i Aa EV GPaA PERS: 
~whofe depredations have been moft 
“Injurious, have been built, and fome 
‘of them partially equipped, in the 
United Staves. Although an effec- 
‘tual remedy may be attended with 
dificulty, yet I have thought it my 
“duty to prefent the fubje& general- 
“ly to your confideration. Ifa mode 
can be deviled by the wifdoni of 
' Congrefs, to prevent the refources 
of the United States from being 
converted into the means of annoy- 
ing our trade, a great evil will be 
prevented. With the fame view 
I think it proper to mention that 
fome of our citizens refident abroad, 
“have fitted out privaicers, and o- 
thers have voluntarily taken the 
coanmand, or entered on board of 
them, and committed fpoliations 
on the commerce of the United 
States. Such unnatural and ini- 
quitous practices can be reftrained 
only by fevere punifhments. 
But befides a protection of our 
commerce on the feas, I think it 
highly neceffary to protect it at 
home, where it is collected in our 
moft important ports. The dif- 
tance of the United States from 
Europe, and the well-known 
promptitude, ardour, and courage 
of the people in defence of their 
country, happily diminifh the pro- 
bability of invafion: neverthelefs, 
to guard againft fudden and preda- 
tory incurfions, the fituation of fome 
of our principal fea-ports demands 
‘your confideration ; andas ourcoun- 
try is vulnerable in other interefts 
befides thofe of its commerce, you 
will ferioufly deliberate, whether 
the means of general defence ought , 
not to be increafed, by an addition 
to the regular artillery and cavalry, 
and by arrangements for forming a 
provifional army. 
With the fame view, and as 4 
281 
meafure which, even in time of 
univerfal peace, ought not to be 
neglected, I recommend to your 
confideration a revifion of the laws 
for organizing, arming, and difci- 
plining the militia, to render that 
natural and fafe defence of the 
country efficacious. Although it 
is very true that we ought not to 
involve ourfelves in the political 
fyfliem of Europe, but to keep our- 
felves always diftiné and feparate 
from it if we can; yet to effect this 
feparation, early, punctual, and con- 
tinual information of the current 
chain of events, and of the political 
projects in contemplation, is no lefs 
necefiary than if we were direétly 
concerned inthem. It is neceflary, 
in order to the difcovery of the ef- 
forts made to draw us into the vor- 
tex, in feafon to make preparation 
againft them. However we may 
confider ourfelves, the maritime 
and commercial powers of the world 
will confider the United States of 
America as forming a weight in 
that balance of power in Europe, 
which never can be forgotten or 
neglected. It would not only be 
againft our intereft, but it would be 
doing wrong to one half of Europe 
at leaft, if we fhould voluntarily 
throw ourfelves into. either icale. 
tis a natural policy fora nation 
that ftudies to be neutral, to cons 
fult with other nations engaged in 
the fame ftudies and purfuits: at 
the fame time that meafures might 
be purfued with this view, our trea- 
ties with Pruffia and Sweden, one 
of which is expired, might be re- 
newed. . 
Gentlemen of the Houfe of 
Reprefentatives, 
It is particularly your province to 
confides the ftate of our public fi- 
nances, 
