Page 8

8

readily agreeing to the most laudable exertions and
sacrifices for manning the armed vessels with their
seamen ; and the other citizens manifesting unequi-
vocal fidelity to the union, and a spirit of determined
resistance to their expected assailants.

Surmises have been hazarded that this enterprize
is to receive aid from certain foreign powers. But
these surmises are without proof or probability. The
wisdom of the measures sanctioned by Congress at
its last session, has placed us in the paths of peace and
justice, with the only powers with whom we had any
differences : and nothing has happened since which
makes it either their interest or ours to pursue another
course. No change of measures has taken place on
our part: none ought to take place at this time.
With the one, friendly arrangement was then propo-
sed, and the law, deemed necessary on failure of that,
was suspended to give time for a fair trial of the issue.
With the same power friendly arrangement is now
proceeding, under good expectations, and the same
law, deemed necessary on failure of that, is still sus-
pended to give time for a fair trial of the issue. With
the other, negotiation was in like manner then pre-
ferred, and provisional measures only taken to meet
the event of rupture. With the same power, nego-
ciation is still preferred, and provisional measures
only are necessary to meet the even to rupture.
While therefore we do no deflect in the slightest de-
gree from the course we then assumed, and are still
pursuing, with mutual consent, to resore a good un-
derstanding, we are not to impute to them practices
as irreconcileable to interest as to good faith, and
changing necessarily the relations of peace and justice
between us to those of war. These surmises are
therefore to be imputed to the vauntings of the au-
thor of this enterprize to multiply his partisans by
magnifying the belief of his prospects and support.

By letters from gen. Wilkinson, of the fourteenth
and eighteenth of December, which came to hand