“ President, I do not doubt their expectation will be fulfilled, and I am convinced that every citizen will receive with a pleasing emotion this flag, elsewhere the terror of the enemies of liberty, here the certain pledge of faithful friendship, especially when they recollect that it guides to combat men who have shared their toils and who were prepared for liberty by aiding them to acquire their own. ”

“ We love to think that the citizens of the United States have not regarded with indifference our steps toward liberty. Twenty-six millions of men breaking their chains and seriously occupied in giving themselves a durable constitution are not unworthy the esteem of a generous people who have preceded them in that noble career. ”

“ The unusual circumstances which attended and followed the State election and canvass, from its relation to the excited feelings and interests of the Presidential election, may have retarded within the State of Louisiana the persuasive influences by which the great social and material interests common to the whole people of a State, and the pride of the American character as a law-abiding nation, ameliorate the disappointments and dissolve the resentments of close and zealous political contests. ”

“ By the same rule, seeing a war exists between Great Britain and France, you may capture and recapture as aforesaid on all the coasts of the British dominions and of all places subject to the British power. But you are to refrain from exercising the aforesaid powers of capturing and recapturing in waters which are under the protection of any other nations, that their peace and sovereignty may remain unviolated. ”

“ The Union of the States is at the present moment threatened with alarming and immediate danger; panic and distress of a fearful character prevail throughout the land; our laboring population are without employment, and consequently deprived of the means of earning their bread. Indeed, hope seems to have deserted the minds of men. All classes are in a state of confusion and dismay, and the wisest counsels of our best and purest men are wholly disregarded. ”

“ They have viewed in the Constitution an approach, though perhaps but small, toward that form of government from which we have lately dissolved our connection at so much hazard and expense of life and treasure; they have seen with pleasure the administration thereof from the most important trust downward committed to men who have highly merited and in whom the people of the United States place unbounded confidence. ”

“ To justify a recapture nothing is necessary but that the vessel be provided with such means of annoyance as will render her dangerous to an unarmed American vessel in pursuit of lawful commerce. If, however, the vessel can not be considered an armed vessel within the meaning of our laws, you are not to recapture her unless you should have probable cause to suspect that the citizens of the United States or persons resident therein have some interest in the vessel or cargo. ”

“ We feel ourselves attached by the strongest ties of friendship, kindred, and of interest with our sister States, and we can not without the greatest reluctance look to any other quarter for those advantages of commercial intercourse which we conceive to be more natural and reciprocal between them and us.
I am, at the request and in behalf of the general assembly, your most obedient, humble servant,
JOHN COLLINS, Governor.
His Excellency the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.
UNITED STATES, February 9, 1790. ”

“ If any citizen of the United States shall accept, claim, receive, or retain any title of nobility or honor, or shall, without the consent of Congress, accept and retain any present, pension, office, or emolument of any kind whatever from any emperor, king, prince, or foreign power, such person shall cease to be a citizen of the United States, and shall be incapable of holding any office of profit or trust under them, or either of them. ”

“ You are not only to do all that in you lies to prevent all intercourse, whether direct or circuitous, between the ports of the United States and those of France or her dependencies in cases where the vessels or cargoes are apparently, as well as really, American and protected by American papers only, but you are to be vigilant that vessels or cargoes really American, but covered by Danish or other foreign papers and bound to or from French ports, do not escape you. ”

“ Answer of the President of the United States. UNITED STATES, January 1, 1796.
Born, sir, in a land of liberty; having early learned its value; having engaged in a perilous conflict to defend it; having, in a word, devoted the best years of my life to secure its permanent establishment in my own country, my anxious recollections, my sympathetic feelings, and my best wishes are irresistibly excited whensoever in any country I see an oppressed nation unfurl the banners of freedom. ”

“ We are sensible of the extremes to which democratical government is sometimes liable, something of which we have lately experienced; but we esteem them temporary and partial evils compared with the loss of liberty and the rights of a free people. ”

“ The commanders of American private armed ships are by all convenient opportunities to send to the Secretary of the Navy written accounts of the captures they shall make, with the number and names of the captives and intelligence of what may occur or be discovered concerning the designs of the French and the destinations, motions, and operations of their fleets, cruisers, and armies.
Sixth. Where it can be done without injury or great inconvenience, the armed French vessels captured as aforesaid are to be sent to some port in the United States to be tried according to law. ”

“ A case wherein every department of the State government has a disputed representation, and a State therefore furnishes to the Federal Government no internal political recognition of authority upon which the Federal Executive can rely, will present a case of so much difficulty that it is of pressing importance to all interests in Louisiana that it should be avoided. ”

“ To these gentlemen I make proper acknowledgments.
The work has met with public favor far beyond all expectations, and words of praise for it have come from all classes and callings. Those who possess it may be assured that they have in their libraries all the official utterances of the Presidents of the United States from 1789 to 1897 that could possibly be found after the most diligent search, and that these utterances are not to be found complete in any other publication. ”

“ Our not having acceded to or adopted the new system of government formed and adopted by most of our sister States we doubt not have given uneasiness to them. That we have not seen our way clear to do it consistent with our idea of the principles upon which we all embarked together has also given pain to us. ”

“ It peculiarly becomes a nation like the American, contending for her just rights and defending herself against insults and injuries, to respect the rights of others and studiously to avoid not only the outrage and the inhumanity but even the incivility of which itself complains. ”

“ If any vessel of the United States, public or private, shall be found in distress by being attacked or taken by the French, the commanders, officers, and company of the private armed vessels aforesaid are to use their utmost endeavors to aid, succor, relieve, and free every such vessel in distress. ”

“ In this the hour of our calamity and peril to whom shall we resort for relief but to the God of our fathers? His omnipotent arm only can save us from the awful effects of our own crimes and follies—our own ingratitude and guilt toward our Heavenly Father. ”

“ In delivering to you these sentiments I express not my own feelings only, but those of my fellow-citizens, in relation to the commencement, the progress, and the issue of the French Revolution, and they will cordially join with me in purest wishes to the Supreme Being that the citizens of our sister Republic, our magnanimous allies, may soon enjoy in peace that liberty which they have purchased at so great a price, and all the happiness which liberty can bestow. ”

“ Let us implore Him to remove from our hearts that false pride of opinion which would impel us to persevere in wrong for the sake of consistency rather than yield a just submission to the unforeseen exigencies by which we are now surrounded. ”

“ At the same time that you are thus attentive to fulfill the objects of the law you are to be extremely careful not to harass or injure the trade of foreign nations with whom we are at peace nor the fair trade of our own citizens. ”

“ We are induced to hope that we shall not be altogether considered as foreigners having no particular affinity or connection with the United States, but that trade and commerce, upon which the prosperity of this State much depends, will be preserved as free and open between this and the United States as our different situations at present can possibly admit ”

“ The commissioners for negotiating with the southern Indians may be instructed to transmit a message to the Cherokees, stating to them as far as may be proper the difficulties arising from the local claims of North Carolina, and to assure them that the United States are not unmindful of the treaty at Hopewell, and as soon as the difficulties which are at present opposed to the measure shall be removed the Government will do full justice to the Cherokees. ”