STATE PA PERS 



299 



laws for the removal of the public 

 offices, records, and property. 

 These directions have been exe- 

 cuted, and the public officers have 

 since resided and conducted the or- 

 dinary business of the government 

 in this place. 



I congratulate the people of the 

 United States on the assembling of 

 congress at the permanent seat of 

 their government, and I congratu- 

 late you, gentlemen, on the pros- 

 pect of a residence not to be 

 changed. Although there is cause 

 to apprehend that accommodations 

 are not now so complete as might 

 be wished, yet there is great reason 

 to believe that this inconvenience 

 will cease with the present session. 



It would be unbecoming the re- 

 presentatives of the nation to as- 

 semble, for the first time in this so- 

 lemn temple, without looking up 

 to the Supreme Ruler of the Uni- 

 verse, and imploring his blessing. 

 May this territory be the residence 

 of virtue and happiness ! In this 

 city may that piety and virtue, that 

 wisdom and magnanimity, that con- 

 stancy and self-government, which 

 adorned the great character whose 

 name it bears, be for ever held in 

 veneration ! Here, and throughout 

 our countiy, may simple manners, 

 pure morals, and true religion, 

 flourish for ever ! 



It is with you, gentlemen, to 

 consider whether the local powers 

 over the district of Columbia, vested 

 by the constitution in the congress 

 of the United States, shall be im- 

 mediately exercised. If, in your opi- 

 nion, this important trust ought 

 now to be executed, you cannot 

 fail, while performing it, to take 

 into view the future probable situ- 

 ation of the territory, for the hap- 

 piness of which you arc about to 



provide. You will consider it as 

 the capital of a great nation, ad- 

 vancing with unexampled rapidity 

 in arts, in commerce, in wealth, 

 and in population, and possessing 

 within itself those energies and re- 

 sources, which, if not thrown away, 

 or lamentably mis-directed, secure 

 to it a long course of prosperity and 

 self-government. 



In compliance with a law of the 

 last session of congress, the officers 

 and soldiers of the temporary army 

 have been discharged. It affijrds 

 real pleasure to recollect the ho- 

 nourable testimony they gave of 

 the patriotic motives which brought 

 them into the service of their coun- 

 try, by the readiness and regularity 

 with which they returned to the 

 station of private citizens. 



It is in every point of view, of 

 such primary importance to carry 

 the laws into prompt and faithful 

 execution, and to render that part 

 of the administration of justice, 

 which the constitution and laws de- 

 volve on the federal courts, as con- 

 venient to the people as may con- 

 sist with their present circumstances, 

 that I cannot omit once more to 

 recommend to your serious consi- 

 deration the judiciary system of the 

 United States. No subject is more 

 interesting than this to the public 

 happiness, and to none can those 

 improvements, which may have 

 been suggested by experience, be 

 more beneficially applied. 



A treaty of amity and commerce 

 with the king of Prussia has been 

 concluded and ratified. The rati- 

 fications have been exchanged, and 

 I have directed the treaty to be 

 promulgated by proclamation. 



The difficulties which suspended 

 the execution of the sixth article of 

 our treaty of amity, commerce, and 



