GENERAL HISTORY. 



[155 



branches of nianufactui e, and by 

 a portion of the navigation of the 

 tountrj'. The first was imputed 

 to an exces? of imported mer- 

 chandize, and it was hinted, that 

 the native mauufucluiing esta- 

 bUshments ought not to be suf- 

 fered to sink too low. The de- 

 cHne in navigation was iis- 

 cribed to the operation of the 

 British navigation laws. The 

 late contention of London had 

 equalized the laws of the two 

 countries with regard tn the in- 

 tercourse bet',\eeii the American 

 ijorts and the British ports in 

 Euiope ; but the British govern- 

 ment liad enforced its regulations, 

 priihibiting a trade between its 

 colonies and the United States in 

 American vessels, whilst it per- 

 mitted a trade carried on in Bri- 

 tish vessels, thus faxouring its 

 own navigation at tlie expense of 

 the American. The reasonable- 

 ness of the rule of recipiocity in 

 one brancli of conimei cial inter- 

 course, as well as in the other, 

 had been urged upon tlie British 

 cabinet, but it had declined en- 

 tering into any negociation on 

 tlie tubject. 



The piesident then stated-, in 

 general, that the T'nited States 

 remained in arnity witii foreign 

 powers. An occurrence, iiow- 

 ever, had lately taken place in 

 the Gulf of Mexico, v\hicii, if 

 sanctioned by the .Spanish go- 

 vernment, might make an excep- 

 tion as to that power. A public 

 armed vessel had been attacked 

 by an overpoweiing force vmoer 

 a Spanish conmiander; and the 

 AmiMican Hag, with the oiViceri 

 and crew, had been in.«ulted in a 

 manner calling for jirornpt repa- 

 ration. This had been demanded; 

 and the Spanish minister in the 



United States had given tlie 

 strongest assurances that no hos- 

 tile order could liave emanated 

 from his government. Diller- 

 ences existing between the Dey 

 of .\lgier> and the government of 

 the United Suites were then no- 

 ticed, the result of which was aa 

 yet unkuov.ji : Ijut reliance w as 

 expressed upon their fleet in the 

 iNleditenancan, to protect their 

 commerce if treated witli hostility 

 by the Algerines. 



The Indian tribes within the 

 limits of the United States were 

 said to be disposed to remain in 

 peace. From sev<,'ral of them 

 purchases of land iiad been made, 

 favourable to the security of the 

 frontier settlements ; and in some 

 instances, where the titles of the 

 natix e tribes were dubious, their 

 elaims had been extinguished by 

 double purchase, ratlicr tlian en- 

 tering into contests, and employ- 

 ing force against a feeble people. 



Among the objects of nation.il 

 impi'ovement lecommended to the 

 consideration of Congress were 

 the re-organization of the militia 

 upon a more efis-ctnal plan, the 

 establishing of an uniformity oi 

 weiglits and measures, the fpnnd- 

 ini; of an unixersity witliin the 

 goxernmeut tenitoiy, and a re- 

 visal of liie criminal code. 



Witii respect to the finances of 

 the state, it was mentioned as a 

 subject of great gratification to 

 Hud that even in tlie short period 

 since the return of peace, the re- 

 venue had far excoeiU'd all the 

 current demaii'ls upon the trea- 

 sury, and that it will afford an 

 aii.i>le fund for the early extin- 

 guishment of th:.' piiiilic debt. 

 Some particulars wcie entered 

 into relative to thi« topic ; and the 

 ordinary annual evpenses of go- 

 vernment 



