John Adams
1st State of Union
Philadelphia, PA, 1797-11-22

I was for some time apprehensive that it would be necessary, on 
account of the contagious sickness which afflicted the city of 
Philadelphia, to convene the National Legislature at some other 
place.  This measure it was desirable to avoid, because it would 
occasion much public inconvenience & a considerable public expense & 
add to the calamities of the inhabitants of this city, whose 
sufferings must have excited the sympathy of all their fellow 
citizens.  Therefore, ater taking measures to ascertain the state & 
decline of the sickness, I postponed my determination, having hopes, 
now happily realized, that, without hazard to the lives or health of 
the members, Congress might assemble at this place, where it was next 
by law to meet.  I submit, however, to your consideration whether a 
power to postpone the meeting of Congress, without passing the time 
fixed by the Constitution upon such occasions, would not be a useful 
amendment to the law of 1794.

Although I can not yet congratulate you on the reestablishment of 
peace in Europe & the restoration of security to the persons & 
properties of our citizens from injustice & violence at sea, we have, 
nevertheless, abundant cause of gratitude to the source of 
benevolence & influence for interior tranquillity & personal 
security, for propitious seasons, prosperous agriculture, productive 
fisheries, & general improvements, &, above all, for a rational 
spirit of civil & religious liberty & a calm but steady determination 
to support our sovereignty, as well as our moral & our religious 
principles, against all open & secret attacks.

Our envoys extraordinary to the French Republic embarked - one in 
July, the other in August - to join their colleague in Holland.  I 
have received intelligence of the arrival of both of them in Holland, 
from whence they all proceeded on their journeys to Paris within a 
few days of the 19th of September.  Whatever may be the result of 
this mission, I trust that nothing will have been omitted on my part 
to conduct the negotiation to a successful conclusion, on such 
equitable terms as may be compatible with the safety, honor & 
interest of the United States.  nothing, in the mean time, will 
contribute so much to the preservation of peace & the attainment of 
justice as manifestation of that energy & unanimity of which on many 
former occasions the people of the United States have given such 
memorable proofs, & the exertion of those resources for national 
defense which a beneficent Providence has kindly placed within their 
power.

It may be confidently asserted that nothing has occurred since the 
adjournment of Congress which renders inexpedient those precautionary 
measures recommended by me to the consideration of the 2 Houses at 
the opening of your late extraordinary session.  If that system wsa 
then prudent, it is more so now, as increasing depredations 
strengthen the reasons for its adoption.

Indeed, whatever may be the issue of the negotiation with France, & 
whether the war in Europe is or is not to continue, I hold it most 
certain that permanent tranquillity & order will not soon be 
obtained.  The state of society has so long been disturbed, the sense 
of moral & religious obligations so much weakened, public faith & 
national honor have been so impaired, respect to treaties has been so 
diminished, & the law of nations has lost so much of its force, while 
pride, ambition, avarice & violence have been so long unrestrained, 
there remains no reasonable ground on whihc to raise an expectation 
that a commerce without protection or defense will not be plundered.

The commerce of the United States is essential, if not to their 
existence, at least to their comfort, their growth, prosperity, & 
happiness.  The genius, character, & habits of the people are highly 
commercial.  Their cities have been formed & exist upon commerce.  
Our agriculture, fisheries, arts, & manufactures are connected with & 
depend upon it.  In short, commerce has made this country what it is, 
& it can not be destroyed or neglected without involving the people 
in poverty & distress.  Great numbers are directly & solely supported 
by navigation.  The faith of society is pledged for the preservation 
of the rights of commercial & sea faring no less than of the other 
citizens.  Under this view of our affairs, I should hold myself 
guilty of a neglect of duty if I forbore to recommend that we should 
make every exertion to protect our commerce & to place our country in 
a suitable posture of defense as the only sure means of preserving 
both.

I have entertained an expectation that it would have been in my power 
at the opening of this session to have communicated to you the 
agreeable information of the due execution of our treaty with His 
Catholic Majesty respecting the withdrawing of his troops from our 
territory & the demarcation of the line of limits, but by the latest 
authentic intelligence Spanish garrisons were still continued within 
our country, & the running of the boundary line had not been 
commenced.  These circumstances are the more to be regretted as they 
can not fail to affect the Indians in a manner injurious to the 
United States.  Still, however, indulging the hope that the answers 
which have been given will remove the objections offered by the 
Spanish officers to the immediate execution of the treaty, I have 
judged it proper that we should continue in readiness to receive the 
posts & to run the line of limits.  Further information on this 
subject will be communicated in the course of the session.

In connection with this unpleasant state of things on our western 
frontier it is proper for me to mention the attempts of foreign 
agents to alienate the affections of the Indian nations & to excite 
them to actual hostilities against the United States.  Great activity 
has been exerted by those persons who have insinuated themselves 
among the Indian tribes residing within the territory of the United 
States to influence them to transfer their affections & force to a 
foreign nation, to form them into a confederacy, & prepare them for 
war against the United States.  Although measures have been taken to 
counteract these infractions of our rights, to prevent Indian 
hostilities, & to preserve entire their attachment to the United 
States, it is my duty to observe that to give a better effect to 
these measures & to obviate the consequences of a repetition of such 
practices a law providing adequate punishment for such offenses may 
be necessary.

The commissioners appointed under the 5th article of the treaty of 
amity, commerce, & navigation between the United States & Great 
Britain to ascertain the river which was truly intended under the 
name of the river St. Croix mentioned in the treaty of peace, met at 
Passamaquoddy Bay in 1796 October, & viewed the mouths of the rivers 
in question & the adjacent shores & islands, &, being of opinion that 
actual surveys of both rivers to their sources were necessary, gave 
to the agents of the 2 nations instructions for that purpose, & 
adjourned to meet at Boston in August.  They met, but the surveys 
requiring more time than had been supposed, & not being then 
completed, the commissioners again adjourned, to meet at Providence, 
in the State of Rhode Island, in June next, when we may expect a 
final examination & decision.

The commissioners appointed in pursuance of the 6th article of the 
treaty met at Philadelphia in May last to examine the claims of 
British subjects for debts contracted before the peace & still 
remaining due to them from citizens or inhabitants of the United 
States.  Various causes have hitherto prevented any determinations, 
but the business is now resumed, & doubtless will be prosecuted 
without interruption.

Several decisions on the claims of citizens of the United States for 
losses & damages sustained by reason of irregular & illegal captures 
or condemnations of their vessels or other property have been made by 
the commissioners in London conformably to the 7th article of the 
treaty.  The sums awarded by the commissioners have been paid by the 
British Government.  A considerable number of other claims, where 
costs & damages, & not captured property, were the only objects in 
question, have been decided by arbitration, & the sums awarded to the 
citizens of the United States have also been paid.

The commissioners appointed agreeably to the 21st article of our 
treaty with Spain met at Philadelphia in the summer past to examine & 
decide on the claims of our citizens for losses they have sustained 
in consequence of their vessels & cargoes having been taken by the 
subjects of His Catholic Majesty during the late war between Spain & 
France.  Their sittings have been interrupted, but are now resumed.

The United States being obligated to make compensation for the losses 
& damages sustained by British subjects, upon the award of the 
commissioners acting under the 6th article of the treaty with Great 
Britain, & for the losses & damages sustained by British subjects by 
reason of the capture of their vessels & merchandise taken within the 
limits & jurisdiction of the United States & brought into their 
ports, or taken by vessels originally armed in ports of the United 
States, upon the awards of the commisioners acting under the 7th 
article of the same treaty, it is necessary that provision be made 
for fulfilling these obligations.

The numerous captures of American vessels by the cruisers of the 
French Republic & of some by those of Spain have occasioned 
considerable expenses in making & supporting the claims of our 
citizens before their tribunals.  The sums required for this purpose 
have in divers instances been disbursed by the consuls of the United 
States.  By means of the same captures great numbers of our sea men 
have been thrown ashore in foreign countries, destitute of all means 
of subsistence, & the sick in particular have been exposed to 
grievous sufferings.  The consuls have in these cases also advanced 
moneys for their relief.  For these advances they reasonably expect 
reimbursements from the United States.

The consular act relative to sea men requires revision & amendment.  
The provisions for their support in foreign countries & for their 
return are found to be inadequate & ineffectual.  Another provision 
seems necessary to be added to the consular act.  Some foreign 
vessels have been discovered sailing under the flag of the United 
States & with forged papers.  It seldom happens that the consuls can 
detect this deception, because they have no authority to demand an 
inspection of the registers & sea letters.

Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:

It is my duty to recommend to your serious consideration those 
objects which by the Constitution are placed particularly within your 
sphere - the national debts & taxes.

Since the decay of the feudal system, by which the public defense was 
provided for chiefly at the expense of individuals, the system of 
loans has been introduced, & as no nation can raise within the year 
by taxes sufficient sums for its defense & military operations in 
time of war the sums loaned & debts contracted have necessarily 
become the subjects of what have been called funding systems.  The 
consequences arising from the continual accumulation of public debts 
in other countries ought to admonish us to be careful to prevent 
their growth in our own.  The national defense must be provided for 
as well as the support of Government; but both should be accomplished 
as much as possible by immediate taxes, & as little as possible by 
loans.

The estimates for the service of the ensuing year will by my 
direction be laid before you.

Gentlemen of the Senate & Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:

We are met together at a most interesting period.  The situation of 
the principal powers of Europe are singular & portentous.  Connected 
with some by treaties & with all by commerce, no important event 
there can be indifferent to us.  Such circumstances call with 
peculiar importunity not less for a disposition to unite in all those 
measures on which the honor, safety, & prosperity of our country 
depend than for all the exertions of wisdom & firmness.

In all such measures you may rely on my zealous & hearty concurrence.
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