Registra in usum historia complectuntur principum edicta, senatuum decreta, judiciorum proj cessus, orationes publice habitæ, epistolæ publice missæ, et similia, absque narrationis conž textu, sive filo continuo.-Bacon de Aug. Sci.

In order to give a more durable value to our work than it has yes possessed, we propose to appropriate the eight pages, which in cons sequence of increased patronage we are enabled to add, to the pub lication of interesting American state papers, and generally of aus thenticated documents, having for their objects the history, statis ticks, &c. of our country, to be published as an appendix to the Anthology, paged by itself, so that, if subscribers please, it may be bound as a separate volume.

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different kinds, which have been known at all times and in all countries, and never have been placed among thofe deemed contagious. As we advance in our knowledge of this disease, as facts develope the fource from which individuals receive it, the state authorities charged with the care of the publick health, and congrefs with that of the general commerce, will become able to regulate with effect their refpective functions in these departments. The burthen of quarantines is felt at home as well as abroad; their efficacy merits examination. Although the health laws of the states fhould be found to need no prefent revifal by Congrefs, yet commerce claims that their attention be ever awake to them.

Since our laft meeting, the aspect of our foreign relations has confiderably changed. Our coafts have been infefted, and our harbours watched, by private armed veffels, fome of them without commiffions, fome with illegal commiffions, others, with thofe of legal form, but committing piratical acts beyond the authority of their commiffions. They have captured in the very entrance of our harbours, as well as on the high feas, not only the veffels of our friends, coming to trade with as, but our own alfo. They have carried them off under pretence of legal adjudication, but, not daring to approach a court of justice, they have plundered and funk them by the way, or in obfcure places, where no evidence could arife against them, maltreated the crews, and abandoned them in boats, in the open fea, or on defert shores, without food or covering. Thefe enormities, appearing to be unreached by any trol of their fovereigns, I found it neceffary to equip a force, to cruize within our own feas, to arrest all vessels of these descriptions found hovering on our coafts within the limits of the Gulf Stream, and to bring the offenders in for trial as pirates.

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The fame fyftem of hovering on our coafts and harbours, under colour of seeking enemies, has been alfo carried on by publick armed fhips, to the great annoyance and oppreffion of our commerce. New principles too have been interpolated into the law of nations, founded neither in juftice, nor the ufage or acknowledgment of vations. 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 aiding that enemy in the war. But reafon revolts at fuch an inconfiftency; and the neutral, having equal right with the belligerent to decide the queftion, the interefts of our conftituents, and the duty of maintaining the authority of reason, the only umpire between just nations, impofe on us the obligation of providing an effectual and determined oppo fition to a doctrine fo injurious to the rights of peaceable nations. Indeed the confidence we ought to have in the juftice of others, still countenances the hope, that a founder view of those rights will of itself induce from every belligerent a more correct obfervance of them.

With Spain our negociations for a fettlement of differences have not had a fatisfactory illue. Spoliations during the former war, for which she had formally acknowledged herself refponfible, have been refused to be compenfated but on conditions affecting other claims in no wife connected with them. Yet the fame practices are renewed in the prefent war, and are already of great amount. On the Mobile, our commerce, palling through that river, continues to be obftructed by arbitrary duties and vexatious fearches. Propofitions for adjusting amicably the boun daries of Louifiana have not been acceded to. While however the right is unfettled, we have avoided changing the state of things, by taking new pofls, or ftrengthening ourselves in the difputed territories, in the hope that the other power would not by a contrary conduct, oblige us to meet their example, and endanger conflicts of authority, the iffue of which may not be easily controlled. But in this hope we have now reafon to leffen our confidence. Inroads have been recently made into the territories of Orleans and the Midlifhippi. Our citizens have been feized and their property plundered in the very parts of the former which had been actually delivered up by Spain: and this by the regular officers and foldiers of that government. I have, therefore, found it neceflary at length to give orders to our troops on that frontier, to be in readiness to protect our citizens, and to repel by arms any fimilar aggreflions in future. Other details neceffary for your full information of the ftate of things between this country and that, fhall be the subject of another

communication.

In reviewing thefe injuries from some of the belligerent powers, the moderation, the firmness, and the wisdom of the legislature will all be called into action. We

aught fill to hope, that time and a more correct estimate of intereft, as well as of character, will produce the justice we are bound to expect.

But fhould any nation deceive itself by false calculations, and disappoint that expectation, we must join in the unprofitable conteft, of trying which party can do the other the most harm. Some of these injuries may perhaps admit a peaceable remedy. Where that is competent, it is always the most defirable. But fome of them are of a nature to be met by force only, and all of them may lead to it. I cannot therefore but recommend fuch preparations as circumftances call for. The first object is to place our fea-port towns out of the danger of infult. Measures have been already taken for furnishing them with heavy cannon, for the fervice of fuch land batteries, as may make a part of their defence against armed veffels approaching them. In aid of thefe, it is defirable we should have a competent number of gunboats: and the number, to be competent, must be confiderable. If immediately be gun, they may be in readiness for fervice at the opening of the next feafon. Whether it will be neceffary to augment our land forces, will be decided by occurrences probably in the courfe of your feffion. In the mean time, you will confider, whether it would not be expedient, for a state of peace as well as of war, so to organize or clafs the militia as would enable us, on a fudden emergency, to call for the fervices of the younger portions, unincumbered with the old and thofe having families. Upwards of three hundred thoufand able bodied men, between the ages of eighteen and twenty-fix years, which the last cenfus fhews we may now count within our limits, will furnish a competent number for offence or defence, in any point where they may be wanted, and will give time for raifing regular forces, after the neceffity of them fhall become certain: and the reducing to the early period of life all its active service, cannot but be defirable to our younger citizens of the present, as well as future times; inafmuch as it engages to them, in more advanced age, a quiet and undisturbed repofe in the bofom of their families. I cannot then but earnestly recommend to your early confideration, the expediency of fo modifying our militia fyftem, as, by a feparation of the more active part from that which is lefs fo, we may draw from it, when neceffary, an efficient corps, fit for real and active fervice, and to be called to it in regular rotation.

Confiderable provifion has been made under former authorities from Congress, of materials for the construction of fhips of war of 74 guns--these materials are on hand, fubject to the further will of the legislature.

An immediate prohibition of the exportation of arms and ammunition is also submitted to your determination.

Turning from these unpleasant views of violence and wrong, I congratulate you on the liberation of our fellow citizens, who were ftranded on the coafts of Tripoli, and made prisoners of war. In a government bottomed on the will of all, the life and liberty of every individual citizen becomes interefting to all. In the treaty therefore which has concluded our warfare with that state, an article for the ranfom of our citizens has been agreed to. An operation by land by a fmall band of our countrymen, and others engaged for the occafion, in conjunction with the troops of the ex-bafhaw of that country, gallantly conducted by our late conful Eaton, and their successful enterprize on the city of Berne, contributed doubtless to the impreffion which produced peace: and the conclufion of this prevented opportunities, of which the officers and men of our fquadron defined for Tripoli would have a❤ vailed themselves to emulate the acts of valour exhibited by their brethren in the attack of the laft year. Reflecting with high fatisfaction on the diftinguished bravery, difplayed whenever occafions permitted in the late Mediterranean fervice, I think it would be an useful encouragement, as well as a just reward, to make an opening for fome prefent promotion, by enlarging our peace establishment of captains and lieutenants.

With Tunis fome mifunderstandings have arifen not yet fufficiently explained; but friendly difcuffions with their ambassador, recently arrived, and a mutual difpo fition to do whatever is juft and reasonable cannot fail of diffipating these. So that we may confider our peace, on that coaft generally, to be on as found a footing as it has been at any preceding time. Still it will not be expedient to withdraw immedi ately the whole of our force from that fea.

The law providing for a naval peace establishment fixes the number of frigates, which fhall be kept in conftant fervice in time of peace, and preferibes that they