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Subject Area: Political Theory
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

31 May 1797: MESSAGE TO THE SENATE; NOMINATING ENVOYS TO FRANCE. - John Adams, The Works of John Adams, vol. 9 (Letters and State Papers 1799-1811) [1854]

Edition used:

The Works of John Adams, Second President of the United States: with a Life of the Author, Notes and Illustrations, by his Grandson Charles Francis Adams (Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1856). 10 volumes. Vol. 9.

Part of: The Works of John Adams, 10 vols.

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MESSAGE TO THE SENATE;

NOMINATING ENVOYS TO FRANCE.

31 May, 1797.

Gentlemen of the Senate,

I nominate General Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, of South Carolina, Francis Dana, Chief Justice of the State of Massachusetts, and General John Marshall, of Virginia, to be jointly and severally envoys extraordinary and ministers plenipotentiary to the French republic.

After mature deliberation on the critical situation of our relations with France, which have long engaged my serious attention, I have determined on these nominations of persons to negotiate with the French republic, to dissipate umbrages, to remove prejudices, to rectify errors, and adjust all differences by a treaty between the two powers.

It is, in the present critical and singular circumstances, of great importance to engage the confidence of the great portions of the Union, in the characters employed, and the measures which may be adopted. I have therefore thought it expedient to nominate persons of talents and integrity, long known and intrusted in the three great divisions of the Union; and, at the same time, to provide against the cases of death, absence, indisposition, or other impediment, to invest any one or more of them with full powers.

John Adams.

MESSAGE TO BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS;

RESPECTING THE TERRITORY OF THE NATCHEZ.

12 June, 1797.

Gentlemen of the Senate, and
Gentlemen of the House of Representatives,

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 maintain his jurisdiction, and to suspend the withdrawing of his troops from the military posts they occupy within the territory of the United States, until the two governments shall, by negotiation, have settled the meaning of the second article respecting the withdrawing of the troops, garrisons, or settlements of either party in the territory of the other; that is, whether, when the Spanish garrisons withdraw, they are to leave the works standing, or to demolish them; and until, by an additional article to the treaty, the real property of the inhabitants shall be secured; and likewise, until the Spanish officers are sure the Indians will be pacific. The two first questions, if to be determined by negotiation, might be made subjects of discussion for years; and as no limitation of time can be prescribed to the other, or certainty in the opinion of the Spanish officers that the Indians will be pacific, it will be impossible to suffer it to remain an obstacle to the fulfilment of the treaty on the part of Spain.

To remove the first difficulty, I have determined to leave it to the discretion of the officers of his Catholic Majesty, when they withdraw his troops from the forts within the territory of the United States, either to leave the works standing, or to demolish them; and, to remove the second, I shall cause an assurance to be published, and to be particularly communicated to the minister of his Catholic Majesty, and to the Governor of Louisiana, that the settlers or occupants of the lands in question shall not be disturbed in their possessions by the troops of the United States; but, on the contrary, that they shall be protected in all their lawful claims; and, to prevent or remove every doubt on this point, it merits the consideration of Congress, whether it will not be expedient immediately to pass a law, giving positive assurances to those inhabitants, who, by fair and regular grants, or by occupancy, have obtained legal titles or equitable claims to lands in that country, prior to the final ratification of the treaty between the United States and Spain, on the twenty-fifth of April, 1796.

This country is rendered peculiarly valuable by its inhabitants, who are represented to amount to nearly four thousand, generally well affected, and much attached to the United States, and zealous for the establishment of a government under their authority.

I therefore recommend to your consideration the expediency of erecting a government in the district of the Natchez, similar to that established for the territory north-west of the river Ohio, but with certain modifications relative to titles or claims of land, whether of individuals or companies, or to claims of jurisdiction of any individual State.

John Adams.

MESSAGE TO BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS;

ON AFFAIRS WITH ALGIERS.

23 June, 1797.

Gentlemen of the Senate, and
Gentlemen of the House of Representatives,

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. The cost of two such vessels, built with live oak and cedar, and coppered, with guns and all other equipments complete, is estimated at forty-five thousand dollars. The expense of navigating them to Algiers may, perhaps, be compensated by the freight of the stores with which they may be loaded on account of our stipulations by treaty with the Dey.

A compliance with the Dey’s request appears to me to be of serious importance. He will repay the whole expense of building and equipping the two vessels; and as he has advanced the price of our peace with Tripoli, and become pledged for that of Tunis, the United States seem to be under peculiar obligations to provide this accommodation; and I trust that Congress will authorize the advance of money necessary for that purpose.

It also appears to be of importance to place at Algiers a person as consul, in whose integrity and ability much confidence may be placed, to whom a considerable latitude of discretion should be allowed for the interest of the United States in relation to their commerce. That country is so remote as to render it impracticable for the consul to ask and receive instructions in sudden emergencies. He may sometimes find it necessary to make instant engagements for money, or its equivalent, to prevent greater expenses or more serious evils. We can hardly hope to escape occasions of discontent proceeding from the regency, or arising from the misconduct or even the misfortunes of our commercial vessels navigating in the Mediterranean sea; and unless the causes of discontent are speedily removed, the resentment of the regency may be exerted with precipitation on our defenceless citizens and their property, and thus occasion a tenfold expense to the United States. For these reasons it appears to me to be expedient to vest the consul at Algiers with a degree of discretionary power, which can be requisite in no other situation. And to encourage a person deserving the public confidence to accept so expensive and responsible a situation, it appears indispensable to allow him a handsome salary. I should confer on such a consul a superintending power over the consulates for the States of Tunis and Tripoli, especially in respect to pecuniary engagements, which should not be made without his approbation.

While the present salary of two thousand dollars a year appears adequate to the consulates of Tunis and Tripoli, twice that sum probably will be requisite for Algiers.

John Adams.

MESSAGE TO BOTH HOUSES OF CONGRESS;

COMMUNICATING INFORMATION RESPECTING SPAIN.

3 July, 1797.

Gentlemen of the Senate, and
Gentlemen of the House of Representatives,

The whole of the intelligence which has for some time past been received from abroad, the correspondences between this government and the ministers of the belligerent powers residing here, and the advices from the officers of the United States, civil and military, upon the frontiers, all conspire to show in a very strong light the critical situation of our country. That Congress might be enabled to form a more perfect judgment of it, and of the measures necessary to be taken, I have directed the proper officers to prepare such collections of extracts from the public correspondences as might afford the clearest information. The reports made to me from the Secretary of State and the Secretary at War, with the collection of documents from each of them, are now communicated to both houses of Congress. I have desired that the message, reports, and documents, may be considered as confidential, merely that the members of both houses of Congress may be apprised of their contents before they should be made public. As soon as the houses shall have heard them, I shall submit to their discretion the publication of the whole or any such parts of them as they shall judge necessary or expedient for the public good.

John Adams.