struggle was impending. The aggressions of the British and
the intrigues of Genet continued to inflame the zeal of the republicans,
and they carried their partiality to France to a degree of absolute
fanaticism. To many minds, open war between England and the United
States appeared inevitable.

Washington's annual message, delivered at the opening of Congress, was
calculated to still the turbulent waves of faction, had reason and
judgment, and not passion and fanaticism, swayed the opinions of men. He
expressed his sense of the continued confidence of the people in
re-electing him to the high office of chief-magistrate of the nation;
and then, in firm, explicit, and dignified terms, spoke of existing
public affairs, especially the measures he had taken, in consequence of
the war in Europe, to preserve peace at home and to protect the rights
and interests of the United States. He pressed upon Congress the
necessity of placing the country in a condition of complete defence, and
of exacting from other governments the fulfilment of their duties toward
his own.

"The United States ought not," he said, "to indulge a persuasion that,
contrary to the order of human events, they will for ever keep at a
distance those painful appeals to arms with which the history of every
other nation abounds. There is a rank due to the United States among
nations which will be withheld, if not absolutely lost, by the
reputation of weakness. If we desire to avoid insult, we must be able to
repel it. If we desire to secure peace, one of the most powerful
instruments of our rising prosperity, it must be known that we are at
all times ready for war." With such suggestions, he urged them to adopt
measures for increasing the amount of arms and ammunition in the
arsenals, and to improve the militia establishment. He assured them that
every reasonable effort had been made to adjust the causes of dissention
with the Indians north of the Ohio, and yet war with them continued. He
alluded to the political connection of the United States with Europe,
and promised to give them, in a subsequent communication, a statement of
occurrences which related to it, that had passed under the knowledge of
the executive.

The president urged the house of representatives to adopt measures for
the "regular redemption and discharge of the public debt," as a matter
of the first importance; and announced the necessity of an augmentation
of the public revenue to meet all p