ng the
necessities of our unfortunate fellow-citizens, to guard against
evasions of the laws intended to secure advantages to the navigation
of our own vessels, and especially to prevent by all possible means an
unnecessary accumulation of the public debt, are duties which we shall
endeavor to keep in view and discharge with assiduity.

We regard with great anxiety the singular and portentous situation of
the principal powers of Europe. It were devoutly to be wished that the
United States, remote from this seat of war and discord, unambitious of
conquests, respecting the rights of other nations, and desirous merely
to avail themselves of their natural resources, might be permitted to
behold the scenes which desolate that quarter of the globe with only
those sympathetic emotions which are natural to the lovers of peace and
friends of the human race. But we are led by events to associate with
these feelings a sense of the dangers which menace our security and
peace. We rely upon your assurances of a zealous and hearty concurrence
in such measures as may be necessary to avert these dangers, and nothing
on our part shall be wanting to repel them which the honor, safety, and
prosperity of our country may require.

NOVEMBER 28, 1797.

REPLY OF THE PRESIDENT.

UNITED STATES, _November 29, 1797_.

_Gentlemen of the House of Representatives_:

I receive this address from the House of Representatives of the United
States with peculiar pleasure.

Your approbation of the meeting of Congress in this city and of those
other measures of the Executive authority of Government communicated in
my address to both Houses at the opening of the session afford me great
satisfaction, as the strongest desire of my heart is to give
satisfaction to the people and their Representatives by a faithful
discharge of my duty.

The confidence you express in the sincerity of my endeavors and in the
unanimity of the people does me much honor and gives me great joy.

I rejoice in that harmony which appears in the sentiments of all
the branches of the Government on the importance of our commerce
and our obligations to defend it, as well as in all the other subjects
recommended to your consideration, and sincerely congratulate you and
our fellow-citizens at large on this appearance, so auspicious to the
honor, interest, and happiness of the nation.

SPECIAL MESSAGES.

UNITED STATES, _December 6, 1797_.

_Gentlemen of the Senate_: