STATE PAPERS. 



711 



meeting, has not yet extended its 

 flames to other nations, nor been 

 marked by the calamities which some- 

 times stain the footsteps of war. 

 The irregularities, too, on the occnn, 

 ■which generally harrass tlie com- 

 merce of neutral natioas, hare, in 

 distant parts, disturbed ours less than 

 on former occasions. But in the 

 American seas they have been great- 

 er, from peculiar causes, and even 

 within our harbours and jurisdic- 

 tion, infringements upon the autho- 

 rity of the laws have been coumiit- 

 ted, which have called for serious 

 attention. The friendly conduct 

 of the governments from whose of- 

 ficers and subjects these acts have 

 proceeded, in other respects, and 

 in places more under their observa- 

 tion and control, gives us confi- 

 dence that our representations on 

 lliis subject w ill have been properly 

 regarded. While noticing the irre- 

 f^ularities committed on the ocean 

 !)y others, those on our own part 

 should not be omitted, nor left un- 

 provided for. Complaints have 

 been received that persons residing 

 within the united states, have taken 

 upon themselves to arm merchant 

 vessels, and to force a commerce into 

 certain ports and countries, in defi- 

 ance of the laws of those countries. 

 That individuals should undertake 

 to wage private war, independenfly 

 of the authority of their country, 

 cannot be permitted in a well order- 

 ed society. Its tendency (o produci; 

 aggression on the laws and rights of 

 other nations, and to cndanger'the 

 peace of our own, is so obvious, 

 that I doubt not you Vvill ado|)t 

 measures for restraining it in future. 

 Soon after the ])assiug of the act of 

 last session, authorising the estab- 

 lishment of a district and j)ort of 

 tntry on tlue waters of the Mobilcj 



we learnt that its object was misun- 

 derstood on the part of Spain, 

 Candid explanations were immedi- 

 ately given, and assurances ;h:it, re- 

 serving our claims in that quarter as 

 a subject of discussion and arrange- 

 ment with Spain, no act wns medi- 

 taifd iii the mean time inconsistent 

 with the peace and friendship ex- 

 isting between the two nations; and. 

 that, conformably to those intbi- 

 tions Mould be the execution of the 

 law. That government had, how- 

 ever, thought proper to suspend the 

 ratification of the convention of 

 ISO'2; but the explanations which 

 AvOuld reach them »oon after, and 

 still more the confirmation of them 

 by the tenor of the instrument, es- 

 tablishing the port and district, may 

 reasonably be expected to replace 

 them in the disposition and views of 

 the whole «'.ibject which originally 

 dictated the convention. 1 have the 

 satisfaction to inform you, that the 

 objections which had been urged by 

 that government against the vali- 

 dity of our title to the country of 

 Louisiana, have been withdrawn : 

 its exact limits, however, remain- 

 ing still to be settled between us. 

 And to this is to be added, that 

 having prepared and delivered the 

 stock created in execution oi' the 

 convention of Paris of April the 

 30th, 1803, in eon^deralion of the 

 cession of lliat country, we have re- 

 ceived from tiie government of 

 France an acknowledgment in due 

 form of the lullilment of that stipu- 

 lation. — ^Vv'ith the nations of Europe 

 in general our friendshi|) and inter- 

 course are undisturbed; and from 

 the governments of the be!!i;;erent 

 powers especially, we continue to 

 receive those friendly manifesta- 

 tions which arc justly due to an ho- 

 nest neutrality, and to such good 

 Z z 4 oi&cci 



