The vice President of the United States and President of the Senate, the Chief Justice, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury and the Attorney General respectfully report to Congress as follows: That pursuant to the act entitled “An Act making provision for the reduction of the Public Debt” and in conformity to resolutions agreed upon by them and severally approved by the...
92From John Adams to United States Congress, 13 December 1797 (Adams Papers)
I lay before you the Copy of a letter from the Judges of the Supreme Court of the United States, representing the inconvenience arising from altering the time of holding the Circuit Court for the State of Delaware, from April to June; and desiring that the existing law may be altered, by restoring the Spring-Session of the Circuit Court in Delaware to the 27th of April. DNA : RG 46—Records of...
93From John Adams to United States Congress, 3 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
In compliance with the request of the House of Representatives, expressed in their resolution of the second of this Month, I transmit to both Houses, those instructions to and dispatches from, the Envoys Extraordinary of the United States to the French Republic which were mentioned in my message of the nineteenth of March last, omitting only some names, and a few expressions descriptive of the...
94From James Madison to United States Congress, 5 February 1808 (Madison Papers)
The Commissioners of the Sinking Fund respectfully report to Congress as follows: That the measures which have been authorized by the Board, subsequent to their report of the 5th of February, 1807, so far as the same have been completed, are fully detailed in the report of the Secretary of the Treasury to this Board, dated the fourth day of the present month, and in the statements therein...
95From 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...
96From 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...
The Vice President of the United States and President of the Senate, The Chief Justice, The Secretary of State, The Secretary of the Treasury and The Attorney General respectfully report to The Congress as follows— That pursuant to the Act intitled An Act making provision for the reduction of the Public Debt and in conformity to Resolutions agreed upon by them and severally approved by the...
98From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 17 January 1809 (Madison Papers)
I communicate to Congs. certain letters which passed between the B. Secy. of State Mr. Canning, and Mr. P. our Minister Plenipoty. at London. When the Documents concerning the relations between the U. S. & G. B. were laid before Congs. at the Commencement of the Session, the answer of Mr. P: to the letter of Mr. Canning, had not been received; and a communication of the latter alone, would...
99From 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...
100From 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...
101From John Adams to United States Congress, 12 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
I have received information from the Commissioner appointed on the part of the United States, pursuant to the third Article of our Treaty with Spain, that the running and marking of the boundary Line, between the Colonies of East and West Florida, and the Territory of the United States, have been delayed by the Officers of his Catholic Majesty; and that they have declared their intention to...
102From 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...
103From John Adams to United States Congress, 6 January 1800 (Adams Papers)
In compliance with the request in one of the resolutions of Congress, of the 21st of December last, I transmitted a copy of those resolutions by my Secretary, Mr. Shaw, to Mrs. Washington, assuring her of the profound respect Congress will ever bear to her person and character, of their condolence in the late afflicting dispensation of Providence, and entreating her assent to the interment of...
104From 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...
105From Commissioners of the Sinking Fund to United States Congress, 18 December 1795 (Adams Papers)
The Commissioners of the Sinking Fund Respectfully report to Congress, as follows. That pursuant to the Act entitled “An Act supplementary to the Act making provision for the debt of the United States” and in conformity to Resolutions agreed upon by them and severally approved, by the President of the United States they have caused purchases of the said debt to be made through the Agency of...
106From 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...
107From 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...
108From 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...
109From 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...
110From George Washington to United States Congress, 23 December 1783 (Washington Papers)
The great events on which my resignation depended having at length taken place; I have now the honor of offering my sincere Congratulations to Congress & of presenting myself before them to surrender into their hands the trust committed to me, and to claim the indulgence of retiring from the Service of my Country. Happy in the confirmation of our Independence and Sovereignty, and pleased with...
111From James Madison to United States Congress, 1 January 1808 (Madison Papers)
In pursuance of the Act of Congress entitled "An act to regulate and fix the compensation of Clerks &c. the Secretary of State, has the honor to submit to Congress the annexed list of persons employed in his office, during the Year 1807, and to report that the business of the Department generally is in a state of progressive increase: hence it has been found impracticable to bestow that prompt...
112From John Adams to United States Congress, 30 December 1797 (Adams Papers)
In complyance with the desire of the two Houses of Congress, expressed in their resolution of the Second day of March, one thousand seven hundred and ninety Seven, that some speedy and effectual means might be adopted of obtaining information, from the States of Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Tenessee, and South Carolina, whether they have ratified the...
113From 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...
114From 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...
115From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 25 February 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
The dangers to our country arising from the contests of other nations, and the urgency of making preparation for whatever events might affect our relations with them, have been intimated in preceding messages to Congress. to secure ourselves by due precautions, an augmentation of our military force, as well regular, as of volunteer militia, seems to be expedient. the precise extent of that...
116From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 7 March 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
In the city of New Orleans, & adjacent to it are sundry parcels of ground, some of them with buildings & other improvements on them, which it is my duty to present to the attention of the legislature. the title to these grounds appears to have been retained in the former sovereigns of the province of Louisiana, as public fiduciaries, & for the purposes of the province. some of them were used...
117From John Adams to United States Congress, 25 January 1797 (Adams Papers)
The Commissioners of the Sinking Fund respectfully Report to Congress as follow. That in pursuance of the powers committed to them by the Act entitled “An Act making provision for the payment of Certain debts of the United States” passed in the last session of Congress, they have authorized Sales of a part of the Capital Stock of the Bank of the United States, belonging to the United States,...
118From John Adams to United States Congress, 23 June 1797 (Adams Papers)
It appears that the Dey of Algiers has manifested a predilection for American built vessels, and in consequence has desired that two vessels might be constructed and equipped as cruisers, “according to the choice and taste of captain O’Brien.” But instead of two brigs, Captain O’Brien thinks it will be most eligible to build one brig of twenty guns, and a schooner of about sixteen guns. The...
119From John Adams to United States Congress, 23 February 1798 (Adams Papers)
The inclosed memorial from the commissioners appointed under an act of the United States entitled “An act for establishing the temporary and permanent seat of the Government of the United States,” representing the situation and circumstances of the city of Washington, I take this opportunity to present to both Houses of the Legislature and recommend to their consideration. Alexander White,...
120From Thomas Jefferson to United States Congress, 17 January 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
I communicate to Congress certain letters which passed between the British Secretary of State, mr Canning, & mr Pinckney our Minister Plenipotentiary at London. when the documents concerning the relations between the United States & Great Britain were laid before Congress, at the commencement of the session, the answer of mr Pinckney to the letter of mr Canning had not been received, and a...