The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States, Ninth Congress, Second Session Page: 11
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11
HISTORY OF CONGRESS.
12
Senate.
President's Annual Message.
December, 1806.
Tuesday, December 2.
Samuel Smith, from the State of Maryland,
and Bdckner Thruston, from the State of Ken-
tucky, attended.
Resolved, That James Mathers, Sergeant-at-
Arms and Doorkeeper to the Senate, be, and
he is hereby authorized to employ one assistant
and two horses, for the purpose of performing
such services as are usually required by the Door-
keeper to the Senate; and that the sum of twen-
ty-eight dollars be allowed him weekly for that
purpose, to commence with, and remain during
the session, and for twenty days after.
ANNUAL MESSAGE.
The following Message was received from the
President op the United States : *
To the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States .•
It would have given me, fellow-citizens, great satis-
faction to announce, in the moment of your meeting,
that the difficulties in our foreign relations, existing at
the time of your last separation, had been amicably and
justly terminated. I lost no time in taking those mea-
sures which were most likely to bring them to such a
termination, by special missions, charged with such
powers and instructions as, in the event of failure, could
leave no imputation on either our moderation or for-
bearance. The delays which have since taken place
in our negotiations with the British Government ap-
pear to have proceeded from causes which do not forbid
the expectation that, during the course of the session,
1 may be enabled to lay before you their final issue.
Jvsr'J1' ■ , °f f'le negotiations for settling our
ft th! W1t u pai"' notllinS which had taken place
nnnnL n i despatches enables us to pro-
?n 'he western side of the Mississippi she
settlement. C2.n erak'c force, and took posfat the
settlement of Bayou Pierre, on the Red river. This
village was origmally settled by France, was held by
her as long as she held Louisiana, and was delivered to
Spam only as a part of Louisiana.'. Being smalt i„Su-
If rp ^r tanp 11 W3S not observed> at the moment
of re-delivery to France and the United States, that she
continued a guard of half a dozen men, which had been
stationed there. A proposition, however, having been
thl sJhin y °Ur Commander-in-Chief, to assume
the Sabine river as a temporary line of separation be-
tween the troops of the two nations until the issue of
r,r|0t,atlr be known> this has been referred
by the Spanish commandant to his superior, and in the
I™,. WIthdrawn h;s force to the western
"Ver- The despondence on this
?XCfh'"ow co®n™nieated, will exhibit more particu-
larly the present state of things in that quarter.
tW .n ? re ?f that country requires indispensably
"} proportion of the force employed there
fm ? y0r counted infantry, In order, there-
act °fficcr might be enaMed (0
n f' authorized him to call on the Gov-
h°f f Orleans and Mississippi for a corps of five
ment hp 7 r cavalry. The temporary arrange-
cessarv nZ'Pr™P?sed may PerhaPs render this unne-
™ZnL,, il lm/0U' with Sreat Pleasure, of the
tnrZ hi tWli WPlch e inhabitants of those Terri-
S h i 5 thT SCTvices in defeace of
,h. °7,, " has done honor to themselves, entitled
them to the confidence of their fellow-citizens in every
part of the Union, and must strengthen the general de-
termination to protect them efficaciously under all cir-
cumstances which may occur.
Having received information that, in another part of
the United States, a great number of private individu-
als were combining together, arming and organizing
themselves contrary to law, to carry on a military ex-
pedition against the territories of Spain, I thought it
necessary, by proclamation, as well as by special or-
ders, to take measures for preventing and suppressing
this enterprise, for seizing the vessels, arms, and other
means provided for it, and for arresting and bringing
to justice its authors and abettors. It was due to that
good faith which ought ever to be the rule of action in
public as well as in private transactions, it was due to
good order and regular government that, while the pub-
lic force was acting strictly on the defensive, and mere-
ly to protect our citizens from aggression, the criminal
attempts of private individuals to decide, for their coun-
try, the question of peace or war, by commencing ac-
tive aad unauthorized hostilities, should be promptly
and efficaciously suppressed.
Whether it will be necessary to enlarge our regular
force will depend on the result of our negotiations with
Spain; but, as it is uncertain when that result will be
known, the provisional measures requisite for that, and
to meet any pressure intervening in that quarter, will
be a subject for your early consideration.
The possession of both banks of the Mississippi re-
ducing to a single point the defence of that river, its
waters, and the country adjacent, it becomes highly
necessary to provide, for that point, a more adequate
security. Some position above its mouth, commanding
the passage of the river, should be rendered sufficiently
strong to cover the armed vessels which may be sta-
tioned there for defence; and, in conjunction With them,
to present an insuperable obstacle to any force attempt-
ing to pass. The approaches to the city of New Or-
leans, from the eastern quarter also, will require to be
examined, and more effectually guarded. For the in-
ternal support of the country, the encouragement of a
strong settlement on the western side of the Mississippi,
within reach of New Orleans, will be worthy the con-
sideration of the Legislature.
The gunboats authorized by an act of the last session
are so advanced that they will be ready for service in
the ensuing Spring. Circumstances permitted us to
allow the time necessary for their more solid con-
struction. As a, much larger number will still be
wanting to. place our seaport towns and waters in that
state of defence to which we are competent, and they
entitled, a similar appropriation for a further provision
for them is recommended for the ensuing year.
A further appropriation will also be necessary for re-
pairing fortifications already established, and the erec-
tion of such other works as may have real effect in ob-
structing the approach of an enemy to our seaport
towns, or their remaining before them.
In a country whose Constitution is derived from the
will of the people, directly expressed by their free suf-
frages, where the principal Executive functionaries,
and those of the Legislature, are renewed by them at
short periods, where, under the character of jurors, they
exercise m person the greatest portion of the Judiciary
powers, where the laws are consequently so formed
and administered as to bear with equal weight and
favor on all, restraining no man in the pursuits of hon-
est industry, and securing to every one the property
which that acquires, it would not be supposed that any
safeguards could be needed against insurrection, or en-
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Gales and Seaton. The Debates and Proceedings in the Congress of the United States, Ninth Congress, Second Session, book, 1852; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc30343/m1/4/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.