STATE PAPERS. 



703 



time, to withdraw his orders in 

 council, in the persuasion that the 

 intercourse with Great Britain 

 would be renewed on the part of 

 the United States. 



These steps of theBritish govern- 

 ment ied to the correspondence and 

 the proclamation now laid before 

 you ; by virtue of which, the com- 

 merce between the two countries 

 will be renewable alter the 10th 

 day of Jane next. 



Whilst I take pleasure in doing 

 justice to the councils of his Bri- 

 tannic majesty, which, no longer 

 adhering to the policy which made 

 an abandonment by France, of her 

 decrees, a pre-requisite to a revo- 

 cation of the British orders, have 

 substituted the amicable course 

 which has issued thus happily ; I 

 cannot do less than refer to the 

 proposal heretofore made on the 

 part of the United States, embrac- 

 ing a like restoration of the suspend- 

 ed commerce, as a proof of the 

 spirit of accommodation which has 

 at no time been intermitted, and to 

 the result which now calls for our 

 congratulations as corroborating the 

 principles by which the public coun- 

 cils have been guided during a period 

 of the most trying embarrassments. 



The discontinuance of the Bri- 

 tish orders as they respect the 

 United States, having been thus ar- 

 ranged, a communication of the 

 event has been forwarded, in one 

 of our public vessels, to our mi- 

 nister plenipotentiary at Paris, 

 with instructions to avail himself 

 of the important addition there- 

 by made, to the considerations 

 which press on the justice of the 

 French government a revocation of 

 its decrees, or such a modification of 

 them, as they shall cease to violate 

 the neutral commerce ofthe United 

 States. 



The revision of cur commercial 

 laws, proper to adapt them to the 

 arrangement which has taken place 

 with Great Britain, will doubtlessen- 

 gage the early attention of congress. 

 It will be worthy, at the same time, 

 of their just and provident care, to 

 make such further alterations in the 

 laws, as will more especially protect 

 and foster the several branches of 

 manufacture which have been re- 

 centlyinstituted or extendedby the 

 laudable exertionsof our citizens, i 



It will rest with the judgment 

 of congress to decide how far the 

 change in our external prospects 

 may authorize any modifications of 

 the laws relating to the army and 

 navy establishments. 



The works of defence for our 

 seaport towns and harbours have 

 proceeded with as much activity as 

 the season of the year and other 

 circumstances would admit. It is 

 necessary, however, to state, that 

 the appropriations hitherto made 

 being found to be deficient, a far- 

 ther provision will claim the early 

 consideration of congress. 



The whole of the eight per 

 cent stock remaining due by the 

 United States, amounting to 

 5,300,000 dollars, had been reim- 

 bursed on the last day of the 

 year 1808. And on the first day 

 of April last, the sum in the 

 Treasury exceeded nine and a half 

 millions of dollars. This, together 

 with the receipts of the current 

 year, on account of former revenue 

 bonds, will probably be nearly, if 

 not altogether sufficient, to defray 

 the expenses of the year. But the 

 suspension of exports and the con- 

 sequent decrease of importations, 

 during the last twelve months, will 

 necessarily cause a great diminution 

 in the receipts of 1810. After that 



year, 



