proper, than that convenient accommodation should be provided, on a well digested plan, for the heads of the several Departments, and for the Attorney-General; and it is believed that the public ground in the City, applied to these objects, will be found amply sufficient. submit this subject to the consideration of Congress, that such further provision may be made in it, as to them may seem proper. In contemplating the happy situation of The United States, our attention is drawn, with peculiar interest, to the surviving Officers and Soldiers of our Revolutionary Army, who so eminently contributed, by their services, to lay its foundation. Most of those very meritorious Citizens have paid the debt of nature and gone to repose. It is believed, that among the Survivors there are some not provided for by existing Laws, who are reduced to indigence, and even to real distress. These men have a claim on the gratitude of their Country, and it will do honor to their Country to provide for them. The lapse of a few years more, and the opportunity will be for ever lost; indeed, so long already has been the interval, that the number to be benefited by any provision which may be made, will not be great. It appearing in a satisfactory manner that the Revenue arising from Imposts and Tonnage, and from the sale of the Public Lands, will be fully adequate to the support of the Civil Government, of the present Military and Naval Establishments, including the annual augmentation of the latter to the extent provided for, to the payment of the interest on the Public Debt, and to the extinguishment of it at the times authorized, without the aid of Internal Taxes, I consider it my duty to recommend to Congress their repeal. To impose Taxes, when the public exigencies require them, is an obligation of the most sacred character, especially with a free People. The faithful fulfilment of it is among the highest proofs of their virtue, and capacity for self-government. To dispense with Taxes, when it may be done with perfect safety, is equally the duty of their Representatives In this instance we have the satisfaction to know that they were imposed when the demand was imperious, and have been sustained with exemplary fidelity. I have to add, that however gratifying it may be to me, regarding the prosperous and happy condition of our Country, to recommend the repeal of these Taxes at this time, I shall nevertheless be attentive to events, and, should any future emergency occur, be not less prompt to suggest such measures and burthens, as may then be requisite and proper. Washington, December 2, 1817. JAMES MONROE. CONVENTION between Great Britain, Austria, Prussia, and Russia, and France, for the final Liquidation of Private Claims upon the French Government.-Signed at Paris, 25th April, 1818. Convention entre Sa Majesté Britannique et Sa Majesté Très Chrétienne, à laquelle Convention Les Empereurs d'Autriche et de Russie et Le Roi de Prusse, sont également Parties Contractantes.-Signée à Paris le 25 Avril, 1818. Les Cours de la Grande Bretagne, d'Autriche, de Prusse et de Russie, Signataires du Traité da 20 Novembre, 1815, ayant reconnu que la liquidation des Réclamations particulières à la charge de la France, fondées sur la Convention [No. 13.] conclue en conformité de l'Article IX du dit Traité, pour régler l'exécution des Articles XIX et suivans du Traité du 30 Mai, 1814,* était devenue par l'incertitude de sa durée et de son résultat, une cause d'inquiétude toujours croissante pour la Nation Française, partageant en conséquence avec Sa Majesté Très Chrétienne le désir de mettre un terme à cette incertitude, par une transaction destinée à éteindre toutes ces Réclamations, moyennant une somme déterminée; les dites Puissances et Sa Majesté Très Chrétienne ont nommé pour leurs Plénipotentiaires, savoir; Sa Majesté Le Roi du Royaume Uni de la Grande Bretagne et d'Irlande : Le Sieur Charles Stuart, Grand' (Translation.) Convention between His Britannic Majesty and His Most Christian Majesty; to which Convention the Emperors of Austria and of Russia, and the King of Prussia, are also Contracting Parties.-Signed at Paris, the 25th April, 1818. The Court of Great Britain, of Austria, of Prussia, and of Russia, Contracting Parties to the Treaty of the 20th of November, 1815, considering that the liquidation of Private Claims upon the French Government, founded upon the Convention [No.13.] concluded conformably to the IXth Article of the said Treaty, for regulating the execution of the XIXth and following Articles of the Treaty of the 30th of May, 1814,* had become, by the uncertainty of its duration and result, a source of continually increasing anxiety to the French Nation, and consequently participating in the desire of His Most Christian Majesty to put an end to that uncertainty by an arrangement which should discharge all those Claims by a fixed sum; the said Powers, and His Most Christian Majesty have named for their Plenipotentiaries, viz; His Majesty the King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland: Sir Charles * See Commercial Treaties, Vol. 1. Stuart, Grand Croix du Très Honorable Ordre du Bain, et de l'Ancien Ordre de la Tour et l'Epée, son Conseiller intime actuel et son Ambassadeur Extraordinaire et Plénipotentiaire près Sa Majesté Très Chrétienne. Sa Majesté l'Empereur d'Autriche, Roi de Hongrie et de Bohême : Le Sieur Nicholas Charles Baron de Vincent, Commandeur de l'Ordre Militaire de Marie-Thérèse, Grand' Croix de l'Ordre Impérial de Léopold et de l'Ordre de l'Epée de Suède, Chevalier Grand' Croix de l'Ordre Militaire du Royaume des Pays Bas, Commandeur de l'Ordre Royal et Militaire de Saint Louis, Grand' Croix de l'Ordre Constantinien de Saint George de Parme, son Chambellan, Conseiller intime actuel, Lieutenant Général de ses Armées, Colonel-Propriétaire d'un Régiment de Chevaux-Legers à son Service, son Envoyé Extraordinaire et Ministre Plénipotentiaire près Sa Majesté Très Chrétienne. Sa Majesté Le Roi de France et de Navarre : Le Sieur Armand Emmanuel Duplessis Richelieu, Duc de Richelieu, Chevalier de l'Ordre Royal et Militaire de Saint Louis et de l'Ordre Royal de la Légion d'Honneur et des Ordres de Saint Alexandre Newsky, Saint Wladimir et Saint George, de Russie, Pair de France, son Premier Gentilhomme de la Chambre, son Ministre et Secrétaire d'Etat des Affaires Etrangères, et Président du Conseil de ses Ministres. Cross of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath, and of the Ancient Order of the Tower and Sword, one of his Most Honourable Privy Council, and his Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to His Most Christian Majesty. His Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary and Bohemia: The Sieur Nicholas Charles Baron de Vincent, Commander of the Military Order of Maria Theresa, Grand Cross of the Imperial Order of Leopold, and of the Swedish Order of the Sword, Knight Grand Cross of the Military Order of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Commander of The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis, Grand Cross of the Constantinian Order of Saint George of Parma, his Chamberlain, and Privy Councillor, LieutenantGeneral in his Armies, Colonel of a Regiment of Light Horse in his Service, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Most Christian Majesty. His Majesty the King of France and Navarre : The Sieur Armand Emanuel Duplessis Richelieu, Duke of Richelieu, Knight of the Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis, and of the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour, and of the Orders of Saint Alexander Newsky, Saint Wladimir, and Saint George, of Russia, Peer of France, First Gentleman of his Bedchamber, his Minister and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and President of the Council of his Ministers. Sa Majesté Le Roi de Prusse : Le Sieur Charles Frédéric Henri Comte de Goltz, Grand' Croix de l'Ordre de l'Aigle Rouge, Chevalier de la Croix de Fer de la Première Classe et de l'Ordre pour le Mérite Militaire de Prusse, Grand' Croix de l'Ordre de Sainte Anne, Chevalier de l'Ordre de Saint George de la Quatrième Classe, et de l'Ordre de Saint Wladimir de la Troisième Classe de la Russie; Commandeur de l'Ordre du Mérite Militaire de France; Chevalier de l'Ordre Militaire de Marie Thérèse d'Autriche, de celui de l'Epée de Suède, et de celui du Mérite Militaire de Bavière, LieutenantGénéral de ses Armées, et son Envoyé Extraordinaire et Ministre Plénipotentiaire près Sa Majesté Très Chrétienne. Sa Majesté l'Empereur de toutes les Russies, Roi de Pologne : Le Sieur Charles André Pozzo di Borgo, Lieutenant-Général de ses Armées, son Aide-de-Camp Général, son Ministre Plénipotentiaire près Sa Majesté Très Chrétienne, Chevalier Grand' Croix de l'Ordre de Saint Wladimir de la Seconde Classe, de Sainte Anne de la Première, de Saint George de la Quatrième, Grand' Croix de l'Ordre de Charles III d'Espagne, de celui de Saint Maurice et Lazare de Sardaigne, de Saint Ferdinand de Naples, et de l'Ordre des Guelphes d'Hanovre, Commandeur des Ordres Royal et Militaire de Saint Louis. His Majesty the King of Prussia: The Sieur Charles Frederic Henry Count de Goltz, Grand Cross of the Order of the Red Eagle, Knight of the Iron Cross of the First Class, and of the Prussian Order of Merit, Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Ann, Knight of the Order of Saint George of the Fourth Class, and of the Third Class of the Russian Order of Saint Wladimir, Commander of the French Military Order of Merit, Knight of the Military Order of Maria Theresa of Austria, of the Swedish Order of the Sword, and of the Bavarian Military Order of Merit, Lieutenant-General in his Armies, and his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to His Most Christian Majesty. His Majesty the Emperor of All the Russias, King of Poland: The Sieur Charles André Pozzo di Borgo, Lieutenant-General in his Armies, his Aide-de-CampGeneral, his Minister Plenipotentiary to His Most Christian Ma. jesty, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Wladimir of the Second Class, of Saint Ann of the First, of Saint George of the Fourth, Grand Cross of the Order of Charles III of Spain, of those of Saint Maurice and Lazare of Sardinia, of Saint Ferdinand of Naples, and of the Order of the Guelphs of Hanover, Commander of the Royal and Military Orders of St. Louis. Et attendu qu'elles ont considéré que le concours de son Excellence Monsieur Le Maréchal Duc de Wellington contribuerait efficacement au succès de cette Négociation; les Plénipotentiaires Soussignés, après avoir arrêté de concert avec lui et d'accord avec les Parties intéressées, les bases de l'arrangement à conclure, sont convenus, en vertu de leurs Pleins Pouvoirs, des Articles suivans: ART. I. A l'effet d'opérer l'extinction totale des Dettes contractées par la France, dans les Pays hors de son Territoire actuel, envers des Individus, des Communes ou des Etablissements particuliers quelconques, dont le payement est réclamé en vertu des Traités du 30 Mai, 1814, et du 20 Novembre, 1815, le Gouvernement Français s'engage à faire inscrire sur le Grand Livre de sa Dette Publique, avec jouissance du 22 Mars, 1818, une Rente de 12,040,000 francs, représentant un Capital de 240,800,000 francs. II. Les sommes remboursables au Gouvernement Français, en vertu de l'Article XXI du Traité du 30 Mai, 1814, et des Articles VI, VII, et XXII de la susdite Convention du 20 Novembre, 1815, serviront à compléter les moyens d'extinction des susdites Dettes de la France envers les Sujets des Puissances qui étoient chargées du remboursement de ces sommes. En conséquence, le Gouverne And the undersigned Plenipotentiaries, being of opinion that the concurrence of His Excellency Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington, would effectually contribute to the success of this Negotiation; after having settled in concert with him, and by the consent of the Parties concerned, the bases of the arrangement to be concluded, have agreed, in virtue of their Full Powers, to the following Articles : ART. I. For the purpose of effecting the total discharge of Debts contracted by France, in Countries which do not form a part of her present Territory, with any Individuals, Corporations, or Establishments whatsoever, payment of which Debts is claimed in virtue of the Treaties of the 30th of May, 1814, and of the 20th of November, 1815, the French Government engages to cause to be inscribed upon the Great Book of its Public Debt, with Interest from the 22nd of March, 1818, a Rente of 12,040,000 francs, representing a capital of 240,800,000 francs. II. The sums to be reimbursed to the French Government, in virtue of the XXIst Article of the Treaty of the 30th May, 1814, and of the VIth, VIIth, and XXIInd Articles of the aforesaid Convention of the 20th November, 1815, will serve to complete the means of discharging the said Debts owing by France to the Subjects of those Powers who were charged with the reimbursement of these sums. And, consequently, the French |