An act to extend the time for making payment for the public lands of the United States. An act making a further appropriation towards completing the two wings of the capitol at the city of Washington, and for other purposes. An act to extend to Amos Whittemore and William Whittemore, jun. the patent right to a machine for manufacturing cotton and wool cards. An act for the relief of Jacob Barnitz. An act supplemental to the act, entitled "An act for establishing trading houses with the Indian tribes." An act concerning invalid pensioners. An act to authorize the making of a turnpike road from Mason's causeway to Alexandria. An act further to amend the several acts for the establishment and regulation of the Treasury, War, and Navy Departments. An act making appropriations for the support of the military establishment, and of the navy of the United States for the year one thousand eight hundred and nine. An act supplementary to the act, entitled "An act to amend the charter of George. town." An act authorizing an augmentation of the marine corps. Certain matters touching the public good requiring that the Senate should be convened on Saturday, the fourth day of March next, you are desired to attend at the Senate chamber, in the city of Washington, on that day; then and there to receive and deliberate on such communications as shall be made to you. Washington, December 30, 1808. TH. JEFFERSON. In conformity with the summons from the President of the United States, the Senate assembled in the chamber of the House of Representatives. PRESENT, The Honorable John Milledge, from the state of Georgia, President pro tempore. From the State of New Hampshire, the Honorable {Nicholas Gilman, and Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Jersey, Delaware, Parker. the Honorable Timothy Pickering. North Carolina, the Honorable South Carolina, the Honorable James Turner, and Jesse Franklin. Thomas Sumter, and Daniel Smith. The Honorable John Lambert, appointed a Senator by the legislature of the state of New Jersey for six years, and the Honorable Samuel Smith, appointed a Senator by the Executive of the state of Maryland, attended, and their credentials were read. The Honorable James Lloyd, Junior, appointed a Senator by the legislature of the state of Massachusetts, attended, stating that he was elected, but not in possession of his credentials. The Honorable Joseph Anderson, from the state of Tennessee; the Honorable Richard Brent, from the state of Virginia; the Honorable James Hillhouse, from the state of Connecticut; the Honorable Michael Leib, from the state of Pennsylvania; the Honorable Return J. Meigs, from the state of Ohio; the Honorable Jonathan Robinson, from the state of Vermont; the Honorable Samuel White, from the state of Delaware, severally attended. The oath required by law was administered to the Senators above mentioned, in the six years class, respectively, except to Mr. Brent. The President of the United States attended, and communicated the following ADDRESS: Unwilling to depart from examples of the most revered authority, I avail myself of the occasion now presented to express the profound impression made on me, by the call of my country to the station, to the duties of which I am about to pledge myself by the most solemn of sanctions. So distinguished a mark of confidence, proceeding from the deliberate and tranquil suffrage of a free and virtuous nation, would, under any circumstances, have commanded my gratitude and devotion, as well as filled me with an awful sense of the trust to be assumed. Under the various circumstances which give peculiar solemnity to the existing period, I feel that both the honor and the responsibility allotted to me are inexpressibly enhanced. The present situation of the world is indeed without a parallel; and that of our own country full of difficulties. The pressure of these too is the more severely felt, because they have fallen upon us at a moment when the national prosperity being at a height not before attained, the contrast, resulting from the change, has been rendered the more striking. Under the benign influence of our republican institutions, and the maintenance of peace with all nations, whilst so many of them were engaged in bloody and wasteful wars, the fruits of a just policy were enjoyed in an unrivalled growth of our faculties and resources. Proofs of this were seen in the improvements of agriculture; in the successful enterprises of commerce; in the progress of manufactures and useful arts; in the increase of the public revenue, and the use made of it in reducing the public debt; and in the valuable works and establishments every where multiplying over the face of our land. It is a precious reflection that the transition from this prosperous condition of our country, to the scene which has for some time been distressing us, is not chargeable on any unwarrantable views, nor, as I trust, on any involuntary errors, in the public councils. Indulging no passions which trespass on the rights or the repose of other nations, it has been the true glory of the United States to cultivate peace by observing justice; and to entitle themselves to the respect of the nations at war, by fulfilling their neutral obligations with the most scrupulous impartiality. If there be candor in the world, the truth of these assertions will not be questioned; posterity, at least, will do justice to them. This unexceptionable course could not avail against the injustice and violence of the belligerent powers. In their rage against each other, or impelled by more direct motives, principles of retaliation have been introduced, equally contrary to universal reason and acknowledged law. How long their arbitrary edicts will be continued, in spite of the demonstrations that not even a pretext for them has been given by the United States, and of the fair and liberal attempt to induce a revocation of them, cannot be anticipated. Assuring myself, that, under every vicissitude, the determined spirit and united councils of the nation will be safeguards to its honor and its essential interests, I repair to the post assigned me with no other discouragement than what springs from my own inadequacy to its high duties. If I do not sink under the weight of this deep conviction, it is because I find some support in a consciousness of the purposes, and a confidence in the principles, which I bring with me into this arduous ser vice. To cherish peace and friendly intercourse with all nations having correspondent dispositions; to maintain sincere neutrality towards belligerent nations; to prefer, in all cases, amicable discussion and reasonable accommodation of differences, to a decision of them by an appeal to arms; to exclude foreign intrigues and foreign partialities, so degrading to all countries, and so baneful to free ones; to foster a spirit of independence, too just to invade the rights of others, too proud to surrender our own, too liberal to indulge unworthy prejudices ourselves, and too elevated not to look down upon them in others; to hold the union of the states as the basis of their peace and happiness; to support the constitution, which is the cement of the union, as well in its limitations as in its authorities; to respect the rights and authorities reserved to the states and to the people, as equally incorporated with, and essential to the success of, the general system; to avoid the slightest interference with the rights of conscience or the functions of religion, so wisely exempted from civil jurisdiction; to preserve, in their full energy, the other salutary provisions in behalf of private and personal rights, and of the freedom of the press; to observe economy in public expenditures; to liberate the public resources by an honorable discharge of the public debts; to keep within the requisite limits a standing military force, always remembering that an armed and trained militia is the firmest bulwark of republics; that without standing armies their liberty can never be in danger, nor with large ones safe; to promote, by authorized means, improvements friendly to agriculture, to manufactures, and to external as well as internal commerce; to favor, in like manner, the advancement of science and the diffusion of information, as the best aliment to true liberty; to carry on the benevolent plans which have been so meritoriously applied to the conversion of our aboriginal neighbors from the degradation and wretchedness of savage life, to a participation of the improvements of which the human mind and manners are susceptible in a civilized state:-As far as sentiments and intentions such as these can aid the fulfilment of my duty, they will be a resource which cannot fail me. It is my good fortune, morcover, to have the path in which I am to tread lighted by examples of illustrious services, successfully rendered in the most trying difficulties, by those who have marched before me. Of those of my immediate predecessor it might least become me here to speak. I may, however, be pardoned for not suppressing the sympathy with which my heart is full, in the rich reward he enjoys in the benedictions of a beloved country, gratefully bestowed for exalted talents, zealously devoted, through a long career, to the advancement of its highest interest and happiness. But the source to which I look for the aids which alone can supply my deficiencies, is in the well tried intelligence and virtue of my fellow-citizens, and in the counsels of those representing them in the other departments associated in the care of the national interests. In these my confidence will, under every difficulty, be best placed, next to that which we have all been encouraged to feel in the guardianship and guidance of that Almighty Being whose power regulates the destiny of nations, whose blessings have been so conspicuously dispensed to this rising republic, and to whom we are bound to address our devout gratitude for the past, as well as our fervent supplications and best hopes for the future. After which, the oath prescribed by law was administered to the President of the United States, by the Chief Justice. The President of the United States then retired, and the Senate repaired to their own chamber. On motion, Ordered, That Messrs Anderson and Bayard be a committee to wait on the President of the United States, and notify him that the Senate are ready to receive any communications that he may be pleased to make to them. On motion, The Senate adjourned to 11 o'clock on Monday morning. MONDAY, MARCH 6, 1809. The Honorable Francis Malbone, appointed a Senator by the legislature of the state of Rhode Island, for six years, commencing on the fourth instant, attended, and produced his credentials; which were read. The credentials of the Honorable Richard Brent, appointed a Senator by the legis lature of the state of Virginia, for six years, commencing the fourth instant, were read. The oath required by law was administered to Messrs. Brent and Malbone, respectively. On motion, by Mr. Robinson, Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate be authorized to pay, out of the contingent fund of this House, to George Thomas, Walter Reynolds, and Tobias Simpson, the sum of fifty dollars each, in addition to their annual compensation. Mr. Anderson reported, from the committee, that they had waited on the President of the United States, who informed them that he should this day make a communica tion to the Senate. After the consideration of the Executive business, The Senate adjourned to 11 o'clock to-morrow morning. TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 1809. The President laid before the Senate a communication from Governor Huntingdon, enclosing a resolution passed by the General Assembly of the state of Ohio, approv ing the measures of the general government; which was read. After the consideration of the Executive business, On motion, Ordered, That Messrs. Bayard and Reed be a committee to wait upon the President of the United States, and notify him that, unless he may have any further communications to make to them, the Senate are ready to adjourn. Mr. Bayard reported, from the committee, that they had waited upon the President of the United States, who informed them that he had no further communications to make to them. Whereupon, The Senate adjourned without day. |