been confidered but as temporary, and open to fuch further improvements as further information of the circumftances of our brethren there might fuggeft, it will of course be fubject to your

confideration.

In the district of Louisiana, it has been. thought beft to adopt the divifion into fabordinate diftricts, which had been' established under its 'former government. Thefe being five in number, a commanding officer has been appointed to each, according to the provifions of the law, and fo foon as they can be at their ftations, that district will also be in its due state of organization. In the mean time their places are fupplied by the officers before commanding there, and the functions of the governour and judges of Indiana having commenced, the government, we prefume, is proceeding in its new form. The lead mines in that district offer fo rich a fupply of that metal as to merit attention. The report now communicated will inform you of their state, and of the neceflity of immediate inquiry into their occupation and titles.

1

With the Indian tribes, established within our newly acquired limits, I have deemed it neceflary to open conferences for the purpose of establishing a good understanding, and neighbourly rela-, tions between us. So far as we have yet learned, we have reafon to believe that their difpofitions are generally favourable and friendly. And, with thefe difpofitions on their part, we have in our own hands means which cannot fail us, for preferving their peace and friendship. By pursuing an uniform courfe of juftice towards them, by aiding them in all the improvements which may better their condition, and efpecially by establishing a commerce terms which shall be advantageous to them, and only not lofing to us, and fo regulated as that no incendiaries of our own, or any other nations, may be permitted to difturb the natural effects of our juft and friendly offices, we may render ourselves fo neceffary to their comfort and profperity, that the protection of our citizens from their diforderly members will become their interet and their voluntary care. In and therefore of an augmentation of military force, proportioned to our ex

on

On this fide the Miffifippi an important relinquishment of native title bas been received from the Delawares. That tribe, defiring to extinguish a their people the fpirit of hunting, aud to convert fuperfluous lands into the means of improving what they retain, has ceded to us all the country be tween the Wabash and Ohio, fouth of, and including the road from the Rapidstowards Vincennes: for which they are to receive annuities in animals and implements for agriculture and in other neceffaries. This acquifition is important not only for its extent and fertility, but as fronting three hundred miles on the Ohio, and near half that on the Wabath, the produce of the fettled country defcending thofe rivers will no longer pafs in review of the Indian frontier, but in a small portion; and, with the ceffion heretofore made by the Kafkafkias, nearly confolidates our posesfions north of the Ohio, in a very refpectable breadth from Lake Erie to the Miflifippi. The Piankefhaws having fome claim to the country ceded by the Delawares, it has been thought beft to quiet that by fair purchase alfo. foon as the treaties on this fubject fhall have received their conftitutional fanctions, they fhall be laid before both houses.

So

The act of Congrefs of February 28, 1803, for building and employing a number of gun boats, is now in a courfe of execution, to the extent there provided for. The obftacle to naval enterprife, which veffels of this conftruction offer for our feaport towns, their utility towards fupporting within our waters the authority of the laws, the promptnefs with which they will be manned by the feamen and militia of the place in the moment they are wanting, the facility of their affembling from different parts of the coaft to any point where they are required in greater force than ordinary, the economy of their maintenance and prefervation from decay when not in actual fervice, and the competence of our finances to

this defenfive provifion without any new burthen, are confiderations which will have due weight with Congrefs in deeding on the expediency of adding to their number from year to year as experience fhall teft their utility, until all our important harbours, by these and auxiliary means, fhall be fecured against infult and oppofition to the laws,

No circumftance has arifen fince your laft feilion which calls for any angien tation of our regular military force. Should any improvement occur in the militia fyftem, that will be always feafonable.

Accounts of the receipts and expenditures of the laft year, with estimates for the enfuing one, will, as ufual, be Jaid before you.

The ftate of our finances continues to fulfil our expectations. Eleven millions and an half of dollars, received in the courfe of the year ending on the 50th of September laft, have enabled us, after meeting all the ordinary expenfes of the year, to pay upwards of three millions fix hundred thousand dollars of the publick debt, exclusive of intereft. This payment, with those of the two preceding years, has extinguished upwards of twelve millions of principal, and a greater fum of interc within that period; and, by a propor. tionate diminution of intereft, renders already fenfible the effect of the growing fum yearly applicable to the dif charge of principal.

It is alfo afcertained that the revenue accrued during the laft year exceeds that of the preceding; and the probable receipts of the enfuing year may fafely be relied on as fufficient, with the fum already in the treafury, to meet all the current demands of the year, to difcharge upwards of three millions and an half of the engagements incurred under the British and French conventions, and to advance in the further redemption of the funded debt as rapidly as had been contemplated.

Thefe, fellow-citizens, are the principal matters which I have thought it neceflary at this time to communicate for your confideration and attention. Sone others will be laid before you in the course of the feffion. Bat in the difcharge of the great duties confided to you by our country, you will take a

broader view of the field of legislation. Whether the great interefts of agriculture, manufactures, commerce or Bavigation cap, within the pale of your conftitutional powers, be aided in any of their relations? Whether laws are provided in all cafes where they are want ing? Whether those provided are es actly what they should be ? Whether any abufes take place in their admiriltration or in that of the publick revenues? Whether the organization of the publick agents, or of the panick force is perfect in all its parts? la sine, whether any thing can be done to advance the general good?are queldons within the limits of your funcions which will neceffarily occupy your attention. In thefe and all other matters, which you in your wifdem may propots for the good of our country, you may count with affurance on my hearty co operation and faithful execution.

TH: JEFIERSON,

MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE, BOSTON, Nov. 16, 1804.

A convention of the two Houfes be ing previoufly formed, precitely a 12 o'clock His Excellency the Governour delivered the following

SPEECH.

Gentlemen of the Senate, and Gentlemen of the House of Representative,

THE unfinished bufinefs at your laft meeting, I am informed, was referred to the third feflion of the Legiflature I prefume therefore that your principai object at this time will be to complete the choice of Electors, on the part of this Commonwealth, of a Prefident and Vice Prefident of the United States; and that you will be unwilling at the prefent felfion to attend to any fubjects which may conveniently be poftponed. If the choice of Electors is not perfected by the votes of the People, I have no doubt that the truft which remains to be executed by you will be discharged faithfully, and that your conduct will be governed by the single motive of love to your country.

In pursuance of the act of Congie's pafied on the 26th March laft, the See

retary of State has notified me, that the amendment,propofed during the last feffion of Congress to the Conftitution of the United States, has been ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the feveral States. The letter which contains this notification is filed in the of fice of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, and a tranfcript of it will be delivered to the Electors who are or may be chofen on the part of this State.

The Quarter Master General informs me, that in the late violent storm, two buildings on Hofpital Island, the property of the Commonwealth, were blown down; and that he thinks it highly neceffary that others fhould be erected in their place as foon as may be. The appropriation made for his department for the prefent year, he fuppofes will be fufficient to defray the expente; but he doubts the propriety of his fetting up new buildings unless authorized by particular direction.

I have nothing further to communicate to you, GENTLEMEN, which calis for the immediate notice of the Legiflature. But if in your opinion, any butinefs of importance would fuffer by a delay until the winter feffion, I fhall theerfully attend to whatever you may now propofe, and co-operate with you in fuch measures as the publick good may require.

CALEB STRONG.

November 16, 1804.

ANSWER OF THE SENATE. May it pleafe your Excellency,

It being the great object of the prefent feilion of the Legislature to deter mine and declare the choice of Electors

of Prefident and Vice Prefident of the United States, on the part of this Commonwealth ; and if the choice is not perfected, by the votes of the people, to complete the fame; your Excellency may be affured, that in executing that

truft the Senate will be governed by the fingle motive of love to their country.

The letter of the Secretary of State, relative to the amendment in the Conftitution, and the communication of the Quarter Mafter General, touching the buildings on Hofpital land, fhall receive that attention, which they refpectively merit And fhould any other

bufinefs of importance during the prefent feilion occur, the Senate will cheerfully co-operate with your Excellency, in all fuch measures as the publick good may require.

ANSWER OF THE HOUSE May it pleafe your Excellency,

The Houfe of Reprefentatives, at their laft meeting, being fenfible of the incou veniences, which would arife from a fong feffion at this feafon of the year, referred most of the unfinished business to the third feffion of the prefent General Court; it is therefore prefumned that few matters will at this time urgently claim the attention of the House.

Should it appear that the people have not completed the choice of Electors for Prefident and Vice Prefident of the United States, the truft, which in that event is committed to the two branches of the Legislature, we hope will be executed with a fingle view to the welfare and honour of the United States.

We beg your Excellency to be affured that this Houfe will pay due attention to all matters, which you have been pleafed to fuggeft for our confideration.

A review of your Excellency's past conduct, gives us the fulleft affurance of your Excellency's readiness to co-operate with us in all measures which the pub lick good may require.

Literary Intelligence.We underftand that Dr. Caldwell, of Philadelphia, is about to engage in a new work, entitled MEDICAL THESES, which are to be felected from the inaugural differtations publifhed by the Graduates in Medicine of the University of Pennfylvania, and of other Medical Schools in the United States, and interperfed with occafional remarks and notes, This work, from the refpectable talents of Dr. Caldwell, promifes to be of general utility, and will no doubt form, in a few years, a com plete encyclopædia of medical difcoveries, made in the United States.