_Mr. Speaker and Gentlemen of the House of Representatives_:
I receive with great satisfaction your candid approbation of the
convention of Congress, and thank you for your assurances that the
interesting subjects recommended to your consideration shall receive
the attention which their importance demands, and that your cooperation
may be expected in those measures which may appear necessary for our
security or peace.
The declarations of the Representatives of this nation of their
satisfaction at my promotion to the first office in this Government and
of their confidence in my sincere endeavors to discharge the various
duties of it with advantage to our common country have excited my most
grateful sensibility.
I pray you, gentlemen, to believe and to communicate such assurance to
our constituents that no event which I can foresee to be attainable by
any exertions in the discharge of my duties can afford me so much cordial
satisfaction as to conduct a negotiation with the French Republic to a
removal of prejudices, a correction of errors, a dissipation of umbrages,
an accommodation of all differences, and a restoration of harmony and
affection to the mutual satisfaction of both nations. And whenever the
legitimate organs of intercourse shall be restored and the real sentiments
of the two Governments can be candidly communicated to each other,
although strongly impressed with the necessity of collecting ourselves
into a manly posture of defense, I nevertheless entertain an encouraging
confidence that a mutual spirit of conciliation, a disposition to
compensate injuries and accommodate each other in all our relations and
connections, will produce an agreement to a treaty consistent with the
engagements, rights, duties, and honor of both nations.