31From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 23 December 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
The Governor and presiding judge of the territory of Michigan have made a report to me of the state of that territory. several matters in which being within the reach of the legislative authority only, I lay the report before Congress. DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
32From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 6 February 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I lay before Congress the laws for the government of Louisiana passed by the Governor & judges of the Indiana territory at their session at Vincennes begun on the 1st. of October 1804. DNA : RG 46—Records of the U.S. Senate.
33From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 11 February 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I transmit to both houses of Congress the laws adapted by the government and judges of the territory of Michigan from the 1st. day of July 1806. to the 1st. day of January of the present year. DNA : RG 233—LRHR—Legislative Records of the House of Representatives.
34From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 17 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I have heretofore communicated to Congress the decrees of the government of France of November 21. 1806. and of Spain of Feb. 19. 1807. with the orders of the British government of January & November 1807. I now transmit a decree of the emperor of France of Dec. 17. 1807. and a Similar decree of the 3d. of January last of his Catholic majesty: with the letter of our Charge des affaires at...
35From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 26 January 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I recieved from Genl. Wilkinson, on the 23d. inst. his affidavit charging Samuel Swartwout, Peter V. Ogden, and James Alexander with the crimes described in the affidavit, a copy of which is now communicated to both houses of Congress. It was announced to me at the same time that Swartwout & Bollman, two of the persons apprehended by him, were arrived in this city, in custody each of a...
36From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 30 December 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
At the request of the Governor, the Senate & House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Pensylvania, I communicate certain resolutions entered into by the said Senate & House of Representatives, & approved by the Governor on the 23d. instant. It cannot but be encouraging to those whom the nation has placed in the direction of their affairs, to see that their fellow citizens will press...
37From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 22 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
At the opening of the present session I informed the legislature that the measures which had been taken with the government of Great Britain for the settlement of our Neutral and National rights and of the conditions of commercial intercourse with that nation, had resulted in articles of a treaty which could not be acceded to on our part; that instructions had been consequently sent to our...
38From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 6 February 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Since the date of my message of January 17th. a letter of the 26th. of November has been recieved from the Minister Plenipotentiary of the US. at London, covering one from the Secretary for foreign affairs of that government, which, being on the subject of that message, is now transmitted for the information of Congress although nothing forbids the substance of these letters from being...
39From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 28 January 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
By the letters of Capt Bissel who commands at Fort Massac, and of mr Murrell, to General Jackson of Tennissee, copies of which are now communicated to Congress, it will be seen that Aaron Burr past Fort Massac on the 31st. of December, with about ten boats navigated by about six hands each, without any military appearance; and that three boats with ammunition were said to have been arrested by...
40From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 17 December 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
The communications now made, shewing the great & increasing dangers with which our vessels, our seamen and merchandize are threatened, on the high seas & elsewhere, from the belligerent powers of Europe, and it being of the greatest importance to keep in safety these essential resources, I deem it my duty to recommend the subject to the consideration of Congress, who will doubtless percieve...
41From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 7 December 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Having recently recieved from our late Minister Plenipotentiary at the court of London a duplicate of dispatches, the original of which has been sent by the Revenge schooner not yet arrived, I hasten to lay them before both houses of Congress. they contain the whole of what has passed between the two governments on the subject of the outrage committed by the British ship Leopard on the frigate...
42From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 9 February 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I communicate to Congress, for their information, a letter from the person acting in the absence of our Consul at Naples, giving reason to believe, on the affidavit of a Capt. Sheffield of the American schooner Mary Ann, that the Dey of Algiers has commenced war against the United States. for this no just cause has been given on our part, within my knolege. we may daily expect more authentic &...
43From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 17 January 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
In my message to both houses of Congress at the opening of their present session, I submitted to their attention, among other subjects, the oppression of our commerce & navigation by the irregular practices of armed vessels public & private, & by the introduction of new principles, derogatory of the rights of Neutrals, & unacknoleged by the usage of nations. The memorials of several bodies of...
44From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 3 December 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the satisfaction to inform you that the negociation depending between the US. and the government of Great Britain is proceeding in a spirit of friendship & accomodation which promises a result of mutual advantage. delays indeed have taken place occasioned by the long illness, and subsequent death of the British minister charged with that duty. but the Commissioners appointed by that...
45From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 25 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
In proceeding to carry into exn the act &c. it is found that the sites most advantageous for the defence of our harbours & rivers, and sometimes the only sites competent to that defence, are in some cases the property of minors (incapable of giving a valid consent to their alienation), in others belong to persons who on no terms will alienate, and in others the proprietors demand such...
46From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 26 February 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose for the information of Congress, letters recently recieved from our ministers at Paris & London, communicating their representations against the late decrees & orders of France and Great Britain, heretofore transmitted to Congress. these documents will contribute to the information of Congress as to the dispositions of those powers, & the probable course of their proceedings towards...
47From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 3 February 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
In the course of the last year the following treaties and conventions for the extinguishment of Indian title to lands within our limits, were entered into on behalf of the United states. A treaty between the US. & the Wyandot, Ottawa, Chippawa, Munsee & Delaware, Shawanee and Poutewatamy nations of Indians. A treaty between the US. & the Agents of the Connecticut land companies on one part &...
48From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 30 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my messages of the 22d. instant letters have been recieved from our Ministers at Paris & London, extracts from which, with a letter to Genl. Armstrong from the french minister of foreign relations, & a letter from the British Envoy residing here, to the Secretary of State, I now communicate to Congress. They add to the materials for estimating the dispositions of those Governments...
49From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 22 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
In a separate message of this date I have communicated to Congress so much as may be made public of papers which give a full view of the present state of our relations with the two contending powers of France & England. every one must be sensible that in the details of instructions for negociating a treaty, and in the correspondence & conferences respecting it, matters will occur which...
50From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 30 December 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I lay before the legislature a letter from Governour Claiborne, on the subject of a small tribe of Alibama Indians, on the Western side of the Missisipi, consisting of about a dozen families. like other erratic tribes in that country, it is understood that they have hitherto moved from place to place according to their convenience, without appropriating to themselves exclusively any particular...
51From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 22 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose two messages, the one public, the other confidential, with their respective documents under separate covers. those of the Confidential message consist only of such passages or articles as, being improper for publication, have been stricken out of the papers of the other. it is probable therefore that both may be better understood by being read alternately, taking up each separate...
52From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 19 February 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
In pursuance of a measure proposed to Congress by a message of Jan. 18. 1803. and sanctioned by their appropriation for carrying it into execution, Capt Meriwether Lewis of the 1st. regiment of infantry was appointed, with a party of men, to explore the river Missouri, from it’s mouth to it’s source, &, crossing the highlands by the shortest portage, to seek the best water communication thence...
53From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 19 February 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I transmit to Congress a letter from our Ministers Plenipotentiary at London, informing us that they have agreed with the British Commissioners to conclude a treaty on all the points which had formed the object of their negociation, & on terms which they trusted we would approve. Also a letter from our Minister Plenipotentiary at Paris, covering one to him from the Minister of Marine of that...
54From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 19 March 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
It was reasonably expected that while the limits between the territories of the US. and of Spain were unsettled, neither party would have innovated on the existing state of their respective positions. some time since however, we learnt that the Spanish authorities were advancing into the disputed country, to occupy new posts & make new settlements. unwilling to take any measure which might...
55From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 2 April 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
Believing that the confidence & union of our fellow citizens at the present crisis will be still further confirmed by the publication of the letter of mr Champagny to Genl. Armstrong and that of mr Erskine to the Secretary of State, communicated with my message of the 30th. Ult. and therefore that it may be useful to except them from the confidential character of the other documents...
56From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 18 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
The scale on which the military academy at West point was originally established is become too limited to furnish the number of well instructed subjects in the different branches of artillery and engineering, which the public service calls for. the want of such characters is already sensibly felt, and will be increased with the enlargement of our plans of military preparation. the Chief...
57From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 6 January 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I now lay before Congress a statement of the works of defence which it has been thought necessary to provide in the first instance for the security of our seaport towns & harbours, & of the progress towards their completion. their extent has been adapted to the scale of the appropriation, & to the circumstances of the several places. The works undertaken at New York are calculated to annoy and...
58From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 11 April 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I now lay before Congress a statement of the militia of the United States, according to the returns last recieved from the several states & territories. it will be percieved that some of these are not of recent dates, & that from the states of Maryland & Delaware no returns are stated. as far as appears from our records, none were ever rendered from either of these states. from the territories...
59From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 15 January 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I now render to Congress the account of the grant of twenty thousand dollars for the Contingent charges of government, by an Act making appropriations for the support of government for the year 1805. of that sum, nineteen hundred & eighty seven dollars, fifty cents have been necessarily applied to the support of the territorial governments of Michigan & Louisiana, until an opportunity could...
60From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 8 January 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I now render to Congress the Account of the fund established for defraying the Contingent expences of government for the year 1807. of the sum of 18,012. Dollars 50. cents which remained unexpended at the close of the year 1806, 8736. Dollars 11. cents have been placed in the hands of the Attorney General of the US. to enable him to defray sundry expences incident to the prosecution of Aaron...