said minister
in the case of the ship _New Jersey_ and to the principles alleged to
have been laid down on that occasion.

There are in the office of the Department of State several printed
documents in this case by the agent of those interested in the ship,
which are voluminous and in French. If these be within the scope of the
request of the Senate, the printed copies can be sent in immediately,
but if translations be necessary some considerable time will be
requisite for their execution. On this subject any further desire which
the Senate shall think proper to express shall be complied with.

TH. JEFFERSON.

MARCH 7, 1806.

_To the Senate of the United States_:

According to the request of the Senate of yesterday, I now transmit
the five printed memorials of the agent for the ship _New Jersey_, in
the one of which marked B, at the ninth page, will be found the letter
relative to it from the minister plenipotentiary of the United States
at Paris to the French minister of the treasury, supposed to be the one
designated in the resolution. We have no information of this letter but
through the channel of the party interested in the ship, nor any proof
of it more authentic than that now communicated.

TH. JEFFERSON.

MARCH 19, 1806.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States_:

It was reasonably expected that while the limits between the territories
of the United States and of Spain were unsettled neither party would
have innovated on the existing state of their respective positions.
Some time since, however, we learnt that the Spanish authorities were
advancing into the disputed country to occupy new posts and make new
settlements. Unwilling to take any measures which might preclude a
peaceable accommodation of differences, the officers of the United
States were ordered to confine themselves within the country on this
side of the Sabine River which, by delivery of its principal post,
Natchitoches, was understood to have been itself delivered up by Spain,
and at the same time to permit no adverse post to be taken nor armed
men to remain within it. In consequence of these orders the commanding
officer of Natchitoches, learning that a party of Spanish troops had
crossed the Sabine River and were posting themselves on this side the
Adais, sent a detachment of his force to require them to withdraw to
the other side of the Sabine, which they accordingly did.

I have thought it proper