Date: 1807-10-27
President: Thomas Jefferson

  To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:                  Circumstances, fellow-citizens, which seriously threatened the peace of our   country have made it a duty to convene you at an earlier period than usual.   The love of peace so much cherished in the bosoms of our citizens, which has   so long guided the proceedings of their public councils and induced forbearance   under so many wrongs, may not insure our continuance in the quiet pursuits of   industry. The many injuries and depredations committed on our commerce and navigation   upon the high seas for years past, the successive innovations on those principles   of public law which have been established by the reason and usage of nations   and peace, and all the circumstances which induced the extraordinary mission   to London are already known to you. The instructions given to our ministers   were framed in the sincerest spirit of amity and moderation. They accordingly   proceeded, in conformity therewith, to propose arrangements which might embrace   and settle all the points in difference between us to a mutual understanding   on our neutral and national rights provide for a commercial intercourse on conditions   of some equality. After long and fruitless endeavors to effect the purposes   of their mission and to obtain arrangements within the limits of their instructions,   they concluded to sign such as could be obtained and to send them for consideration,   candidly declaring to the other negotiations at the same time that they were   acting against their instructions, and that their Government, therefore, could   not be pledged for ratification. Some of the articles proposed might have been   admitted on a principle of compromise, but others were too highly disadvantageous,   and no sufficient provision was made against the principle source of the irritations   and collisions which were constantly endangering the peace of the two nations.   The question, therefore, whether a treaty should be accepted in that form could   have admitted but of one decision, even had no declarations of the other party   impaired our confidence in it. Still anxious not to close the door against friendly   adjustment, new modifications were framed and further concessions authorized   than could before have been supposed necessary; and our ministers were instructed   to resume their negotiations on these grounds. On this new reference to amicable   discussion we were reposing in confidence, when on the 22d day of June last   by a formal order from British admiral the frigate Cheapeake, leaving her port   for a distant service, was attacked by one of those vessels which had been lying   in our harbors under the indulgences of hospitality, was disabled from proceeding,   had several of her crew killed and four taken away. On this outrage no commentaries   are necessary. Its character has been pronounced by the indignant voice of our   citizens with an emphasis and unanimity never exceeded. I immediately, by proclamation,   interdicted our harbors and waters to all British armed vessels, forbade intercourse   with them, and uncertain how far hostilities were intended, and the town of   Norfolk, indeed being threatened with immediate attack, a sufficient force was   ordered for the protection of that place, and such other preparations commenced   and pursued as the prospect rendered proper. An armed vessel of the United States   was dispatched with instructions to our ministers at London to call on that   Government for the satisfaction and security required by the outrage. A very   short interval ought now to bring the answer, which shall be communicated to   you as soon as received; then also, or as soon after as the public interests   shall be found to admit; the unratified treaty and proceedings relative to it   shall be made known to you.        The aggression thus begun has been continued on the part of the British commanders   by remaining within our waters in defiance of the authority of the country,   by habitual violations of its jurisdiction, and at length by putting to death   one of the persons whom they had forcibly taken from on board the Chesapeake.   These aggravations necessarily lead to the policy either of never admitting   an armed vessel into our harbors or of maintaining in every harbor such an armed   force as may constrain obedience to the laws and protect the lives and property   of our citizens against their armed guests; but the expense of such a standing   force and its inconsistence with our principles dispense with those courtesies   which would necessarily call for it, and leave us equally free to exclude the   navy, as we are the army, of a foreign power from entering our limits.To former violations of maritime rights another is now added of very extensive   effect. The Government of that nation has issued an order interdicting all trade   by neutrals between ports not in amity with them; and being now at war with   nearly every nation on the Atlantic and Mediterranean seas, our vessels are   required to sacrifice their cargos at the first port they touch or to return   home without the benefit of going to any other market. Under this new law of   the ocean our trade on the Mediterranean has been swept away by seizures and   condemnations, and that in other seas is threatened with the same fate.Our differences with Spain remain still unsettled, no measure having been taken   on her part since my last communications to Congress to bring them to a close.   But under a state of things which may favor reconsideration they have been recently   pressed, and an expectation is entertained that they may now soon be brought   to an issue of some sort. With their subjects on our borders no new collisions   have taken place nor seem immediately to be apprehended. To our former grounds   of complaint has been added a very serious one, as you will see by the decree   a copy of which is now communicated. Whether this decree, which professed to   be conformable to that of the French Government of November 21, 1806, heretofore   communicated to Congress, will also be conformed to that in its construction   and application in relation to the United States had not been ascertained at   the date of our last communications. These, however, gave reason to expect such   a conformity.With the other nations of Europe our harmony has ben uninterrupted, and commerce   and friendly intercourse have been maintained on their usual footing.Our peace with the several states on the coast of Barbary appears as firm as   at any former period and as likely to continue as that of any other nation.Among our Indian neighbors in the northwestern quarter some fermentation was   observed soon after the late occurences, threatening the continuance of our   peace. Messages were said to be interchanged and tokens to be passing, which   usually denote a state of restlessness among them, and the character of the   agitators pointed to the sources of excitement. Measures were immediately taken   for providing against that danger; instructions were given to require explanations,   and, with assurances of our continued friendship, to admonish the tribes to   remain quiet at home, taking no part in quarrels not belonging o them. As far   as we are yet informed, the tribes in our vicinity, who are most advanced in   the pursuits of industry, are sincerely disposed to adhere to their friendship   with us and to their peace with all others, while those more remote do not present   appearances sufficiently quiet to justify the intermission of military precaution   on our part.The great tribes on our southwestern quarter, much advanced beyond the others   in agriculture and household arts, appear tranquil and identifying their views   with ours in proportion to their advancement. With the whole of these people,   in every quarter, I shall continue to inculcate peace and friendship with all   their neighbors and perseverance in those occupations and pursuits which will   best promote their own well-being.The appropriations of the last session for the defense of our seaport towns   and harbors were made under expectation that a continuance of peace would permit   us to proceed in that work according to our convenience. It has been thought   better to apply the sums then given toward the defense of New York, Charleston,   and New Orleans chiefly as most open and most likely first to need protection,   and to leave places less immediately in danger to the provisions of the present   session.The gunboats, too already provided have on a like principle been chiefly assigned   to New York, New Orleans, and the Chesapeake. Whether our movable force on th   e water, so material in aid of the defensive works on the land, should be augmented   in this or any other form is left to the wisdom of the Legislature. For the   purpose of manning these vessels in sudden attacks on our harbors it is a matter   for consideration whether the seamen of the United States may not justly be   formed into a special militia, to be called on for tours of duty in defense   of the harbors where they shall happen to be, the ordinary militia of the place   furnishing that portion which may consist of landsmen.The moment our peace was threatened I deemed it indispensable to secure a greater   provision of those articles of military stores with which our magazines were   not sufficiently furnished. To have awaited a previous and special sanction   by law would have lost occasions which might not be retrieved. I did not hesitate,   therefore to authorize engagements for such supplements to our existing stock   would render it adequate to the emergencies threatening us, and I trust that   the legislature, feeling the same anxiety for the safety of our country, so   materially advanced by this precaution, will approve, when done, what they would   have seen so important to be done if then assembled. Expenses, also unprovided   for, arose out of the necessity of calling all our gunboats into actual service   for the defense of our harbors; of all which accounts will be laid before you.When a regular army is to be raised, and to what extent, must depend on the   information so shortly expected. In the meantime I have called on the States   for quotas of militia, to be in readiness for present defense, and have, moreover,   encouraged the acceptance of volunteers; and I am happy to inform you that these   have offered themselves with great alacrity in every part of the Union. They   are ordered to be organized and ready at a moment's warning to proceed on any   service to which they may be called, and every preparation within the Executive   powers has been made to insure us the benefit of earl exertions.I informed Congress at their last session of the enterprises against the public   peace which were believed to be in preparation by Aaron Burr and his associates,   of the measures taken to defeat them and to bring the offenders to justice.   Their enterprises were happily defeated by the patriotic exertions of the militias   whenever called into action, by the fidelity of the Army, and energy of the   commander in chief in promptly arranging the difficulties presenting themselves   on the Sabine, repairing to meet those arising on the Mississippi , and dissipating   before their explosion plots engendering there. I shall think it my duty to   lay before you the proceedings and the evidence publicly exhibited on the arraignment   of the principle offenders before the circuit court of Virginia. You will be   enabled to judge whether the defect was in the testimony, in the law, or in   the administration of the law; and whenever it shall be found, the Legislation   alone can apply or originate the remedy. The framers of our Constitution certainly   supposed they had guarded as well their Government against destruction by treason   as their citizens against oppression under pretense of it, and if these ends   are not attained it is of importance to inquire by what means more effectual   they may be secured.The accounts of the receipts of revenue during the year ending on the 30th   day of September last being not yet made up, a correct statement will be hereafter   transmitted from the Treasury. In the meantime, it is ascertained that the receipts   have amounted to near $16,000,000which, with the five millions and a half in   the Treasury at the beginning of the year, have enabled us, after meeting the   current demands and interest incurred, to pay more than four millions of the   principle of our funded debt. These payments, with those of the preceding five   and a half years, have extinguished of the funded debt $25,500,000, being the   whole which could be paid or purchased within the limits of the law and of our   contracts, and have left us in the Treasury $8,500,000. A portion of this sum   may be considered as a commencement of accumulation of the surpluses of revenue   which after paying the installments of debt as they shall become payable, will   remain without any specific object. It may partly, indeed, be applied toward   completing the defense of the exposed points of our country, on such a scale   as shall be adapted to our principles and circumstances. This object is doubtless   among the first entitled to attention in such a state of our finances, and it   is one which, whether we have peace or war, will provide security where it is   due. Whether what shall remain of this, with the future surpluses, may be usefully   applied to purposes already authorized or more usefully to others requiring   new authorities, or how otherwise they shall be disposed of, are questions calling   for the notice of Congress, unless, indeed, they shall be superceded by a change   in our public relations now awaiting the determination of others. Whatever be   that determination, it is a great consolation that it will become known at a   moment when the supreme council of the nation is assembled at its post, and   ready to give the aids of its wisdom and authority to whatever course the good   of our country shall then call us to pursue.Matters of minor importance will be the subjects of future communications,   and nothing shall be wanting on my part which may give information or dispatch   to the proceedings of the Legislature in the excercise of their high duties,   and at a moment so interesting to the public welfare.