At twelve o’Clock, agreeably to appointment, the Senate waited on the President at his House and presented the following

Address.

To the President of the United States.

Accept, Sir, the thanks of the Senate for your Speech delivered to both Houses of Congress at the opening of the session.1 Your reelection to the chief magistracy of the United States gives us sincere pleasure. We consider it as an event every way propitious to the happiness of our Country; and your compliance with the call, as a fresh instance of the patriotism which has so repeatedly led you to sacrifice private inclination, to the public good.— In the unanimity which a second time marks this important national act, we trace with particular satisfaction, besides the distinguished tribute paid to the virtues and abilities which it recognizes, another proof of that just discernment, and constancy of sentiments and views, which have hitherto characterized the Citizens of the United States.—

As the European powers with whom the United States have the most extensive relations were involved in war in which we had taken no part; it seemed necessary that the disposition of the Nation for peace should be promulgated to the world, as well for the purpose of admonishing our citizens of the consequences of a contraband trade and of acts hostile to any of the belligerent parties, as to obtain by a declaration of the existing legal state of things, an easier admission of our rights to the immunities of our situation,—we therefore contemplate with pleasure, the proclamation by you issued, and give it our hearty approbation. We deem it a measure well timed, and wise; manifesting a watchful solicitude for the welfare of the Nation and calculated to promote it.— The several important matters presented to our consideration will, in the course of the Session, engage all the attention to which they are respectively entitled; and as the public happiness will be the sole guide of our deliberations, we are perfectly assured of receiving your strenuous & most zealous cooperations.—

Before I left The Massachusetts. I had the Pleasure of receiving a Letter from you: but I learned from it, with Some Uneasiness that you meditate a Removal to a greater distance from Us. I had Yesterday another Letter from you of the 23 of November. I thank you for introducing to me, Major Peter Van Gaesbeek, whom however I have not yet had the Pleasure to see as he happened to call when I was from home.1 I shall Soon endeavour to See him and converse with him about you.

The Foreign affairs of the United States are become so interesting that I hope all Classes of Men will have less disposition to domestic Dissention. It will require all the Wisdom and all the Integrity, of the United States to conduct their affairs in the present Crisis, in Such a manner as to avoid the Calamities in which the European Nations are involved.

The French Lawgivers have committed so many Errors, and the combined Powers discover so much of a Partitioning Spirit, that I begin to apprehend that the French People of all descriptions will find themselves so exhausted on one hand and so irritated on the other as to unite in a military Government for the defence of their Persons and Property against one another and of their Territory against foreigners. But the Affairs of France and of Europe have got into Such Confusion or into so unnatural an Arrangement, that I find nobody disposed to prophecy what is to come. We are now allarmed with reports of Algerine Depredations,2 nor do We hear of so 244 much Justice from French English or Spaniards as to make Us fall in Love with Either.

I am Sir with unabated Esteem, your / most obedient & humble servant