North Carolina Newspapers

J 1 REGISTER, a: State Gazette, ! I . ; ? - Our it f" ploffalrdeUgktfpI peace, ; Unwtp' h paity rage, tolive like brothen. No. 325, R A L rrr: " ,v . . . 777 Monday,' December 16, 1805 ', Vol. VII. :- - - ' i H i i i I ' ,i ' ' ii - 1 WEDNESDAY, DEC. I I. Prcsiden ? sIMessdge: GALES having this morning re J'ceivtd the President's Message, (for the Northern Mail did not arrive till late in the night) has ier.s to lay it before the Members , of the General Assembly, his Qity Subscribers, and others who may tall far this important Paper. 2V the Senate and House of Representatives of the Unitei States, AT. a moment when the na tions of J&rope are in commotion j -A(Tinttcach other,when those with whomwe have principal intercourse are engaged in the gen eral contest, and when the counte nance ot -some of them towards our peacahle country threatens that even that may not be unaffect ed by what is passing on the ger.e raltheatre, a meeting of the Re presentatives of the Nation in both Houses of Congress has become wore than usually desireahle. Coming from every section of our country, they bring with them the sentiments and the inibrmation of the whole, end will, be enabled to cive a direction to the public affairs 6 . . . . -i j : :r which the win ana uic wisuum ui the whole will approve and support. In taking a view of the state of our country, we in the first place notice the late affliction of two of cur cities under .the fatal fever which in latter times has occasion ally visited our shores Providence m his goodness gave it an ea;iy termination en this occasion, and lessened the number of victims which have usually fallen before it. Ia the course of the several visita tions by this disease, it has ap peared that it is strictly local, in cident to cities and cn the tide wh- ;t?rs enly, incommunicable in the country either. by persons, un der the disease or MjV goods car- ried from diseased p'aqes. ; ' that its access is with the autumn, and it disappears with the early frosts. These restrictions wkhin nan ov. limits of time and spate give secu rity even to cur maritime cities, during three-fourths ct the yer.i and to the countrv alwavs. Al though from these facts it appears' unnecessary, yet,-to satis ty tht fears of foreign nations, awo cautions on their part net to bt complained of in a danger w hose limits are yet unlcnown to tht-m, I have strictly enjoined on the offi cers at the head of the customs to' certify with exact truth, fcr every vessel sailing for a.-foreign port, w the state ot health respecting this fever whichprevailsatthe place from which she sans. Under evei-y mo tive from chara-.ter Jk dutv to cer my me truth, l have no doubtShey -have faithfully executed thisiiv. junction. Much real injury ha however been sustained from propensity to identify with this en demicand to call by the same name, "fevers of very different kinds which have been' known at all times, and in all countries, and and never have been placed among those deemed contagious. As wc advance in our knowledge of this j msease, as iacts develone the , 0. source from which individuals -re active it, the State amhoritirs charged with the care of the public Health, and Congress widi that ol the general commerce, will lie come able to regulrte with effect their respective fu.nc.bns in these department?. The burthen ol Quarantines is felt at home as well as abroad; their efficacy- merits examination. Although the health laws of the states should be found .to need no present revisal by Gon- g ess, yet commerce claims thai their "attention be ever awake to nee: our ast mect-n; theaspct 01 u'd" foreign reladous has coubide- rablv changed. Oar coasts have been - infested, and our harbors watched by private anned vessels, some of them without commissions, some with illegal commissions, others with those of legal form, but committing piratical acts be yond the authority of their com missions. They have captured in the very entrance of our harbours as well as on the high seas, not only the vessels of our friends coming to trade, but our own also. They have carried them,off under pretence of legal adjudication ; but not daring to approach a court of justice, they have plundered and sunk them by the way, in obscure places, where no evidence cculd arise against themi maltreated the crews & abandoned them in boats ia rpin se.i, or desert shores, without food or covering. The? enormities appearing to be un reached by any control of their so vereigns, I found it necessary to e quip a foice, tcfcruisc within our own seas, ' to. arrest all vessels of tnese cesciripnons-iounu nuvermg on our coastfthm the limits of the gulf kreatn, and to bring the offenders inTor trial as pirates. The same svstem oi novermg on our coasts and harbours, under colour of seeking enemies, has been carried on by public armed ; ships, to the great annoyance and; oppression of our commerce. New j principles too have been interpoh- j ted into the law of nations found- j ed neither injustice nor the usage or acknowledgment of nations. According to these a belligerent takes to itself a commerce with its own enemy, which it denies to a neutral, on the ground of its aid ing that enemy in the war. But reason revolts at such an inconsis tency", and the neutral havipg equal right with the belligerent to decide the question, the interests of our constituents, and the duty of main taining the authority of reason, the only umpire between just nations', j impose on us the obiijr.ition of pro- i viding an effectual and determined opposition to a doctrine sc inju rious to the lights of peaceable na tions. Indeed the confidence we ou: rht to have ia the justice o- r.heri, still coiiutemtnccs the hope CnX a sounder view cf those rights wijl of kself induce from even bciliqcrcnt a mora corrtct 6:-ser- v::nce ot th.em. Wltn Spaiyour ncgociations for a settle mc ujof diterences have not .. .. .. . .:.r....-.-.. : v -..A Lions during thi former war, tor j which he had formerly acknowV Hedged" herself responsiile, have beta -refused'- to be compensated bat on conditions affecting other cfaims in no wise connected witii ... r .l, . , tnem. let uic s;i;ue uidutts nc renewed in the present war, and are already of great amount. On ths Mobile our commerce passing dirough diat river continues to be , obstructed by arbitrary duties and vexatious searches. Propositions for adjusting amicably the bounda ries of Louisiana have not been ac ceded to. While, however, the right is unsettled, we have avoided changing the state of things, by ta king new posts, or strengthening jjt'urselves in the disputed territo ries, .in the hope that the other power would not, by a contrary conduct, oblige ns to meet their example, and endanger conflicts of authority, the issue of which mav not be easdv controled. But . in chis hope We have now reason j to lessen our confidence. Inroads j have been 'recently made into the i territories of Orleans and the M is sissippi, our citizens have been seized and their property7 plunder ed in the very parts of the for mer which had actually been delivered up , by Spain, and this by the regular officers and sol diers of that government. 1 have therefore found it necessary at length to give orders to our troops oa that frontier to be ia readiness A to protect our citizens and to repel by arms, any similar aggressions in future. Other details, necessary for your full information of the state of things between this coun try and that, shH be the subject of another communication.' In re vievyng these injiiries from some of the belligerent powers, the mo deration, the firmness and the wis dom of the legislature will all be called into action. We ought still to hope that time & a more correct es timate of interest as wells of cha racter will produce the justice we are bound to expect. But should any nation deceive itself by false calculations, and disappoint that expectation, we must join in the unprofitable contest, of , trying which party can do the other the most harm. Some of those inju ries may perhaps admit a peaceable remedy. Where that is com petent, it is" always most desira ble But some of them are of a nature to be metby force only, and all of them mav lead to it. I cartnot therefore but recommend such preparations as circumstances call for. 'lliejnrst object is to place our sea port towns out of the dan ger of insultiMeasurcs have been already t:ikcn for furnishing them with heavy cannon for the service Of such l.-.nd batteries as ma" make a par: of their defence ag inst arm ed vessels 'approaching ru-m. in aid of these it is desirable we should have a competent number of gun-boats., and the number to be competent mustVbe considerable. If imnieu.rAciybeun, they ma be in readings ibr srtvic at the b ginning of i.he next se.on. Whether ,-it will be necessary io augment 'our land iorces, v iU.be 'decided by occurrences. pr;ibab!s in ihe'eourse oi your seiion. in themeun time you v.'i'll t-ftider whether it would noibe ex,e Jient, ?iv a statp of peace as weilr.s ot war, so to ovjjmize or ti-vss tr.c m:iti:i, as woulct enible us on auv sud;. en l es! emriern'V, to call for t..t Sl of the v uu.er portions, imincum-1 beixd with the f-:d zs.d tUo?. hav ing fainilxcs. Up'.vards of three j hundred thousand able bodied men; between the age- of eighteen and ; twenty-si x. va.s, census sI-.jws we which the lust iv. ay r.o; count within our limits, will furnish a: ompctent nui'.-er tor ou-'nee or i defence, ill any i:omt where Mev n nav le wanted, aces wiU ciive lirnei! lor raising regular korces alter uie -aecessitv l them shaU become cer- W. iahi ; and the reducing to th? earlv tc;io.l of life all its active service cannot -but be desirable -to our younger citizens, ot the? present as .v eil as future, timesi inasmuch as 't engages to them in more advan ced age a quiet and undisturbed repose in the bosom of their fami lies. I cannot then but earnestly recommend tq your early conside ration the expediency of so modify ing our militia svstem as, by a se- paration oi the more active pan from that which is less so, wc may draw front it, when necessary, an r . f r ill.- -v . f efiicieut corps, fit for real and ac- interest from time to time to dis tive service, and to be called to it pose of parts of their surplus and in regular rotation. Considerable provision has been made under former authorities from Congress, of materials for the construction cf ships of war of seventy four ... guns. These materials are on band subject to the further will of the Legislature, An immediate prohibition of the exportation of arms and amuni- ti on is alto submitted to your de- termination. Turning from these unpleasant views of violence and wrong, I congratulate you on the liberation of our lehow-citizens who were stranded on the coast of Tripoli and made prisoners of war. In a government bottomed oh the will of alt, the hie and liberty or every ( individual citizen become interes- ting to an. in tne treaty there ii ' . .i fore which has concluded our war with that state an article for ansom of our citizens has been tne ransom fare i agreed to. Vn ppej-ayon by land keshaws, it completes our posses by a small band ofour countrymen, jision of the Whole of both banks of and other engager! for the occa-jthe sion, in conjunction siththe troops of the Es-Bashaw . of that Country, gallantly conducted by our late con sul Eaitn, & their successful enter prise on the city of Derne, contii- buted doubtless to the in-iprission; vhich produced peace, and the conclusion of this prevented oppor- tunities of which the officers and jj men of our squadron destined for Tripoli, wcu'.d have availed them-lj selves, to emulate the acts of valor p exniDitea oy their uretheren in the !! attack ot the last year. .Reflecting Deputations how on . their, 7ay with high satisfaction on the dis- j I to the seat of 'government, from va- tinguisned bravery rtisplayedwheh-1 ' nous nations-ot Indians, in ever occasions permitted in the ; . the Mississippi, the Missouri Sc o late Mediterranean service, I think ; therpartsbeyod,comechargedwhh it would be an useful encourage j! aasurar.ces of their satisfaction with ment, as wrell as a just reward to make an, opening for some present i placed with us, of their disposition, . 'l promotion by enlarging cur peace j. to cultivate our peace & friendship, establishment of Captains and j aRd tneir desire to enter into com- 1 Lieutenants. W'th Tunis some misunder standings have arisen not yet suffi ciently explained, but friendly dis cussions with their ambassador re cently arrived, and a mutur.l dis positton to do whatever is just and reasonable cannot fail of dissipa ting these. So that we may con sider cur peace on that coast, gen erally, to be cu as sound a f.oting as it has been at any preceding time, Stiii itvill not be expedi ent to withdraw immediately, the wnole of our fon e from that sea. Hie law providing' for a naval peace establishment fixes the numborof frigates which shall be lyfipt in constant service in time of peace ; and prescribes that they shall be manned bv not more than two thirds of their-complement of seamen and ordinary seamen. Whether a f. igate may be trusted io two-thirds only of her proper com.iiiment of men must depend on tl. nature of the service on which she is ordered. That may sometimes tor tier salet as we ii as to. ensure her object, require r.er tin? :st complement. In adver- )rtu,-,.s coasiaer wnetrrcr tne best limitation on the Executive dis- creticn in this case would not be by the number ot seaman which ji mav beemnloved m the whole ser- vice, rather than bv the number ! ' of vessels. Occasions c ftener arise the employment ot small, than oi large vessels anu it wouia ies- i, atea to me funded debt, and meet sen rh.k as well as expence, to b? j; ingrdl the current demands whirh authorised to employ them oi pre- lerence. 1 he limitation suggested by the number of seamen w ould admit a selection of. vessels best adapted to the service. Our Indian neighbours are ad vancing, many of them with spirit, and others beginning to engage m the pursuits of agriculture and household manufacture. They arc becoming sensible that the earth yields subsistence with less labour than the forest, and find it their waste lands for the means of im- proving those they occupy, and of subsisting their families w hile they are prenarinsr their farms. Since your last session, the northern I tribes have sold to us the lands be- tween the Connecticut reserve and the former Indian boundary, and j those on the Ohio, from the same boundary to the rapids, and for a considerable depth inland. The j Chickasawrs and Chcrokees have sold us the country between and adjacent to the two districts of Tennessee, and the Creeks the re sidue of their lands in the fork of Ocmulgee up to the Ulcofauhatche. The three former purchases are important, inasmuch as they con solidate disjoined parts of our set tled country, and render their in " i -ii tercourse secure ; ana tne sc-unu :-.y, particularly so, as, with the .nall point on the river which we expert is bv this time ceded by the Pian Ohio, from its source to near its mouth, and the navigation of that river is thereby rendered: fore- vcr safe to our citizens settletl and settliug on its extensive waters. tlrThe purchase from the Creeks too has been for some time particular- , iy interesting to he State of Lrecrgia, The several treaties which have been mentioned wui be submitted to both Houses of Congress -for the exercise of their respective lunctio.iS. hn Sit inn i the new,reJatiotos in which thev are j merciui intercourse with us. A state i of our progress in exploring the ; principal ri vers of that country and of the information respecting them hithert? obtained, will be commix i niedted so soon as we shall receive aj.i". mi uici relations wiiicri we have reason shortly ta expect. - The receipts at theTreasury during the year ending on the SOth. day of September last have exceed ecl the sum of 513,000,000, whicp., with not quite 5,000,00Q in the trea- ;sury at the beginning of the vear, have enabled us,after meetingother demands, to pay nearly two milli ons of the debt contracted under j the British treaty and contention. upwards of four millions of princi pal of the public debt, and four millions of interest. These -payments, with those which had been made in three years and a half pre ceding, have extinguished of the funded debt nearly eighteen mini ons of principal. Congress, by their act of Nov. IO, 1803, authorised us to borrow j J, 750,000 dollars towards meetinr' uic eiaims ot our citizens assumed by the convention with France. We have not however made use of this authority j because the sum of lour millions and a half, which remained in the Treasure on the same 30th day of September last, I with the reCelOtS .Willi-fi V( m ir calculate on for the ii - " - . (1 . i! besides paying the annual sum of . - r ! e;ght millions of dollars, aipropri- may be expected, will enable us to ; . pay the whole sum of three milli- jons seven hundred and fifty thou ; sand dollars assumed by the French convention, and still leave us a sur plus of nearly a million of dollars at our free disposal. Should you '.concur in the provisions of arms and armed vessels recommended :Dy the circumstances ot the tunes, tins surplus win furnish the means of doing so. On th'13 first occasion of addres sing Congress since, by the choice T; of my constituents. I have tntprT on a second term of administrati on, I embrace the opportunity to i give this public assurance that I will exert my best endeavours to administer faithfully the Execu tive Department, and will zealous- 1 ly co-operate with you in any mea sure which may tend to secure the jj liberty, property and personal safe- ty of ouv fellow-citizens, and to consolidite the Republican forms Ot our government. In th.ij course of your session you shall receive all the aid which I can gi-ie you for the dispatch of the public business, and atl the in formation necessary for your deli berations, of which the interests of our own country, and the confi dence reposed in U3 by others, will -admit a communication. TH : jEFFHSON, J 1