any other documents that might prove to the incredulous of my country (not to me) that the decrees of Berlin and Milan were in good faith and unconditionally repealed with regard to the United States. He then promised me he would do it, and he has performed his promise. I send you a copy of the April decree, as likewise of the letter of the grand judge and that of the minister of finances, though the two latter pieces have been before communicated to our government and published. [Translation.] Sir, The duke of Bassano to Mr. Barlow. Paris, May 10, 1812. In conversing with you about the note which you did me the honour to address to me on the 1st of May, I could not conceal from you my surprise at the doubt which you had expressed in that note, respecting the revocation of the decrees of Berlin and Milan. That revocation was proven by many official acts, by all my correspondence with your predecessors, and with you, by the decisions in favour of American vessels. You have done me the honour to ask a copy of the letters which the grand judge and the minister of the finances wrote on the 25th of December, 1810, to secure the first effects of that measure, and you have said, sir, that the decree of the 28th of April, 1811, which proves definitively the revocation of the decrees of Berlin and Milan, in regard to the Americans, was not known to you. I have the honour to send you, as you have desired, a copy of these three acts: you will consider them without doubt, sir, as the plainest answer which I could give to this part of your note. As to the two other questions to which that note relates, I will take care to lay them before the emperor. You know already, sir, the sentiments which his majesty has expressed in favour of American commerce, and the good dispositions which have induced him to appoint a plenipotentiary to treat with you on that important interest. Accept, sir, &c. (Signed) THE DUKE OF BASSANO. Joel Barlow, esq. &c. &c. [Translation.] Palace of St. Cloud, April 28, 1811. Napoleon, emperor of the French, &c. &c. On the report of our minister of foreign relations: Seeing by a law passed on the 2d of March, 1811, the congress of the United States has ordered the execution of the provisions of the act of non-intercourse, which prohibits the vessels and merchandise of Great Britain, her colonies and dependencies, from entering into the ports of the United States : Considering that the said law is an act of resistance to the arbitrary pretensions consecrated by the British orders in council, and a formal refusal to adhere to a system invading the independence of neutral powers, and of their flag, we have decreed, and do decree as follows: The decrees of Berlin and Milan are definitively, and to date from the 1st day of November last, considered as not having existed (non avenus) in regard to American vessels. dated Extract of a letter from Mr. Barlow to the duke of Bassano, Sir, Paris, October 25, 1812. In consequence of the letter you did me the honour to write me on the 11th of this month, I accept your invitation and leave Paris to-morrow for Wilna, where I hope to arrive in 15 or 18 days from this date. My secretary of legation and one servant will compose extreme goodness in asking the question, and your kind offer of finding me a convenient lodging. I hope the trouble you will give yourself in this will be as little as possible. all my suit. I mention this to answer to your The negotiation on which you have done me the honour to invite me at Wilna is so completely prepared in all its parts between the duke of Dalberg and myself, and, as I understand, sent on to you for your approbation about the 18th of the present month, that I am persuaded, if it could have arrived before the date of your letter, the necessity of this meeting would not have existed, as I am confident that his majesty would have found the project reasonable and acceptable in all its parts, and would have ordered that minister to conclude and sign both the treaty of commerce and the convention of indemnities. [Translation.] Sir, The duke of Bassano to Mr. Barlow. Wilna, October 11, 1812. I have had the honour to make known to you how much I regretted, in the negotiation commenced between the United States and France, the delays which inevitably attend a corres pondence carried on at so great a distance. Your government has desired to see the epoch of this arrangement draw near. His majesty is animated by the same dispositions, and willing to assure to the negotiation a result the most prompt, he has thought that it would be expedient to suppress the intermediaries and to transfer the conference to Wilna. His majesty has in consequence authorized me, sir, to treat directly with you if you will come to this town. I dare hope that, with the desire which animates us both to conciliate such important interests, we will immediately be enabled to remove all the difficulties which until now have appeared to impede the progress of the negotiation. I have apprized the duke of Dalberg that his mission was thus terminated, and I have laid before his majesty the actual state of the negotiation, to the end that when you arrive at Wilna the different questions being already illustrated (eclaircies) either by your judicious observations or by the instructions I shall have received, we may, sir, conclude without delay an arrangement so desirable and so conformable to the mutually amicable views of our two governments. Accept, sir, &c. Sir, (Signed) THE DUKE OF BASSANO. Mr. Barlow to the Secretary of State. Paris, October 25, 1812. By the letters from the duke of Bassano and my answer, copies of which are herewith enclosed, you will learn that I am invited to go to Wilna, and that I have accepted the invitation. Though the proposal was totally unexpected, and on many accounts disagreeable, it was impossible to refuse it without giving offence, or at least risking a postponement of a negotiation which I have reason to believe is now in a fair way to a speedy and advantageous close. From the circumstances which have preceded and which accompany this proposition, I am induced to believe that it is made with a view of expediting the business. There may indeed be an intention of coupling it with other views not yet brought forward. If so, and they should extend to objects beyond the simplicity of our commercial interests and the indemnities which we claim, I shall not be at a loss how to answer them. I shall have the honour to write you as soon as possible from Wilna, and shall return to Paris without any unnecessary delay. I remain, &c. (Signed) J. BARLOW. [S] Honourable James Monroe, &c. VOL. I. PART I. Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, transmitting his annual report on the state of the finances; in obedience to the act to establish the Treasury Department. Sir, 1 Treasury Department, December 4th, 1812. I have the honour to enclose a report prepared in obedience to the act, entitled "An act to establish the Treasury Department." I have the honour to be, very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, The Honourable the Speaker ALBERT GALLATIN. of the House of Representatives. In obedience to the directions of the "Act supplementary to the act, entitled An act to establish the Treasury Department," the Secretary of the Treasury respectfully submits the following REPORT AND ESTIMATES. 1. To the end of the year 1812. The actual receipts into the Treasury, during the year ending on the 30th of September, 1812, have consisted of the following sums, viz.: Customs, sales of lands, arrears, repayments, and all other branches of revenue, amounting together, as will appear more in detail by the statement (E) to On account of the loan of eleven millions of dollars authorized by the act of March 14, 1812, Total amount of receipts Making, together with the balance in the Treasury, on the 1st of October, 1811, and amounting to An aggregate of $10,934,946 90 5,847,212 50 $ 16,782,159 40 $3,947,818 36 $ 20,729,977 76 The disbursements during the same year have been as followeth, viz.: Civil department, including miscellaneous expenses, and those incident to the in tercourse with foreign nations, $1,823,069 35 Army, militia, volunteers, for Interest on the public debt, 2,498,013 19 On account of the principal of do. 2,938,465 99 The statement (Ee) exhibits in detail the payments made by the treasury department for the several branches of the military and naval expenditure, during the same year (from 1st October, 1811, to 30th September, 1812); and also during the two last. two months (October and November, 1812). The receipts for the last quarter of the year 1812, on account of both revenue and loans, are estimated at 9,000,000 dollars; and the expenditures (including about 1,500,000 dollars on account of the principal of the public debt, and 1,000,000 for the militia) at nearly the same sum. The sums obtained or secured on loan during this year, amount, so far as has been ascertained at the treasury to [a] Of which there was received prior to 1st October, 1812, as above stated, $5,847,212 50 Received or to be received prior to 1st January, 1813, $ 13,100,200 6,202,987 50 1,050,000 13,100,200 To be received in January and This sum was obtained on the following terms, viz: For six per cent. stock irredeem able till 1st January, 1825, and afterwards redeemable at the pleasure of the United States, $ 7,415,200 [a] The amount was stated in the president's message at the commencement of the session at eleven millions of dollars. The other two millions have been contracted for subsequent to its date. |