As the settlement of the boundaries of Louisiana will call for new negotiations on our receiving possession of that Province, the claims not obtained by the convention now before the Senate may be incorporated into those discussions.

The Senate will judge whether the prospect it offers will justify a longer suspension of that portion of indemnities conceded by Spain should she now take no advantage of the lapse of the period for ratification.

In compliance with the desire of the Senate expressed in their resolution of the 22d of November, on the impressment of seamen in the service of the United States by the agents of foreign nations, I now lay before the Senate a letter from…

The temperate and correct course pursued by our consul, Mr. Simpson.

The promptitude and energy of Commodore Preble.

The proper decision of Captain Bainbridge that a vessel which had committed an open hostility was of right to be detained for inquiry and consideration.

The efficacious cooperation of Captains Rodgers and Campbell, of the returning squadron.

I recommend to the consideration of Congress a just indemnification for the interest acquired by the captors of the Mishouda and Mirboha, yielded by them for the public accommodation.

And to these I add what was indeed transacted in another quarter--the gallant enterprise of Captain Rodgers in destroying on the coast of Tripoli a corvette of that power of 22 guns.

All differences in consequence thereof have been amicably adjusted, and the treaty of 1786 between this country and that has been recognized and confirmed by the Emperor, each party restoring to the other what had been detained or taken.

The conduct of our officers generally who have had a part in these transactions has merited entire approbation.

You will be sensible, from the face of these papers, as well as of those to which they are a sequel, that they are not and could not be official, but are furnished by different individuals as the result of the best inquiries they had been…

It will inform them of the obligations which the United States thereby contract, and particularly that of taking the tribe under their future protection, and that the ceded country is submitted to their immediate possession and disposal.

A translation of the most important laws in force in that province, now in press, shall be the subject of a supplementary communication.

From the nature of the transaction some documents relative to it might have been expected from the War Office.

I now communicate a digest of the information I have received relative to Louisiana, which may be useful to the Legislature in providing for the government of the country.

I now lay before them copies of such documents as are in possession of the Executive relative to the arrest and confinement of Zachariah Cox.

This conduct on the part of that power is without cause and without explanation.