▁interests ▁of ▁commerce ▁and ▁the ▁safety ▁of ▁the ▁re venue ." ▁▁ ▁Adams ▁attributes ▁the ▁subs idence ▁of ▁disease ▁to ▁the ▁Div ine ▁Prov idence ▁of ▁the ▁Supreme ▁Being . ▁He ▁notes ▁the ▁enthus ias m ▁and ▁national ism ▁of ▁Americans ▁in ▁dealing ▁with ▁foreign ▁ag gression ; ▁not ably ▁from ▁France ▁by ▁sea ▁and ▁Spain ▁by ▁land ▁through ▁illegal ▁g arr isons ▁in ▁the ▁southern ▁U . S . ▁front iers . ▁ ▁French ▁ag gression ▁Adams ▁begins ▁his ▁address ▁by ▁solemn ly ▁express ing ▁his ▁doub ts ▁concerning ▁negoti ations ▁in ▁Paris , ▁acc using ▁France ▁of ▁ins in cer ity . ▁In ▁ 1 7 9 6 ▁the ▁French ▁Directory ▁rejected ▁Charles ▁C otes worth ▁Pin ck ney ▁as ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Minister ▁Pl en ip ot enti ary ▁to ▁France . ▁The ▁Directory ▁passed ▁a ▁dec ree ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 7 9 7 ▁allowing ▁the ▁" capt ure ▁and ▁condem n ation ▁neutral ▁vessels ▁and ▁their ▁cargo es ▁if ▁any ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁latter ▁are ▁of ▁British ▁fabric ▁or ▁produce ," ▁essentially ▁just ifying ▁the ▁already ▁institution al ized ▁impress ment ▁of ▁American ▁sail ors ▁by ▁the ▁French ▁Navy ▁in ▁international ▁waters . ▁Adams ▁refers ▁to ▁the ▁dec ree ▁as ▁an , ▁" une qu iv ocal ▁act ▁of ▁war ▁on ▁the ▁commerce ▁of ▁the ▁nations ▁it ▁attacks ," ▁and ▁states ▁that ▁if ▁the ▁U . S . ▁has ▁the ▁means ▁it ▁can ▁" re con cile ▁nothing ▁with ▁their ▁interest ▁and ▁honor ▁but ▁a ▁firm ▁resistance ."