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422 
constitutional authority of his Most 
Christian Majesty, for the bappi- 
ness of his country, and for the 
maintenance of the peace of the 
world, can be crowned with a com- 
plete success, and that France, re- 
established on her ancient bases, 
can resume the place to which she 
is called in the European system. 
The Undersigned have the ho- 
nour to reiterate to his Excellency 
the Duke of Richelieu their high 
consideration. 
(Signed) 
MEeETTERNICH, 
CASTLEREAGH, 
HARDENBERG, 
Capo p’'Istria. 
Paris, Nov. 20. 
Message of American President. 
Washington, Dec. 5. 
This day, at twelve o’clock, the 
President of the United States 
transmitted to both Houses of 
Congress the following Message, 
by Mr. Todd, his Secretary :— 
Fellow Citizens of the Senate, 
and the House of Represen- 
tatives : 
Ihave the satisfaction, on our 
present meeting, of being able to 
communicate to you the successful 
termination of the war, which had 
been commenced against the 
United States by the Regency of 
Algiers. The squadron in advance, 
on that service, under Commodore 
Decatur, lost not a moment, after 
its arrival in the Mediterranean, in 
seeking the naval force of the 
enemy, then cruising in that sea, 
and succeeded in capturing two of 
his ships, one of them the principal 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. 
ship, commanded by the Algerine 
Admiral. The high character of 
the American Commander was 
brilliantly sustained on the occa- 
sion, which brought his own ship 
into close action with that of his 
adversary, as was the accustomed 
gallantry of all the officers and men 
actually engaged. Having pre- 
pared the way by this demonstra- 
tion of American skill and prowess, 
he hastened to the port of Algiers, 
where peace was promptly yielded 
to his victorious force. In the 
terms stipulated, the rights and 
honour of the United States were 
particularly consulted, by a per- 
petual relinquishment, on the part 
of the Dey, of all pretensions to 
tribute from them. The impres- 
sions which have thus been made, 
strengthened as they will have 
been, by subsequent transactions 
with the Regencies of Tunis and 
Tripoli, by the appearance of the 
larger force which followed under 
Commodore Bainbridge, the chief 
in command of the expedition, 
and by the judicious precautionary 
arrangements left by him in that 
quarter, afford a reasonable pros- 
pect of future security for the 
valuable portion of our commerce 
which passes within reach of the 
Barbary cruisers. 
It is another source of satisfac- 
tion that the Treaty of Peace 
with Great Britain has been suc- 
ceeded by a convention on the 
subject of commerce, concluded 
by the Plenipotentiaries of the two 
countries. In this result a dis- 
position is manifested on the part 
of that nation, corresponding with 
the disposition of the United 
States, which, it may be hoped, 
wil! be improved into liberal ar- 
rangements on other subjects, on 
which 
