day it was paid to them until the day fixed for liquidating M. de Ladebat's Claim. The result of this mode of stating the Account was, that M. de Ladebat became entitled to £99,331. 4s. 7d. which was paid to him out of French Indemnities accordingly.

No. 4.-Payment of £3,400 to Mr. Martin.

THIS Money was issued to Mr. Martin to defray certain Claims upon Great Britain, arising out of the occupation of St. Domingo by the British Forces, in the years 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797, and 1798.

When the Island was taken possession of by the British Authorities, the Property of Absentees was placed under Sequestration, and Ordinances were published by the Generals commanding, regulating the mode in which the Sequestration was to be conducted, and directing the deposit of the Property in the hands of the British Agents, for the benefit of those Proprietors who should ultimately be judged to be entitled to restitution. Under the Sequestration, Monies to a considerable extent were paid into the hands of the English Authorities, by whom they were applied to the purposes of the Army and of the British Government of the Colony.

Many of the Persons, whose Estates were sequestered under these circumstances, remained in France, or in other Countries, at that time in a state of hostility with Great Britain, and the Claims brought forward by them, previously to the Treaty of Peace of 30th May 1814, were not entertained, because they could not satisfactorily be settled during the continuance of the War. Upon the restoration of Peace, however, many of those Claimants came forward again with their Demands, the investigation into which had been theretofore postponed; and in consideration of the liberal provision made by France for the payment of the Claims of British Subjects, and in consideration also of the peculiar circumstances under which the Claims arose, it was agreed by the British Government, that they should then be investigated.

Mr. Martin was the Secretary to two several Commissions, established in the years 1798 and 1800, for investigating the Claims of the St. Domingo Sufferers who came to England, and he was subsequently continued as Paymaster of the Allowances granted to them. He was therefore commissioned, on account of his knowledge of this Service to investigate and report upon these Claims; but much delay has unavoidably taken place, in consequence of its being necessary, in many Cases, to refer the Parties to the Courts of Law in France, to settle the rightful Claimants to the Sums reported to be due.

A further Sum, as noticed by a Memorandum at the foot of the Account to which the Order refers, remains to be paid. According to the best Estimate which can now be formed, that sum may amount to about £20,000; which it is proposed, as stated in the Memorandum above alluded to, to pay out of the same Fund.

No. 5.-Payment of £60,000 on account of the French East India

Company.

THE circumstances under which this Claim was made arose in the following manner:

In the year 1794, two Acts, the 34 Geo. 3. c. 9. and c. 79. were passed, for preserving Money and Effects in the hands of His Majesty's Subjects belonging to or disposable by Persons resident in France, for the benefit of the individual Owners, and for preventing any such Property from being applied to the use of the then existing Government of that Country.

The last Act directed the appointment of a Commission for ascertaining and managing any Property which might be in this Country under such circumstances. No such Commission, however, was ever constituted; and it does not appear that any application was ever made to His Majesty's Government by any Person interested for the appointment of it.

The French East India Company had, at that period, a considerable sum of Money in the hands of a mercantile house in London, their Agents, which Money could not be paid to the Owners, in consequence of the Act referred to. The Agents becoming Bankrupt in the mean time, the amount was lost to the French East India Company.

Upon the restoration of Peace in 1814, an application for an Indemnification was made by the French Government on behalf of the Representatives of the French East India Company, under the Article of the Treaty for the Settlement of the Claims of the Subjects of either Country, for Losses sustained by the Acts of the Government of the other during the War, upon the ground that this Money had remained in the hands of the Agents in England, in consequence of the Acts above referred to, and that the British Government became responsible for it, by reason of the non-appointment of the Commission prescribed by the Act 34 Geo. 3. c. 79.

The strict legality of this Claim was not admitted by the Law Officers of the Crown to whom the Case was referred. But the result of a Negociation between the Two Governments led to an agreement that the Loss should be borne in equal proportions by each of them; and the sum of £60,000 was consequently paid by Great Britain on the 10th December, 1819, as her proportion of the Sum due to the Claimants out of the Pecuniary Indemnities.

MESSAGE of the President of The United States, on the Opening of Congress, December 3, 1822.

FELLOW CITIZens of the SeNATE AND House of RepreseNTATIVES: MANY causes unite to make your present Meeting peculiarly interesting to our Constituents. The operation of our Laws on the various subjects to which they apply, with the Amendments which they occa sionally require, imposes, annually, an important duty on the Repre sentatives of a Free People. Our System has happily advanced to such maturity, that I am not aware that your cares, in that respect, will be augmented. Other causes exist which are highly interesting to the whole Civilized World, and to no portion of it more so, in certain views, than to The United States. Of these causes, and of their bearing on the interests of our Union, I shall communicate the sentiments which I have formed, with that freedom which a sense of duty dictates. It is proper, however, to invite your attention, in the first instance, to those concerns respecting which Legislative Provision is thought to be particularly urgent.

On the 24th of June last, a Convention of Navigation and Commerce was concluded, in this City, between The United States and France, by Ministers duly authorized for the purpose. The sanction of the Executive having been given to this Convention, under a conviction that, taking all its Stipulations into view, it rested essentially on a basis of reciprocal and equal advantage, I deemed it my duty, in compliance with the authority vested in the Executive by the 2d Section of the Act of the last Session, of the 6th May, concerning Navigation, to suspend, by Proclamation, until the end of the next Session of Congress, the operation of the Act, intitled An Act to impose a New Tonnage Duty on French Ships and Vessels, and for other purposes, and to suspend likewise all other Duties on French Vessels, or the goods imported in them, which exceeded the Duties on American Vessels, and on similar goods imported in them. I shall submit this Convention, forthwith, to the Senate, for its advice and consent, as to the Ratification.

Since your last Session, the prohibition which had been imposed on the Commerce between The United States and the British Colonies, in the West Indies, and on this Continent, has likewise been removed. Satisfactory evidence having been adduced, that the Ports of those Colonies had been opened to the Vessels of The United States, by an Act of the British Parliament, bearing date on the 24th of June last; on the conditions specified therein, I deemed it proper, in compliance with the Provision of the First Section of the Act of the last Session above recited, to declare, by Proclamation, bearing date on the 24th of

August last, that the Ports of The United States should thenceforward, and until the end of the next Session of Congress, be open to the Vessels of Great Britain employed in that Trade, under the limitation specified in that Proclamation.

A doubt was entertained whether the Act of Congress applied to the British Colonies on this Continent, as well as to those in the West Indies; but as the Act of Parliament opened the intercourse equally with both, and it was the manifest intention of Congress, as well as the obvious policy of The United States, that the Provisions of the Act of Parliament should be met, in equal extent, on the part of The United States, and as also the Act of Congress was supposed to vest in the President some discretion in the execution of it, I thought it advisable to give it a corresponding construction.

Should the Constitutional sanction of the Senate be given to the Ratification of the Convention with France, Legislative Provisions will be necessary to carry it fully into effect, as it likewise will be to continue in force, on such conditions as may be deemed just and proper, the intercourse which has been opened between The United States and the British Colonies. Every light in the possession of the Executive, will, in due time, be communicated on both subjects.

Resting essentially on a basis of reciprocal and equal advantage, it has been the object of the Executive, in transactions with other Powers, to meet the propositions of each with a liberal spirit, believing that thereby the interest of our Country would be most effectually promoted. This course has been systematically pursued in the late occurrences with France and Great Britain, and in strict accord with the views of the Legislature. A confident hope is entertained, that, by the arrangement thus commenced with each, all differences respecting Navigation and Commerce, with the Dominions in question, will be adjusted, and a solid foundation be laid for an active and permanent intercourse, which will prove equally advantageous to both Parties.

The Decision of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Russia, on the Question submitted to Him by The United States and Great Britain, concerning the construction of the First Article of the Treaty of Ghent, has been received. A Convention has since been concluded between the Parties, under the Mediation of His Imperial Majesty, to prescribe the mode by which that Article shall be carried into effect, in conformity with that Decision. I shall submit this Convention to the Senate for its advice and consent, as to the Ratification, and, if obtained, shall immediately bring the subject before Congress, for such Provisions as may require the interposition of the Legislature.

In compliance with an Act of the last Session, a Territorial Government has been established in Florida, on the principles of our System. By this Act, the Inhabitants are secured in the full enjoyment of their rights and liberties, and to admission into the Union,

with equal participation in the Government with the Original States, on the conditions heretofore prescribed to other Territories. By a Clause in the Ninth Article of the Treaty with Spain, by which that Territory was ceded to The United States, it is stipulated that satisfaction shall be made for the injuries, if any, which, by process of Law, shall be established to have been suffered, by the Spanish Officers, and individual Spanish Inhabitants, by the late operations of our Troops in Florida. No Provision having yet been made to carry that Stipulation into effect, it is submitted to the consideration of Congress, whether it will not be proper to vest the competent power in the District Court at Pensacola, or in some Tribunal, to be specially organized for that purpose.

The Fiscal operations of the year have been more successful than had been anticipated at the commencement of the last Session of Congress.

The Receipts into the Treasury, during the three first Quarters of the year have exceeded the Sum of 14,745,000 dollars. The Payments made at the Treasury, during the same period, have exceeded 12,279,000 dollars; leaving in the Treasury on the 30th day of September last, (including 1,168,592 dollars and 24 cents, which were in the Treasury on the 1st day of January last) a Sum exceeding 4,128,000 dollars.

Besides discharging all Demands for the current service of the year, including the interest and reimbursement of the Public Debt, the six per cent. Stock of 1796, amounting to 80,000 dollars, has been redeemed. It is estimated that, after defraying the current Expenses of the present Quarter, and redeeming the 2,000,000 of six per cent. Stock of 1820, there will remain in the Treasury, on the 1st day of January next, nearly 3,000,000 of dollars. It is estimated that the gross amount of duties which have been secured from the 1st of January to the 30th of September last, has exceeded 19,500,000 dollars; and the amount for the whole year will probably not fall short of 23,000,000 of dollars.

Of the actual Force in service under the present Military Establishment, the Posts at which it is stationed, and the condition of each Post, a Report from the Secretary of War, which is now communicated, will give a distinct idea. By like Reports the state of the Academy at West Point will be seen, as well as the progress which has been made in the Fortifications along the Coast, and at the National Armories and Arsenals.

The position on the Red River, and that at the Sault of St. Marie. are the only new Posts that have been taken. These Posts, with those already occupied in the Interior, are thought to be well adapted to the protection of our Frontiers. All the Force, not placed in the Garrisons along the Coast, and in the Ordnance Depôts, and indispensably necessary there, is placed on the Frontiers.

The organization of the several Corps composing the Army is