WASHINGTON, _December 31, 1839_.
_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States_:
I communicate to Congress a report from the Secretary of State, in
relation to applications on the part of France for the extension to
vessels coming from the colonies of French Guiana and Senegal of the
benefits granted by the act of the 9th of May, 1828, to vessels of the
same nation coming from the islands of Guadaloupe and Martinique, and
for the repayment of duties levied in the district of Newport upon the
French ship _Alexandre_ and part of her cargo. The circumstances under
which these duties were demanded being, as stated by the Secretary
of the Treasury, of a character to entitle the parties to relief,
I recommend the adoption of the necessary legislative provisions to
authorize their repayment. I likewise invite your attention to the
evidence contained in the accompanying documents as to the treatment of
our vessels in the port of Cayenne, which will doubtless be found by
Congress such as to authorize the application to French vessels coming
from that colony of the liberal principles of reciprocity which have
hitherto governed the action of the legislature in analogous cases.