own to require to be now recited. i am satisfied had a less decisive course been adopted that the worst consequences would have resulted from it. we have seen that these checks， decisive as they were， were not sufficient to crush that piratical spirit. many culprits brought within our limits have been condemned to suffer death， the punishment due to that atrocious crime. the decisions of upright and enlightened tribunals fall equally on all whose crimes subject them， by a fair interpretation of the law， to its censure. it belongs to the executive not to suffer the executions under these decisions to transcend the great purpose for which punishment is necessary. the full benefit of example being secured， policy as well as humanity equally forbids that they should be carried further. i have acted on this principle， pardoning those who appear to have been led astray by ignorance of the criminality of the acts they had committed， and suffering the law to take effect on those only in whose favor no extenuating circumstances could be urged.
great confidence is entertained that the late treaty with spain， which has been ratified by both the parties， and the ratifications whereof have been exchanged， has placed the relations of the two countries on a basis of permanent friendship. the provision made by it for such of our citizens as have claims on spain of the character described will， it is presumed， be very satisfactory to them， and the boundary which is established betwe
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