely to carry on trade and commerce with each other, according to the ftipulations of the faid third article of the treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation.

This explanatory article, when the fame thall have been ratified by his majefty, and by the prefident of the United States, by and with the advice and confent of their fenate, and the refpective ratifications mutually exchanged, shall be added to and make a part of the faid treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation, and fhall be permanently binding upon his majefty and the United States.

In witnefs whereof we, the faid commiffioners of his majesty the king of Great Britain and the United States of America, have figned this explanatory article, and thereto affixed our

feals. Done at Philadelphia, this fourth day of May, in the year of our lord one thoufand feven hundred and ninety-fix. P. BOND, (L. S.) TIMOTHY PICKERING, (L. S.)

And whereas the faid explanatery article has by me, by and with the advice and confent of the fenate of the United States on the one part, and by his Britannic majefty on the other, been duly approved and ratified, and the ratifications have fince, to wit, on the fixth day of October laft, been duly exchanged: now, therefore, to the end that the faid explanatory arti-, cle may be executed and obferved with punctuality and the most fincere regard to good faith on the 1796.

part of the United States, I hereby make known the premises; and en-" join and require all perfons bearing office, civil or military, within the United States, and all others, citizens or inhabitants thereof, or being within the fame, to execute and obferve the faid explanatory article accordingly.

In teftimony whereof I have caufed the feal of the United States to be affixed to thefe prefents, and figned the fame with my hand.

Given at the city of Philadelphia, the fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-fix, and of the independence of the United States of America the twenty-first.

(L. S.) GEORGE WASHINGTON.
By the prefident,

TIMOTHY PICKERING,
Secretary of State.

Speech of George Washington, Prefident of the United States of America, to both Houfes of Congress, December, 7, 1796.

Fellow citizens of the fenate, and of the house of reprefentatives,

In recurring to the internal fituation of our country fince I had laft the pleasure to addrefs you, I find ample reafon for a renewed expreffion of that gratitude to the Ruler of the Univerfe, which a continued feries of profperity has fo often and fo juftly called forth.

The acts of the last seffion, which required fpecial arrangements, have been, as far as circumstances would admit, carried into operation.

Measures calculated to enfure a (N)

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continuance of the friendship of the Indians, and to preferve peace along the extent of our interior frontier, have been digefted and adopted. In the framing of thefe, care has been taken to guard, on the one hand, our advanced fettle ments from the predatory incurfions of thofe unruly individuals who cannot be restrained by their tribes; and on the other hand, to protect the rights fecured to the Indians by treaty; to draw them nearer to the civilized ftate, and infpire them with correct concep tions of the power, as well as justice of the government.

The meeting of the deputies from the Creek nation at Oolerain in the state of Georgia, which had for a principal object the purchafe of a parcel of their land by that ftate, broke up without its being accomplished; the nation having, previously to their departure, inftructed them against making any fale: the occafion, however, has been improved, to confirm, by a new treaty with the Creeks, their pre-existing engagements with the United States, and to obtain their confent to the cftablishment of trading houfes and military pofts within their boundary, by means of which their friendship and the general peace may be more effectually fecured.

The period during the late feffion, at which the appropriation was paffed for carrying into effect the treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation between the United States and his Britannic majefty, neceffarily procrastinated the reception of the pofts ftipulated to be delivered, beyond the date affigned for that event. As foon, however, as the governor-general of Canada could be addrefled with propriety on the fubject, arrangements were

cordially and promptly conclud for their evacuation; and the Unit ed States took poffeffion of the principal of them, comprehending Ofwego, Niagara, Detroit, Michalimakinac and Fort Miami, where fuch repairs and additions have been ordered to be made as appear. ed indifpenfable.

The commiffioners appointed on the part of the United States and of Great Britain, to determine which is the river St. Croix mentioned in the treaty of peace of 1783, agreed in the choice of Egbert Benfon, efq. of New York for the third commiffioner. The whole met at St. Andrew's, Paffaminquodday Bay, in the beginning of October, and directed furveys to be made of the rivers in difpute; but deeming it impracticable to have these furveys completed before the next year, they adjourned to meet at Bofton, in Auguft 1797, for the final decifion of the question.

Other commiffioners appointed on the part of the United States, agreeably to the 7th article of the treaty with Great Britain, relative to captures and condemnation of veffels and other property, met the commiffioners of his Britannic majefty in London, in Auguft laft, when John Trumbull, efq. was chofen by lot for the fifth commiflioner. In October following the board were to proceed to bufinefs. As yet there has been no communication of commiffioners on the part of Great Britain to unite with those who have been appointed on the part of the United States,, for carrying into effect the fixth article of the treaty.

The treaty with Spain required that the commiffioners for running the boundary line, between the ter ritory of the United States and his catholic majesty's provinces of Eat

ande

and West Florida, fhould meet at the Natches, before the expiration of fix months after the exchange of the ratifications, which was effected at Aranjuez, on the 25th of April; and the troops of his catholic majefty, occupying any pofts with in the limits of the United States, were within the fame period to be withdrawn. The commiffioner of the United States, therefore, commenced his journey from the Natches in September, and troops were ordered to occupy the pofts from which the Spanifli garrisons fhould be withdrawn. Information has been recently received of the appointment of a commiffioner on the part of his catholic majesty for running the boundary line, but hone of any appointment for the adjustment of the claims of our citizens, whofe veffels were captured by the armed veffels of Spain.

In pursuance of the act of congréfs, paffed in the last feffion, for the protection and relief of American feamen, agents were appoint. ed, one to refide in Great Britain, and the other in the West Indies, The effects of the agency in the West Indies are not yet fully afcertained; but thofe which have been communicated afford grounds to believe the measure will be beneficial. The agent deftined to refide in Great Britain declining to accept the appointment, the bufinefs has confequently devolved on the minifter of the United States in London; and will command his attention, until a new agent fhall be appointed.

After many delays and difappointments, arifing out of the European war, the final arrangements for fulfilling the engagements made to the dey and regency of Algiers will, in ail prefent appearance, be

crowned with fuccefs; but under great, though inevitable difadvantages, in the pecuniary tranfactions, occafioned by that war; which will render a further provision neceffary. The actual liberation of all our citizens who were prifoners in Algiers, while it gratifies every feeling heart, is itfelf an earnest of a fatisfactory termination of the whole negotiation.

Measures are in operation for effecting treaties with the regencies of Tunis and Tripoli.

To an active external commerce

the protection of a naval force is indifpenfable.

This is manifeft with regard to wars in which a state is itfelf a party; but befides this, it is our own experience, that the most fincere neutrality is not a fufficient guard against the depredations of nations at war. To fecure refpect to a neutral flag, requires a naval force, organized, and ready to vindicate it from infult or aggreffion. This may even prez vent the neceflity of going to war, by difcouraging belligerent powers from committing fuch violations of the rights of the neutral party as may, firft or laft, have no other option. From the best information I have been able to obtain, it would feem as if our trade to the Mediterranean, without a protecting force, will always be infecure, and our citizens expofed to the calami ties from which numbers of them have but just been relieved.. Thefe confiderations invite the United States to look to the means, and to fet about the gradual creation of a navy. The increafing progrefs of their navigation promifes them, at no diftant period, the requifite fupply of feamen, and their means, in other refpects, favour the undertaking. It is an encouragement, likewife, that their particular situa (N 2)

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