James Monroe said...

Through the whole of this contest the United States have remained neutral, and have fulfilled with the utmost impartiali...

In executing this law I had no personal object to accomplish or feeling to gratify--no one to retain, no one to remove.

I am aware that many officers of great merit, having the strongest claims on their country, have been reduced and others...

If the law imposed such restraint, it would in that case be void.