282 ANNUAL/‘REGISTHR, 1797. 
mances, and to adopt fuch meafures 
refpecting them, as exigencies hall 
_ be found to requive ; the preferva- 
_ tion of public credit, ‘the regular 
extinguifhment of the public debt, 
‘-and a provifion of funds to defray 
- — 
any .€xiraordinary expences, , will, 
ef courfe, call for your ferious.at- 
tention. Although the impofition 
| of new burdens cannot be. in itfelf 
agreeable, yet there is no ground 
, to doubt that she American people 
will expedt from you fuch meafures 
as their actual engagements, their 
prefent fecurity, and future intereft 
demand. 
‘Gentiemen of the Senate, and 
Gentlemen of the Houfe of 
Reprefentatives, 
Tne prefent fitvation of ourcoun- 
try impofes an obligation on all the 
departments of government, to. a- 
dopt an explicit and decided con- 
duct. In my fituation an expofition 
of the principles by which my ad- 
miniftration will be goyerned, ought 
not to be omitted. 
It is impoffible to conceal from 
ourfelves, or the world, what has 
been before obferved, that endea- 
vours have been employed to fofter 
and eftablifh a divifion between the 
government and people of the Uni- 
" ted States. To inveftigate the caufes> 
_ which have encouraged this attempt 
is not neceffary ; but to repel by de- 
. cided and united councils, -infinua- 
“able duty, ‘ 
tions fo derogatory to honour, and 
aggrefficns fo dangerous to the con- 
ftitution, union, and even independ- 
enge of the nation, is an indifpenf- 
It muit not be permitted to be 
doubted. whéther the’ people of the 
United States. will fupport the go- 
vernnent eftablithed by their vo- 
. luntary confent,, and appoinied b 
their free ‘choice;“or whether,” by 
‘furrendering themfelves..to the di- 
rection of foreign and domeftic fac- 
tions, in oppotition to their own 
government, they will forfeit the 
honourable ftation they, have hi- 
therto maintained. : 
For myfelf,. having never been 
indifferent to what concerned. the. 
interefts of my country, devoted 
the beft part of my life to obtain 
and fupport.its independence, and 
conftantly witneffed the patriotifin, 
fidelity, and perfeverance of my 
fellow-citizens on the moft trying 
occafions, it is not for me to hefi- 
tate, or abandon a caufe in which 
my heart has been fo long en- 
gaged. : 
Convinced that the condué of 
the government has been juft and 
impartial to foreign nations; that 
thofe internal regulations, which 
have been eftablifhed by law for 
the prefervation of peace, are. in 
their nature proper, and that they 
have been fairly executed, nothing 
will ever be done by me to impair 
the national engagements, to inno- 
vate upon principles which have 
been fo deliberately and uprightly 
eftablifhed, or to peer in any 
manner the rights of the govern- 
ment. To enable me to maintain 
this declaration, I rely, under God, 
with entire confidence on the firm 
and enlightened fupport of the na- 
tional. legiflature,_ and upon_ the 
virtue and patriotifm of my fellow- 
citizens. -Joun Apams. 
- ~ 
To the Addrefs of this Houfe to’ the Pre- 
" fident, in Anfier to his Speech, which 
‘quas Little more than an Echo of it, the 
Sollowing Anfwer was returned, © 
I RECEIVE with great fatis- 
faction your candid approbation 
of ihe convention of Congrefs, and 
‘thank you for your affurance that 
the 
