Availing myself of this the last occasion which will occur of addressing the two Houses of the Legislature at their meeting, I can not omit the expression of my sincere gratitude for the repeated proofs of confidence manifested to me by themselves and their predecessors since my call to the administration and the many indulgences experienced at their hands. The same grateful acknowledgments are due to my fellow-citizens generally, whose support has been my great encouragement under all embarrassments. In the transaction of their business I can not have escaped error. It is incident to out imperfect nature. But I may say with truth my errors have been of the understanding, not of intention, and that the advancement of their rights and interests has been the constant motive for every measure. On these considerations I solicit their indulgence. Looking forward with anxiety to their future destinies, I trust that in their steady character, unshaken by difficulties, in their love of liberty, obedience to law, and support of the public authorities I see a sure guaranty of the permanence of our Republic; and, retiring from the charge of their affairs, I carry with me the consolation of a firm persuasion that Heaven has in store for our beloved country long ages to come of prosperity and happiness.

TH. JEFFERSON.



SPECIAL MESSAGES.

NOVEMBER 8, 1808.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:

The documents communicated with my public message of this day contain such portions of the correspondences therein referred to, of the ministers of the United States at Paris and London, as relate to the present state of affairs between those Governments and the United States, and as may be made public. I now communicate, confidentially, such supplementary portions of the same correspondences as I deem improper for publication, yet necessary to convey to Congress full information on a subject of their deliberations so interesting to our country.

TH. JEFFERSON.



NOVEMBER 11, 1808.

To the Senate of the United States:

* * * * *

The governor of the Mississippi Territory having thought it expedient to dissolve the general assembly of that Territory, according to the authority vested in him by the ordinance of July 13, 1787, and having declared it dissolved accordingly, some doubt was suggested whether that declaration effected the dissolution of the legislative council. On mature consideration and advice I approved of the proceeding of the governor. The house of representatives of the Territory, since chosen, have consequently nominated ten persons out of whom a legislative council should be appointed. I do accordingly nominate and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint John Flood McGrew, Thomas Calvit, James Lea, Alexander Montgomery, and Daniel Burnet, being five of the said ten persons, to serve as a legislative council for the said Territory, to continue in office five years, unless sooner removed according to law.

TH. JEFFERSON.



DECEMBER 13, 1808.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:

I now transmit to both Houses of Congress a report of the commissioners appointed under the act of March 29, 1806, concerning a road from Cumberland to Ohio, being a statement of the proceedings under the said act since their last report communicated to Congress, in order that Congress may be enabled to adopt such further measures as may be proper under existing circumstances.

TH. JEFFERSON.



DECEMBER 23, 1808.

To the Senate of the United States:

According to the request of the Senate in their resolution of November 14, that copies should be laid before them of all the orders and decrees of the belligerent powers of Europe, passed since 1791, affecting the commercial rights of the United States, I now transmit them a report of the Secretary of State of such of them as have been attainable in the Department of State and are supposed to have entered into the views of the Senate.

TH. JEFFERSON.



DECEMBER 27, 1808.

To the Senate of the United States:

According to the request expressed by the Senate in their resolution of November 14, I now transmit a report of the Secretary of the Treasury and statement showing, as far as returns have been received from the collectors, the number of vessels which have departed from the United States with permission, and specifying the other particulars contemplated by that resolution.

TH. JEFFERSON.



DECEMBER 30, 1808.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:

At the request of the governor, the senate, and house of representatives of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I communicate certain resolutions entered into by the said senate and house of representatives, and approved by the governor, on the 23d instant. It can not but be encouraging to those whom the nation has placed in the direction of their affairs to see that their fellow-citizens will press forward in support of their country in proportion as it is threatened by the disorganizing conflicts of the other hemisphere.

TH. JEFFERSON.



DECEMBER 30, 1808.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:

I lay before the Legislature a letter from Governor Claiborne on the subject of a small tribe of Alabama Indians on the western side of the Mississippi, 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 territory; but having now become habituated to some of the occupations of civilized life, they wish for a fixed residence. I suppose it will be the interest of the United States to encourage the wandering tribes of that country to reduce themselves to fixed habitations whenever they are so disposed. The establishment of towns and growing attachments to them will furnish in some degree pledges of their peaceable and friendly conduct. The case of this particular tribe is now submitted to the consideration of Congress.

TH. JEFFERSON.



JANUARY 6, 1809.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:

I now lay before Congress a statement of the works of defense which it has been thought necessary to provide in the first instance for the security of our seaport towns and harbors, and of the progress toward their completion. Their extent has been adapted to the scale of the appropriation and to the circumstances of the several places.

The works undertaken at New York are calculated to annoy and endanger any naval force which shall enter the harbor, and, still more, one which should attempt to lie before the city. To prevent altogether the entrance of large vessels, a line of blocks across the harbor has been contemplated, and would, as is believed, with the auxiliary means already provided, render that city safe against naval enterprise. The expense as well as the importance of the work renders it a subject proper for the special consideration of Congress.

At New Orleans two separate systems of defense are necessary—the one for the river, the other for the lake, which at present can give no aid to one another. The canal now leading from the lake, if continued into the river, would enable the armed vessels in both stations to unite, and to meet in conjunction an attack from either side. Half the aggregate force would then have the same effect as the whole, or the same force double the effect of what either can now have. It would also enable the vessels stationed in the lake when attacked by superior force to retire to a safer position in the river. The same considerations of expense and importance render this also a question for the special decision of Congress.

TH. JEFFERSON.



JANUARY 13, 1809.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:

I now render to Congress the account of the fund established for defraying the contingent expenses of Government for the year 1808. Of the $20,000 appropriated for that purpose, $2,000 were deposited in the hands of the Attorney-General of the United States to pay expenses incident to the prosecution of Aaron Burr and his accomplices for treason and misdemeanors alleged to have been committed by them; $990 were paid to the order of Governor Williams on the same account, and the balance of $17,010 remains in the Treasury unexpended.

TH. JEFFERSON.



JANUARY 17, 1809.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:

I communicate to Congress certain letters which passed between the British secretary of state, Mr. Canning, and Mr. Pinkney, our minister plenipotentiary at London. When the documents concerning the relations between the United States and Great Britain were laid before Congress at the commencement of the session, the answer of Mr. Pinkney to the letter of Mr. Canning had not been received, and a communication of the latter alone would have accorded neither with propriety nor with the wishes of Mr. Pinkney. When that answer afterwards arrived it was considered that, as what had passed by conversation had been superseded by the written and formal correspondence on the subject, the variance in the two statements of what had verbally passed was not of sufficient importance to be made the matter of a distinct and special communication. The letter of Mr. Canning, however, having lately appeared in print, unaccompanied by that of Mr. Pinkney in reply, and having a tendency to make impressions not warranted by the statements of Mr. Pinkney, it has become proper that the whole should be brought into public view.

TH. JEFFERSON.



JANUARY 24, 1809.

To the Senate of the United States:

According to the resolution of the Senate of the 17th instant, I now transmit them the information therein requested, respecting the execution of the act of Congress of February 21, 1806, appropriating $2,000,000 for defraying any extraordinary expenses attending the intercourse between the United States and foreign nations.

TH. JEFFERSON.



JANUARY 30, 1809.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:

I transmit to Congress a letter recently received from our minister at the Court of St. James, covering one to him from the British secretary of state, with his reply. These are communicated as forming a sequel to the correspondence which accompanied my message to both Houses of the 17th instant.

TH. JEFFERSON.



FEBRUARY 18, 1809.

To the Senate of the United States:

I submit a treaty, concluded at Brownstown, in the Territory of Michigan, between the United States and the Chippewas, Ottawas, Potawattamies, Wyandots, and Shawnees, on the 25th day of November last, whereby those tribes grant to the United States two roads, therein described, for the decision of the Senate whether they will advise and consent to the ratification of it.

TH. JEFFERSON.



FEBRUARY 24, 1809.

To the Senate of the United States:

The Emperor of Russia has on several occasions indicated sentiments particularly friendly to the United States, and expressed a wish through different channels that a diplomatic intercourse should be established between the two countries. His high station and the relations of Russia to the predominant powers of Europe must give him weight with them according to the vicissitudes of the war, and his influence in negotiations for peace may be of value to the United States should arrangements of any sort affecting them be contemplated by other powers in the present extraordinary state of the world; and under the constant possibility of sudden negotiations for peace I have thought that the friendly dispositions of such a power might be advantageously cherished by a mission which should manifest our willingness to meet his good will. I accordingly commissioned in the month of August last William Short, formerly minister plenipotentiary of the United States at Madrid, to proceed as minister plenipotentiary to the Court of St. Petersburg, and he proceeded accordingly; and I now nominate him to the Senate for that appointment.

TH. JEFFERSON.



FEBRUARY 25, 1809.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:

I now lay before Congress a statement of the militia of the United States according to the latest returns received by the Department of War.

TH. JEFFERSON.



PROCLAMATION.

[From Annals of Congress, Tenth Congress, second session, 462.]

WASHINGTON, December 30, 1808.

The President of the United States to ———, Senator for the State of ———.

Certain matters touching the public good requiring that the Senate should be convened on Saturday, the 4th day of March next, you are desired to attend at the Senate Chamber, in the city of Washington, on that day, then and there to deliberate on such communications as shall be made to you.

TH. JEFFERSON.

THE END