594 Stale of Public Jf'airs in Becemher. 
States being given to understanii, that, in the 
meart time, a continuance of their non-im- 
pcvtation act would lead to measures of re¬ 
taliation. 
At a later date, it has Indeed appeared, 
that 3 communication to the British Govern- 
mertt of fresh evidence of the repeal of the 
French decrees against our neutral trade, was 
frllowed by an intimation, that it had been 
transmitted to the British Plenipotentiary 
here, in order that it might receive full con¬ 
sideration in the depending discussions. This 
ecmmunication appears not to have been re¬ 
ceived, but the transmission of it hither, in- 
ste.id of founding on it an actual repeal of the 
drders, or assurances that the repeal would 
■ensue, v.’ill not permit us to rely on any ef¬ 
fective change in the British Cabinet. To 
be ready to meet with cordiality satisfactory 
proofs of such a change, and to proceed, in 
'the mean time, in adapting our measures to 
the views which have been disclosed through 
that minister, will best consult our whole 
duty. 
In the unfriendly spirit of those dis.losures, 
indemnity and redress fur other wrongs have 
continued to be withheld, and our coasts, and 
the mouths of our harbors have again wit¬ 
nessed scenes, not less derogatory to the 
dearest of our national rights, than vexatious 
to the regular course of our trade. 
Among the occurrences produced by the 
conduct of British ships of war hovering on 
our coasts, was an encounter between one of 
them and the American frigate, commanded 
by Captain Rodgrrs, rendered anavoftlable on 
me p>art of the latter, by a dre, commenced 
without cause, by the former ; whose com¬ 
mander is, there.oie, alone chargeable with 
the blood unfortu.nately shed in maintaining 
the honor of the American flag. Tlie pro¬ 
ceedings of a Court of Inquiry, requested by 
Captain Rodgers, are communicated ; toge¬ 
ther witl) the correspondence relating to the 
occurre.nce, between the Secretary of State, 
and his Britannic Majesty’s Envoy. To 
these are added, the several correspondences 
which have passed on the subject of the Bri¬ 
tish Orders in Council, and to both the cor¬ 
respondences relating to the Flcridas, in which 
Congress will be made acquainted with the. 
interpretation which the governrrient of Great 
Britain has thought proper to make against 
- the proceedings of the United States. 
1 he justice and fairness which have been 
evinced on the part of the United States to¬ 
wards France, both before and since the re¬ 
vocation of her decrees, authorised an ex¬ 
pectation that her governrr.enC would have 
followed up that measure by all such o'thers 
as were due to cur reasonable claims, as well 
as dictated by its anricable professions.* No 
proof, however, is yet given of an intention 
to ‘itpair the other wrongs'done to the Uni¬ 
ted States j and particularly to restore the 
great amount of American property seized 
apd condemned under ecicts, which, Chough 
[Jan, 7, 
not affecting our neutral relations, and, there¬ 
fore, not entering into questions between the 
United States and other belligerents, were, 
nevertheless, founded on such ujijust princi¬ 
ples, that the reparation ought to have been 
prompt and ample. 
In addition to this, and other demands of 
strict light, on that nation, the United 
States bave^much reason to be dissatisfied 
with the rigorous and unexpected restrictions, 
to which their trade with the French domi¬ 
nions has been subjected ; and which, if not 
discontinued, w'ill require at least correspond¬ 
ing restrictions on importations from France 
into the United States. 
Oil ail these subjects, our mi.nister pleni¬ 
potentiary lately sent to Paris, has carried 
with him the necessary instructions, the re¬ 
sult of which, will be communicated to youj 
and, by ascertaining the ulterior policy of the 
French government towards the United 
States, W'ill enable you to adapt to it that of 
the Ignited States towards France. 
Our other foreign relations remain without 
unfavorable changes. With Russia, they 
are on the best footing of friendship. The 
ports of Sweden have afforded proofs of friendly 
dispositions cowards our commerce, in the 
councils of that nation also. And the inform¬ 
ation from our Special Minister to Denmark, 
shews that the mission had been attended 
with valuable effects to our citizens, whose 
property liad been so extensively violated and 
endcingered by cruizers under the Danish 
flag. 
Under the ominous indications which com- 
nianoed atCenlio-n, it became a duty, to ex¬ 
ert the means committed to the executive 
deparcmeiic, in providing for the general se¬ 
curity. The works of defence on our mari¬ 
time frontier have accordingly been prose¬ 
cuted With an activity leaving little to be 
added tor the completion of the most impor¬ 
tant ones; and, as particularly suited for co¬ 
operation in emergencies, a portion of the 
gun-boats have, in particular harbors, been 
ordered into use. Tlie ships of war before in 
commission, with the addition of a frigate, 
have been chiefly employed as a cruising 
guard to the rights of our coast. And such 
a disposition has been made of our land 
forces, as w^as thought to promise the services 
most apprepriute and important —In this dis¬ 
position is included a force, consisting of legu- 
lars and miiitia, embodied in the IncHaa 
Territory, and marched towards our North 
Western frontier. This measure was made 
requisite by several murders and depredations 
committed by Indians; but more especially 
by- the menacing preparations and aspect of a 
Combination of them on the Wabash, under 
the influence and direction of a fanatic of the 
Shavanese tribe. With these exception.?, 
the Indian tribes retain their peaceable dis¬ 
positions towards us, and their usual pur¬ 
suits. 
I must hQ\v periudis arrived^ 
vvhich 
