A nation by establishing a character of liberality and magnanimity gains in the friendship and respect of others more than the worth of mere money.

I now communicate to the House of Representatives all the information which the executive offices furnish on the subject of their resolution of the 23d instant respecting the States indebted to the United States.

The governor and presiding judge of the Territory of Michigan have made a report to me of the state of that Territory, several matters in which being within the reach of the legislative authority only, I lay the report before Congress.

On these several treaties I have to request that the Senate will advise whether I shall ratify them or not.

I now lay before the Senate the several treaties and conventions following, which have been entered into on the part of the United States since their last session.

If from this sum we deduct the reasonable value of the road ceded through the whole length of their country from Ocmulgee toward New Orleans, a road of indispensable necessity to us, the present convention will be found to give little more…

These made it a duty to require from that Government indemnifications for our injured citizens.

She was prompt and decided in her declarations that our demands on Spain for French spoliations carried into Spanish ports were included in the settlement between the United States and France.

To them I communicate every fact material for their information and the documents necessary to enable them to judge for themselves.

It was first manifested by her protest against the right of France to alienate Louisiana to us, which, however, was soon retracted and the right confirmed.

From that moment she seemed to change her conduct and dispositions toward us.

The present crisis in Europe is favorable for pressing such a settlement, and not a moment should be lost in availing ourselves of it.

I have thought it my duty to await their authority for using force in any degree which could be avoided.

To their wisdom, then, I look for the course I am to pursue, and will pursue with sincere zeal that which they shall approve.

Before this convention was returned to Spain with our ratification the transfer of Louisiana by France to the United States took place, an event as unexpected as disagreeable to Spain.

Then high offense was manifested at the act of Congress establishing a collection district on the Mobile, although by an authentic declaration immediately made it was expressly confined to our acknowledged limits.

I congratulate you on the liberation of our fellow citizens who were stranded on the coast of Tripoli and made prisoners of war.

Although the health laws of the States should be found to need no present revisal by Congress, yet commerce claims that their attention be ever awake to them.