430 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1812. 



be worthy the eiihghtened and 

 patriotic councils of a virtuous, a 

 free and a powerful nation. 



Having presented this view of 

 the relations of the United States 

 with Great Britain, and of the 

 solemn alternative growing out of 

 them, I proceed to remark, that 

 the communications last made to 

 Congress on the subject of our re- 

 lations with France, will have 

 shewn, that since the revocation of 

 her decrees, as they violated the 

 neutral rights of the United States, 

 her government has authorised 

 illegal captures by its privateers 

 and public ships ; and that other 

 outrages have been practised on 

 our vessels and our citizens. It 

 will have been seen, also, that no 

 indemnity had been provided, or 

 satisfactorily pledged, for tl)e ex- 

 tensive spoliations committed un- 

 der the violent and retrospective 

 order of the French government 

 against the property of our citizens 

 seized within the jurisdiction of 

 France. 



I abstain at this time from re- 

 commending to the consideration 

 of Congress definitive measures 

 with respect to that nation, in the 

 expectation, that the result of the 

 inclosed discussions between our 

 minister plenipotentiary at Paris, 

 and the French government, will 

 speedily enable Congress to decide 

 with greater advantage, on the 

 course due to the rights, the in- 

 terests, the honour of our country. 

 Jamks Madison. 



Washington. June 1, 1812. 



j4n Act, declaring War between the 

 United Kingdom of Great Bri- 

 tain and Ireland, and the Depen- 

 dencies thereof, and the United 



States of America, and thein 



Territories, 



" Be it enacted, by the Senate 

 and House of Representatives of 

 the United States of America, in 

 Congress assembled, that war be, 

 and the same is hereby declared to 

 exist between the United Kingdom 

 of Great Britain and Ireland, and 

 the dependencies thereof, and the 

 United States of America and their 

 territories; and that the President 

 of the United States be, and is 

 hereby authorised, to use the whole 

 land and naval forces of the United 

 States, to carry the same into 

 effect ; and to issue toprivatearmed 

 vessels of the United States, com- 

 missions or letters of marque and 

 general reprisal, in such form as 

 he shall think proper, and under 

 the seal of the United States, 

 against the vessels, goods, and 

 effects of the government of the 

 said United Kingdom of Great 

 Britain and Ireland, and the sub- 

 jects thereof. 



" James Madison." 

 "June 18, 1812.— Approved." , 



Treaty of Friendship and Alliance 

 between Spain and Russia. 



His Catholic Majesty Don Fer- 

 dinand VII. King of Spain and the 

 Indies, and his Imperial Majesty 

 the Emperor of all the Russias, 

 equally animated with the desire 

 of establishing and strengthening 

 the ancient relations of friendship 

 which have existed between their 

 Monarchies, have nominated for 

 that purpose, to wit, on the part of 

 his Catholic Majesty, and in his 

 name and authority the Regency of 

 Spain, residing in Cadiz, Don Fran- 

 cisco 



