fources of the depredations, of which we have fo long, fo juftly, and fo fruitlessly complained. The law of France enacted in January laft, which fubjects to capture and condemnation neutral veffels and their cargoes, if any portion of the latter are of British fabric or produce, although the entire property belong to neutrals, inftead of being refcinded, has lately received a confirmation, by the failure of a propofition for its repeal. While this law, which is an unequivocal act of war on the commerce of the nations it attacks, continues in force, thofe nations can fee in the French government only a power regardless of their effential rights, of their indepen. dence and fovereignty; and if they poffefs the means, they can reconcile nothing with their intereft and honour but a firm refiftance. Hitherto, therefore, nothing is discoverable in the conduct of France which ought to change or relax our measures of defence; on the contrary, to extend and invigorate them is our true policy. We have no reason to regret that thefe measures have been thus far adopted and purfued; and in proportion as we enlarge our view of the portentous and incalculable fituation of Europe, we fhall difcover new and cogent motives for the full development of our energies and resources. But in demonftrating by our conduct that we do not fear war, in the neceffary protection of our rights and honour, we fhall give no room to infer that we abandon the defire of peace. An efficient preparation for war can alone enfure peace. It is peace that we have uniformly and perfeveringly cultivated, and harmony between us and France may be restored at her option. But to fend another minifter, without more determinate assurances that he would be received, would be an ac of humiliation to which the United States ought not to submit: it must therefore be left with France, if the is indeed defirous of accommoda. tion, to take the requifite fteps. The United States will steadily obferve the maxims by which they have hitherto been governed. They will refpect the facred rights of embafly; and with a fincere difpofition on the part of France to defift from hoftility, to make reparation for the injuries heretofore committed on our commerce, and to do justice in future, there will be no obstacle to the restoration of a friendly intercourfe. In making to you this declaration, we give a pledge to France and the world that the executive authority of this country will attend to the humane and pacific policy which has invariably governed its proceedings, in conformity with the wishes of the different branches of the government and of the people of the United States. But confidering the late manifeftations of her policy towards foreign nations, I deem it a duty deliberately and folemnly to declare my opi. nion, that whether we negotiate with her or not, vigorous preparations for war will be alike indifpenfable. Thefe alone will give to us an equal treaty, and insure its obfervance. Among the measures of preparation which appear expedient, I take the liberty to recall your attention to the naval establishment. The beneficial effects of the fmall naval armament provided under the acts of the laft feffion are known and acknowledged. Perhaps no country ever experienced more fudden and remarkable advantages from any measure of policy than we have derived from the arming for Our our maritime protection and defence. We ought, without lofs of time, to lay the foundation for an increase of our navy, to a fize fufficient to guard our coaft and protect our trade. Such a naval force, as it is doubtlefs in the power of the United States to create and maintain, would alfo afford to them the beft means of general defence, by facilitating the fafe tranfportation of troops and ftores to every part of our extenfive coaft. To accomplish this important object, a prudent forefight requires that fyftematical meafures be adopted, for procuring at all times the requifite timber and other fupplies. In what manner this fhall be done I leave to your confideration. I will now advert, gentlemen, to fome matters of lefs moment, but proper to be communicated to the national legiflature. After the Spanish garrifons had evacuated the pofts they occupied at the Natchez and Walnut Hills, the commiffioner of the United States commenced his obfervations to afcertain the point near the Miffiffippi which terminated the northernmost point of the thirty-first degree of north latitude.-From thence he proceeded to run the boundary line between the United States and Spain. He was afterwards joined by the Spanith commiffioner, where the work of the former was confined; and they proceeded together to the demarkation of the line. Recent information renders it probable that the fouthern Indians, either inftigated to oppose the demarkation, or jealous of the confequences of fuffering white people to run a line over lands to which the Indian title had not been extinguished, have, ere this time, ftopped the progres of the commiffioners. And, confider ing the mifchiefs which may refult from continuing the demarkation, in oppofition to the will of the Indian tribes, the great expense attending it, and that the boundaries which the commiflioners have actually eftablished probably extend at least as far as the Indian title has been extinguifhed, it will perhaps become expedient and neceffary to fufpend further proceedings, by recalling our commiflioner. The commiffioners appointed in purfuance of the fifth article of the treaty of amity, commerce, and navigation between the United States. and his Britannic majefty, to determine what river was truly intended under the name of the river St. Croix, mentioned in the treaty of peace, and forming a part of the boundary therein defcribed, have finally decided that queftion. On the 25th of October, they made their declaration, that a river called Schoodiac, which falls into Paffamaquoddy-bay, at its north-western quarter, was the true St. Croix, intended in the treaty of peace, as far as its great fork, where one of its ftreams comes from the westward, and the other from the northward; and that the latter ftream is the continuation of the St. Croix to its fource. This decifion, it is underftood, will preclude all contention among individual claimants, as it feems that the Schoodiac and its northern branch bounds the grants of lands which have been made by the respective adjoining governments.-A fubordinate queftion, however, it has been fuggefted,. ftill remains to be determined. Between the mouth of the St. Croix, as now fettled, and what is ufually called the Bay of Fundy, lie a number of valuable iflands. The commiffioners have not continued the boundary lines through any chan nel nel of these islands; and unless the bay of Patlamaquoddy be a part of the Lay of Fundy, this further adjuftment of boundary will be neceffary. But it is apprehended that this will not be a matter of any difficulty. ⚫ Such progrefs has been made in the examination and decifion of cafes of captures and condemnations of American veffels, which were the fubject of the feventh article of the treaty of amity, commerce and navigation, between the United States and Great Britain, that it is fuppofed the commiffioners will be able to bring their bufinefs to a conclufion in Auguft of the enfuing year. The commiffioners acting under the twenty-fifth article of the treaty between the United States and Spain have adjusted most of the claims of our citizens, for loffes fuftained in confequence of their veffels and cargoes having been taken by the fubjects of his catholic majefty, during the late war betweeen France and Spain. Various circumftances have concurred to delay the execution of the law for augmenting the military eftablishment.-Among thefe is the defire of obtaining the fulleft information to direct the best felection of officers. As this object will now be fpeedily accomplished, it is expected that the railing and organifing of the troops will proceed without obftacle and with effect. Gentlemen of the Houfe of Reprefentatives, I have directed an eftimate of the appropriations which will be necellary for the fervice of the enfuing year to be laid before you, accompanied with a view of the public receipts and expenditures to a recent period. It will afford you fatisfaction to infer the great extent and folidity of the public refources from the profperous ftate of the finances, notwithstanding the unexampled embarrassments which have attended commerce. When you reflect on the confpicuous examples of patriotifin and liberality which. have been exhibited by our mercantile fellow-citizens, and how great a proportion of the public refources depends on their enterprise, you will naturally confider whether their convenience cannot be promoted and reconciled with the fecurity of the revenue by a revi fion of the fyftem by which the collection is at prefent regulated. During your recefs, meafures have been fteadily purfued for effecting the valuations and returns directed by the act of the laft feffion, preliminary to the assessment and collection of a direct tax. No other delays or obstacles have been experienced, except fuch as were expected to arife from the great extent of our country, and the magnitude and novelty of the operation, and enough has been accomplished to affure the fulfilment of the views of the legislature. Gentlemen of the Senate, and I cannot close this addrefs, without once more adverting to our political fituation, and inculcating the effential importance of uniting in. the maintenance of our dearest interefts; and I truft, that by the temper and wifdom of your proceedings, and by a harmony of meafures, we fhall fecure to our country that weight and respect to which it is fo jufily entitled. JOHN ADAMS. Public Acts paffed in the Second Seffon of the Eighteenth Parliament of Great Britain. December 30, 1797. A&t for raifing a certain fum of money by loans on exchequer bills for the fervice of the year 1798. For continuing the additional duties on diftilleries in the highlands of Scotland. For the regulation of his majesty's marine forces when on fhore. For regulating the exportation and carrying coaftwife of wheat and rye, &c. To continue the act relating to the admiffion of certain articles of merchandise in neutral fhips, and for making regulations refpecting the trade to and from the Cape of Good Hope. Annual indemnity act for perfons holding places and neglecting to qualify. Act to enlarge the time for raifing a militia in Scotland. Jan. 12, 1798. Act for granting to his majefty an aid and continuation for the profecution of the war. For allowing a certain proportion of the militia to enlift into his majesty's other forces. To permit the importation of falt from Portugal in neutral fhips. For rectifying mistakes in the land-tax act. April 5. Act for reviving and continuing the duties on diftilleries in the highlands of Scotland. For providing for the defence of the realm, and for indemnifying perfons who may fuffer in their property by fuch measures as may be neceffary for that purpose. For difallowing the bounty on fail-cloth or canvas, the manufacture. of Great Britain, exported to Ireland. To continue the laws refpecting the bounties on British and Irish linens, and for regulating the duties on tobacco-pipe clay, rape feed, Greenland fisheries, manufactures of flax and cotton, &c. For reviving an act authorifing his majefty to permit the exportar tion of wheat, &c. to Guernsey, Jerfey, and Alderney. To prevent, during the war, per fons refiding in Great Britain from advancing money or effects for the purchase, or on the credit of debts owing to the government of the United Provinces, without licence, and for extending the act to prevent traitorous correfpondence with the faid provinces. For the regulation of quarantine, and goods removed from one fhip to another. For increasing the rates of fubfiftence to be paid by inn-keepers and others on quartering foldiers. April 21. Act to empower his majesty to fecute and detain fuch perfons as are fufpected of confpiring against his perfon and government. May 7.* Act for railing the fum of 17,000,000l. by way of annuities. (R) For For enlarging the time of appealing in prize caufes. For amending the act relative to the importation and exportation of certain goods in Jamaica, Grenada, Dominica, and New Providence. May 10. For granting additional duties on falt. For granting additional duties of excife on tea. For repealing the duties on houfes, windows and lights, inhabited houses, clocks and watches, and granting other duties on all thefe, excepting clocks and watches. For repealing the duties upon male fervants, carriages, &c. and granting other duties in lieu of the fame. To prevent commercial connexion with Switzerland, without licence. To enable h's majesty to call out a part of the militia of Scotland. May 26. Aft for altering and amending the land-tax act, as far as relates to the qualifications of commiflion A&t to continue the alien act. To regulate the trial of caufes, indictment, and other proceedings within the counties of certain cities and towns corporate. For authoriting the billetting of fuch troops of yeomanry cavalry as may be defirous of ambling for the purpofe of being trained together, and for exempting from the payment of certain duties perfons "providing horfs for the faid yeomanry cavairv. June 21. Act for the redemption of the land tax. For raising money by lottery." For a duty on armorial bearings. For regulating the duties on fpices. For enabling his majefty to accept the fervices of fach niitia as may offer to ferve in Ireland For regulating the draw-backs and bounty on fögår. To amend the laws of excife reIpting to coach-hakers, auctioneers, beer, cyder, and certain stamps on hides and fkins, draw-backs on wine and fweets. To revive and continue the act which prohibits the importation of light filver coin of this realm from foreign countries into Great Britain and Ireland. For allowing gold wares to be manufactured at a ftandard lower than is now allowed by law.** To prevent the exportation of bafe coin to the West Indies. For defraying the charge of the pay and clothing of the militia of England. To continue the act for the more effectual encouragement of the Britif fifleries. For amending an act to prevent frauds in weighing and packing butter. For amending an act for the due making of bread, and to regulate the aflize thereof in the city and liberties, and within ten miles of the Royal Exchange. For preventing the depafturing of forefts, commons, and opeḥ fields, with theep infected with the fcab or mange. June 28. At for the better protection of the trade of the kingdom, and for granting additional duties of cuf |