ordinary with powers to conclude a treaty on all the points
between the two countries, but, moreover, to signify his willingness in
the meantime to withdraw his orders in council, in the persuasion that
the intercourse with Great Britain would be renewed on the part of the
United States.

These steps of the British Government led to the correspondence and the
proclamation now laid before you, by virtue of which the commerce
between the two countries will be renewable after the 10th day of June
next.

Whilst I take pleasure in doing justice to the councils of His Britannic
Majesty, which, no longer adhering to the policy which made an
abandonment by France of her decrees a prerequisite to a revocation of
the British orders, have substituted the amicable course which has
issued thus happily, I can not do less than refer to the proposal
heretofore made on the part of the United States, embracing a like
restoration of the suspended commerce, as a proof of the spirit of
accommodation which has at no time been intermitted, and to the result
which now calls for our congratulations, as corroborating the principles
by which the public councils have been guided during a period of the
most trying embarrassments.

The discontinuance of the British orders as they respect the United
States having been thus arranged, a communication of the event has been
forwarded in one of our public vessels to our minister plenipotentiary
at Paris, with instructions to avail himself of the important addition
thereby made to the considerations which press on the justice of the
French Government a revocation of its decrees or such a modification of
them as that they shall cease to violate the neutral commerce of the
United States.

The revision of our commercial laws proper to adapt them to the
arrangement which has taken place with Great Britain will doubtless
engage the early attention of Congress. It will be worthy at the same
time of their just and provident care to make such further alterations
in the laws as will more especially protect and foster the several
branches of manufacture which have been recently instituted or extended
by the laudable exertions of our citizens.

Under the existing aspect of our affairs I have thought it not
inconsistent with a just precaution to have the gunboats, with the
exception of those at New Orleans, placed in a situation incurring no
expense beyond that requisite for their preservation and conveniency fo