A few prominent facts will place this great interest in a just light before you.

The question depending between the United States and Great Britain respecting the construction of the first article of the treaty of Ghent has been referred by both Governments to the decision of the Emperor of Russia.

In execution of the law of the last session for the suppression of the slave trade some of our public ships have also been employed on the coast of Africa, where several captures have already been made of vessels engaged in that…

Our peace with the powers on the coast of Barbary has been preserved, but we owe it altogether to the presence of our squadron in the Mediterranean.

Happy as our situation is, it does not exempt us from solicitude and care for the future.

Among these none holds a more important place than the public revenue.

The contest between Spain and the colonies, according to the most authentic information, is maintained by the latter with improved success.

Considerable progress has also been made in the construction of ships of war, some of which have been launched in the course of the present year.

On the subject of claims of citizens of the United States for Spanish spoliations upon their property and commerce.

I transmit herewith to the Senate a report from the Secretary of State

collected conformably to a resolution of the Senate of the 18th of January, 1819

together with the returns of causes depending in the courts of the United States

It appears, however, that the treaty is still unratified and that the minister has no authority to surrender the territory.

In regard to the stipulation proposed as the condition of the ratification of the treaty, that the United States shall abandon the right to recognize the revolutionary colonies in South America, or to form other relations with them when in…

Had the minister of Spain offered an unqualified pledge that the treaty should be ratified by his Sovereign on being made acquainted with the explanations which had been given by this Government, there would have been a strong motive for…

With these remarks I submit it to the wisdom of Congress whether it will not still be advisable to postpone any decision on this subject until the next session.

Unexpected as such complaints and such a demand were under existing circumstances, it was thought proper, without compromitting the Government as to the course to be pursued, to meet them promptly and to give the explanations that were…

He admits that the other objections are essentially removed and will not in themselves prevent the ratification, provided the difficulty on the third point is surmounted.