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The coldness which has for fome time past been manifefted from various quarters refpecting the main tenance of the troops, has induced his majesty to authorize the underfigned to make this frank and explicit declaration, and to give the well-meant warning, not to fuffer themselves to be deceived by the hope of a speedy peace, but rather to rely upon the fufficiently publicfpirited and patriotic fentiments of the king, and his majesty's know ledge of the general fituation of public affairs, and to entertain the firm confidence that his majefty would certainly and with great pleasure to his co-ftates, fave the burdens required by the maintenance of the troops, if there were the leaft poffibility of fecuring to their territories the benefits of the neutrality, and all the advantages which have hitherto accrued from it, without fuch a measure.

That, however (the faving of the burdens occafioned by the maintenance of the troops), according to the general fituation of affairs, being impoffible, and his majefty deeming it abfolutely neceffary to preferve the corps of obfervation till the conclufion of peace, if the tranquillity and neu trality of Northern Germany are to be maintained, his majesty doubts not but all his affociated co-ftates will fhow their readiness for that purpose, in the maintenance of the troops, difplay proper zeal in a measure so closely connected with felf-preservation, and render practicable the farther execution of the beneficent defigns of his majesty.

With this confidence, the underfigned, by fupreme command, has the honour to make known to you, &c. &c.

[Here follow two articles fpecifying the fupplies to be granted, for

three months longer, in flour, oats, hay, and straw, for the Pruffian, Hanoverian, and Brunswick troops, at two different periods, viz. the 15th inftant and the ft of April. In order to fecure the fubfiftence of the troops in future, the states of Northern Germany are to meet in convention at Hildesheim on the 20th inftant, or to fend plenipotentiaries to regulate the quotas of fupplies, in neceffaries or in money, for as long as the war may laft.]

As thote deliberations (in convention in Hildesheim) will preclude all the fubjects not effentially and directly relating to the mainte nance of the troops, the underfigned will lofe no time to termi nate them with the utmost speed, and not to detain the plenipotentiaries a moment longer than fhall be neceffary from following their other affairs. The flattering confidence with which the undersigned has hitherto been honoured in the late negotiations, makes him equally. confident that his zeal and activity will be entirely depended upon in that bufinefs. He has only moft urgently to request, that, for the fake of difpatch, the States may furnish their plenipotentiaries with full inftructions for the purpofe which has been thus plainly notified, in order not to waste time in fending for new ones, but that the neceffary refolutions may be taken, not only for the farther fubftantial regulation of the mainte nance, but for the obligatory affent to the fame to the end of the war.

The underfigned has it likewise in command to request, that their excellencies the plenipotentiaries may arrange matters in fuch a manner, as not to quit the convention, till the ftate of affairs fhall permit its fufpenfion or conclufion, fince the gradual departure of many ple nipotentiaries

nipotentiaries has formerly occafioned a precipitate fufpenfion of the first convention, which has been highly prejudicial to the dispatching of business. His majesty will alfo confider the fulfilment of this with, and the infallible meeting of the convention, according as it is expected to meet, as a gratifying proof that his ferene co-ftates with to do justice to his efforts and facrifices. And the undersigned alfo looks for ward for the defired answer, refpecting the fourth fending of fupplies, before the expiration of the prefent month, and hopes to have the honour and pleafure to fee again their excellencies the plenipotentiaries at the fecond opening of the convention, on the 20th of February.

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We do moft gracioufly ordain, 1. The importation of all French wines without exception, alfo falad oils of Provence, olives, capers, anchovies, to be freely permitted

in all our harbours in neutral bottoms.

2. French and Spanish brandy is only permitted to be imported by neutral fhips, in thofe harbours which are specified in the Ukafa of the 11th of December, 1784, and to which we add the ports of Liebau and Windau.

3. The duties on wine, oils, &c. fhall be taken from the Tariff of

September 27, 1782, till a new one

fhall appear, and the duty on French brandy fhall be regulated. agreeably to the Ukala of Novem ber 25, 1793

4. The Ukafa of the 8th of April, 1793, fhall be strictly obferved, as far as it forbids the importation of various French goods and of others which are mere objects of luxury; as likewife all communication with the French, until a lawful government and order of things all have been introduced in that country; the certificates of conful or government ordained by the faid Ukafa fhall also no longer be demanded on the future importation of French goods, except for fuch articles for which fome duties are to be remitted.

Done at St. Petersburgh, Jan. 22, 1797.

SECOND UKASA.

PAUL I. &c.

We do hereby most graciously permit the free importation, in all our harbours, of fuch Dutch goods as are not prohibited in the Tariff or the Ukafa, provided fuch im portation takes place in fhips belonging to neutral powers. Those goods are to pay the duties pre. fcribed by the Tariff of September 27, 1782, till a new Tariff shall be publified.

Done at St. Petersburgh, Jan. 22, 1797.

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the king of Sardinia, being defi. rous by every means in their power, and by the most intimate union of their refpective interefts, to contribute as peedily as poffible to the reftoration of that peace which is the object of their wishes, and which will fecure the repofe and the tranquillity of Italy, have determined to enter into a treaty of offenfive and defenfive alliance; and have charged with full powers to that effect, viz. on the part of the executive directory of the French republic, citizen Henry James William Clarke, general of divifion in the armies of the republic; and on the part of his majesty the king of Sardinia, the chevalier D. Clement Damian de Priocia, knight of the grand crofs of the order of Saint Maurice and Lazarus, firft fecretary of state in his majefty's department for foreign affairs, and prefident of the home department; who, after exchanging their respective powers, concluded as follows:

1. There fhall be an offenfive and defensive alliance between the French republic and the king of Sardinia, until the period of continental peace. This alliance fhall then become purely defenfive, and fhall be established upon a bafis agreeable to the reciprocal interefts of both powers.

2. The prefent alliance having for its object to hasten the restora tion of peace, and to fecure the future tranquillity of Italy, its execution during the prefent war fhall be directed folely against the emperor of Germany, he being the only continental power that prefents ob ftacles to wishes fo falutary. His majesty the king of Sardinia shall remain neuter with regard to Eng. land and to the other powers ftill at war with the French republic.

3. The French republic and his

Sardinian majefty guarantee reci procally, by all the means in their power, their refpective poffeffions which they now hold in Europe during the existence of the prefent alliance. The two powers fhall unite their forces against the common enemy externally, and fhall give no aid, directly or indirectly, to the internal enemies of either.

4. The contingent of troops which his majefty the king of Sardinia fhall furnith immediately in confequence of the prefent treaty, fhall be 8000 infantry and 1000 cavalry, and 40 pieces of cannon. In cafe the two powers fhall think it neceffary to augment this contingent, fuch augmentation shall be concerted and regulated by commiffioners invested with full powers to that effect by the executive directory, and his majesty the king of Sardinia.

5. The contingent of troops and artillery fhall be ready and affembled at Novara, viz. 500 cavalry, 4000 infantry, and twelve field pieces, by the 30th of Germinal current (April 19), and the remainder in a fortnight after.

This contingent fhall be main tained at the expence of his majefty the king of Sardinia, and shall receive orders from the commander in chief of the French army in Italy.

A separate convention, fettled in concert with the commander in chief of the French army, fhall regulate the nature of the service of this contingent.

6. The troops which form this contingent fhall participate, in proportion to the number which may be under arms, in the contributions which fhall be levied from the conquered countries; reckoning from the day of the union of the contingent to the army of the republic.

7. The French republic promifes to procure to his majesty the king of Sardinia, at the period of a general or continental peace, all the advantages which circumftances may permit him to obtain.

8. Neither of the contracting powers fhall conclude a feparate peace with the common enemy, and no armistice fall be agreed to by the French republic, in which his Sardinian majefty is not included.

9. All the contributions impofed on the states of his Sardinian majefty which are not yet paid up, fhall cease to be demanded immediately after the exchange of the ratifications of the present treaty.

10. The furnishings, which from the fame period fhall be made in the ftates of his majefty the king of Sardinia to the French troops, or to prifoners of war, and alfo those which may have already been made in virtue of private contracts, and which have not yet been paid for by the French republic, fhall be returned in kind to the troops forming the contingent of his Sardinian majefty: and if the amount of the furnishings fhould exceed the want of the contingent, the overplus fhall be repaid in fpecie.

11. The two contracting parties fhall immediately appoint commiffioners charged to negotiate in their name a treaty of commerce agreeably to the bafis ftipulated in article 7, of the treaty of peace concluded at Paris between the French repubHic and the king of Sardinia. Meanwhile the pofts and all other commercial relations fhall be reeftablished without delay in the fame manner as they were before

the war.

12. The ratifications of the prefent treaty of alliance fhall be ex.

changed at Paris in the fhorteft delay poffible.

Done and figned at Turin on the 16th of Germinal (April 5), 5th year of the French republic. (Signed) H. CLARKE.

CLEMENT DAMIAN. The executive directory ratify and fign the prefent treaty of alliance with his majesty the king of Sardinia, negotiated in the name of the French republic by Henry James Clarke, general of divifion, appointed by an order of the executive directory on the 13th Ventofe laft, and charged with inftructions to the above effect.

Done at the national palace on the 22d Germinal, 5th year of the French republic.

Message from the Prefident of the United States to Congress.

Gentlemen of the Senate and

House of Representatives,

I have received information from the commiffioner appointed on the part of the United States, pursuant to the third article of our treaty with Spain, that the running and marking of the boundary line between the colonies of Eaft and Weft Florida, and the territory of the United States, have been delayed by the officers of his catholie majesty, and that they have declared their intention to maintain his jurifdiction, and to fufpend the withdrawing his troops from the military posts they occupy within the territory of the United States, until the two governments fhall, by negotiation, have fettled the meaning of the second article refpecting the withdrawing the troops, ftores, or fettlements of either party in the territory of the other; that is, whether when the Spanish gar

rifons withdraw, they are to leave the works ftanding or to demolish them; and until, by an additional article to the treaty, the real property of the inhabitants fhall be fecured, and likewife until the Spanifh officers are fure the Indians will be pacific.

The two first questions, if to be determined by negotiation, might be made fubjects of difcuffion for years; and as no limitation of time can be prefcribed to the other, a certainty in the opinion of the Spanish officers, that the Indians will be pacific, it will be impoffible to fuffer it to remain an obftacle to the fulfilment of the treaty on the part of Spain.

the United States and Spain, on the 25th April, 1796.

This country is rendered peculiarly valuable by its inhabitants, who are reprefented to amount to nearly four thoufand, generally well affected and much attached to the United States, and zealous for the establishment of a government under their authority.

I therefore recommend to your confideration, the expediency of erecting a government in the dif trict of the Natchez, fimilar to that established for the territory north-west of the river Ohio, but with certain modifications relative to titles or claims of lands, whether of individuals or companies, or to claims of jurifdiction of any indi vidual state.

JOHN ADAMS.

Speech of the Prefident of the United
States on opening the Seffion of the
Legislature.

Gentlemen of the Senate, and

Gentlemen of the House of
Reprefentatives,

To remove the firft difficulty, I have determined to leave it to the discretion of the officers of his catholic majefty, when they withdraw United States, June 12, 1796. his troops from the forts within the territory of the United States, either to leave the works ftanding or to demolish them. And to remove the fecond, I fhall caufe an affurance to be published, and to be particularly communicated to the minifter of his catholic majefty, and to the governor of Louisiana, that the settlers or occupants of the lands in queftion fhall not be difturbed in their poffeffions by the troops of the United States; but on the contrary, that they fhall be protected in all their lawful claims; and to prevent or remove every doubt on this point, it merits the confideration of congrefs, whether it will not be expedient immediately to pass a law, giving poftive affurances to thofe inhabitants who by fair and regular grants, or by Occupancy, have obtained legal titles or equitable claims to lands in that country, prior to the final ratification of the treaty between

The perfonal inconveniencies to the members of the fenate and of the house of reprefentatives, in leaving their families and private affairs, at this feafon of the year, are fo obvious, that I the more regret the extraordinary occafion which had rendered the conven tion of congrefs indifpenfable.

It would have afforded me the highest fatisfaction to have been able to congratulate you on a restoration of peace to the nations of Europe, whose animofities have endangered our tranquillity.-But we have ftill abundant caufe of gratitude to the fupreme difpenfer

of

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