Date: 1790-12-08
President: George Washington

 Fellow citizens of the Senate and House of Representatives: In   meeting you again I feel much satisfaction in being able to repeat my congratulations   on the favorable prospects which continue to distinguish our public Affairs.   The abundant fruits of another year have blessed our Country with plenty, and   with the means of a flourishing commerce. The progress of public credit is witnessed   by a considerable rise of American Stock abroad as well as at home. And the   revenues allotted for this and other national purposes, have been productive   beyond the calculations by which they were regulated. This latter circumstance   is the more pleasing as it is not only a proof of the fertility of our resources,   but as it assures us of a further increase of the national respectability and   credit; and let me add, as it bears an honorable testimony to the patriotism   and integrity of the mercantile and marine part of our Citizens. The punctuality   of the former in discharging their engagements has been exemplary.  In conforming to the powers vested in me by acts of the last Session, a loan   of three millions of florins, towards which some provisional measures had previously   taken place, has been completed in Holland. As well the celerity with which   it has been filled, as the nature of the terms, (considering the more than ordinary   demand for borrowing created by the situation of Europe) gives a reasonable   hope that the further execution of those powers may proceed with advantage and   success. The Secretary of the Treasury has my directions to communicate such   further particulars as may be requisite for more precise information.  Since your last Sessions, I have received communications by which it appears,   that the District of Kentucky, at present a part of Virginia, has concurred   in certain propositions contained in a law of that State; in consequence of   which the District is to become a distinct member of the Union, in case the   requisite sanction of Congress be added. For this sanction application is now   made. I shall cause the papers on this very important transaction to be laid   before you. The liberality and harmony, with which it has been conducted will   be found to do great honor to both the parties; and the sentiments of warm attachment   to the Union and its present Government expressed by our fellow citizens of   Kentucky cannot fail to add an affectionate concern for their particular welfare   to the great national impressions under which you will decide on the case submitted   to you.  It has been heretofore known to Congress, that frequent incursions have been   made on our frontier settlements by certain banditti of Indians from the North   West side of the Ohio. These with some of the tribes dwelling on and near the   Wabash have of late been particularly active in their depredations; and being   emboldened by the impunity of their crimes, and aided by such parts of the neighboring   tribes as could be seduced to join in their hostilities or afford them a retreat   for their prisoners and plunder, they have, instead of listening to the humane   overtures92 made on the part of the United States, renewed their violences with   fresh alacrity and greater effect. The lives of a number of valuable Citizens   have thus been sacrificed, and some of them under circumstances peculiarly shocking;   whilst others have been carried into a deplorable captivity.   These aggravated provocations rendered it essential to the safety of the Western   Settlements that the aggressors should be made sensible that the Government   of the Union is not less capable of punishing their crimes, than it is disposed   to respect their rights and reward their attachments. As this object could not   be effected by defensive measures it became necessary to put in force the Act,   which empowers the President to call out the Militia for the protection of the   frontiers. And I have accordingly authorized an expedition in which the regular   troops in that quarter are combined with such drafts of Militia as were deemed   sufficient. The event of the measure is yet unknown to me. The Secretary of   war is directed to lay before you a statement of the information on which it   is founded, as well as an estimate of the expence with which it will be attended.  The disturbed situation of Europe, and particularly the critical posture of   the great maritime powers, whilst it ought to make us more thankful for the   general peace and security enjoyed by the United States, reminds us at the same   time of the circumspection with which it becomes us to preserve these blessings.   It requires also that we should not overlook the tendency of a war and even   of preparations for a war, among the Nations most concerned in active Commerce   with this Country, to abridge the means, and thereby at least enhance the price   of transporting its valuable productions to their proper markets. I recommend   it to your serious reflexion how far and in what mode, it may be expedient to   guard against embarrassments from these contingencies, by such encouragements   to our own Navigation as will render our commerce and agriculture less dependent   on foreign bottoms, which may fail us in the very moments most interesting to   both of these great objects. Our fisheries, and the transportation of our own   produce offer us abundant means for guarding ourselves against this evil.  Your attention seems to be not less due to that particular branch of our trade   which belongs to the Mediterranean. So many circumstances unite in rendering   the present state of it distressful to us, that you will not think any deliberations   misemployed, which may lead to its relief and protection.  The laws you have already passed for the establishment of a Judiciary System   have opened the doors of Justice to all descriptions of persons. You will consider   in your wisdom, whether improvements in that system may yet be made; and particularly   whether a uniform process of execution on sentences issuing, from the federal   Courts be not desireable through all the states.  The patronage of our commerce, of our merchants and Seamen, has called for   the appointment of Consuls in foreign Countries. It seems expedient to regulate   by law the exercise of that Jurisdiction and those functions which are permitted   them, either by express Convention, or by a friendly indulgence in the places   of their residence. The Consular Convention too with his most Christian Majesty   has stipulated in certain cases, the aid of the national authority to his Consuls   established here. Some legislative provision is requisite to carry these stipulations   into full effect.  The establishment of the Militia; of a mint; of Standards of weights and measures;   of the Post Office and Post Roads are subjects which (I presume) you will resume   of course, and which are abundantly urged by their own importance.  Gentlemen of the House of Representatives: The sufficiency of the Revenues   you have established for the objects to which they are appropriated, leaves   no doubt that the residuary provisions will be commensurate to the other objects   for which the public faith stands now pledged. Allow me, moreover, to hope that   it will be a favorite policy with you not merely to secure a payment of the   Interest of the debt funded, but, as far and as fast as [the] growing resources   of the Country will permit, to exonerate it of the principal itself. The appropriation   you have made of the Western Lands explains your dispositions on this subject:   And I am persuaded the sooner that valuable fund can be made to contribute along   with other means to the actual reduction of the public debt, the more salutary   will the measure be to every public interest, as well as the more satisfactory   to our Constituents.  Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives: In pursuing the various   and weighty business of the present Session I indulge the fullest persuasion   that your consultations will be equally marked with wisdom, and animated by   the love of your Country. In whatever belongs to my duty, you shall have all   the cooperation which an undiminished zeal for its welfare can inspire. It will   be happy for us both, and our best reward, if by a successful administration   of our respective trusts we can make the established Government more and more   instrumental in promoting the good of our fellow Citizens, and more and more   the object of their attachment and confidence.