Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-03-15
Tile CONSTITUTIONAL I5Iiii9.
EASTERN BOUNUARY.

q! Representatives, of that state went suddenly into
secret session when the intelligence of the decision
was received; and have transmitted their dclibera-
tons upon the subject to the President Ifbc state
mcnts given of the adjudication be correct we sec
no good reason why our brethren Gown east should
not be satisfied, especially W:ll be seen from the
following lucid article upon the subject which W.,
copy from the New York Albion, that the United
States have decided advantages in this matter.
The Bousdnry.-The decision of the King Of tho
Netherlands ON this important question ofici-
ally known; enough however, has transpired IN he
London papers to show that the decision strongly
against the interests OF Great Britain and the safety
of her colonies.
The numerous difficulties that bcsel this question
arose from the imperfect III which the boun.
dairy line was defined III the treaty of 1893. The
words of the treaty are: The boundaries shall ~
tend From the North " est oagte Of Hopa Seoi,
Now New Brunswick to that dnp,e ,yhich is
formed by line drdDn due north from the sou,rs of
tie 81 Cror river to the highlands, atong the sad
highldnds hich drtde those riSsrs that en,pty them
setres into the Sc. Lnerencc IRON, those ,rHjch
fall into The Atlantic Ocean"
Now the main difficulty was, as the lard had nc
YER been surveyed, to discover the position of those
highlands, the line there strike Off to the
westward, nnd thus form the north west angle of
Nova Scotia. AS this question gave rise to great
diversity OF opinion, the point remained unsettled
from the peace of 1888 to that of 1871 1, when the
IF h article of the treaty of Client provided that
commissioners should be appointed on both sides to
,urvey the country and determine the boundary:
and In the event of the commissioners not ogreenr,
ne TWO nigga contracting parties engaged to refer
The matter to the arb!t atu,. of third and friendly
p 'wer The commissioners did disagree, and the
IA."g OF the Netherlands was the umpire fixed upon.
ftis mrJesy has Just given his award in which he has
nis sgarded the arguments of botl suors, and made
sort o comp strongly detrimental to the iu-
forests Of Gr"at Britain.
II our read"r- will give US their attention for
few En- nutcs, will show them the gist of the
qucsi ION.
On the mp two ranges of highlands present them
seves--one stTlkiag Off westward from MIR, Hill,
nfh NF tl,h
near he s.. Lawrence. The British insist that the
former s the true range designated by the treaty:
While the Americans clam the latter. One or the
Other OF these prints form the north west angle
81 Nova Scotia, much sought after The words
oil the treaty are 'lhe highlands which divide the
riVsfs emptying themselves into the ST. Lawrence, |
and those which tall into the Atlantic Ocean, The
British commissioners contend that the line traced
by The Americans does not separate the waters fa H.
'nI MIC the st. Lawrence and the Atlantic, but
rfose falling INTO the river and Gulf of ST. Law
Tencc the Bay Of Bundy, &c. as will be seen BY
"itc ne the respective course of the river Mctis
a. d charges itself into the St IIawrence-he
tiS gouci as II falls into the bay of Charleur-and
'i'- ~. John as 1t dScmbogues INTO the Bay Of Fun
~ They say moreover, that the rivers meant are
such As the Chandler ana othor streams falling into
The 81 Lawrence to the westward of the Mejis ON
the o"c Sidei and the AndTcscoggln the Kennebec |
aud the Pennbscot falling INTO the Atlantic on the
other. The Atlantic ocean they affirm could never
mean The Bay Of Fundy, tie Bay of Chaleur the
Gult OF st Lawrence, &c. The parties being here
at issue carried their case before the King of the Ne
'herlands, and we shall make few obsC lvations on
the nature of his MaIesty's decision
1t was TO have been expected that the Arbiter
would have declared which party WAS right, and
thus have lald down according to The opinion of a
third disinteresLfd party the boundary but his
Du'ch Majesty has not done so; he has pointed out
new route, totally At variance with the spirit and
wording of the treaty. He carries the line due
5orth from Mars Hill to the river ST. JOHN, aiono
that river to the s.. Francis, along the St +. to
the highlands laid down on the westerly portion of the
American line, thereby cutting off large portion
OF tie CanIda lands. carrying the boundary to with
III thirteen miles OF the river ST. Lawrence, and
within tty or fifty of The city Of Quebec, the capital
OF the North American colonies, and then moreover
IL Is sad, gives the military position of Rouse's
Point on Lake Champluin. place undoubtedly on
tIe British side, tie United States INTO the bar
gain!
The a bitter should nave decided which was the
true line according TO the words of the treaty and
Lie maps and plans mutually laid before him. IF he
thought tie American the true line, he has done tha
United States injustice by taking away any portion
OF tlIgir territory at which understand MIR Preb!s
complains. II The Blush was the true line he has
done h9gIand injustice, by taking away any portion
OF bsT Eentorv, and hence she complains.
Bat may be said, that from the completely and
uncertainty OF the question, ne could not any
satisfactory conclusion, and therefore, m de com
P cmisc- ard comPronnise lie must have intended |
since lie has substituted rivers for highland.
Granting for moment his right &c DO this; let us
examine IN what manner he has made the DIVISION |
tiS IOl'PiVlloc, LWD pdbdIDOuHL ODlcctS |
should have been kept IN view viz an equal division
oil the territory in dispute and the establishment of
good natural boundary. Neither of these has been
accomplished. Two tRrds of the land is given TO
the United States, and the boundry is a very
imperfect one If his Majesty had thought pro-
per to continue the line through the st. John to its
source, or nearly so-slnce in ridculc Of our dis
pu'es, 1t would almost seem, he substituted the
heads of rivers for the tops Of mountaius-a rood
bounda ~ wnrd hnvo i.cen secured and Inc tcrroTv
pretty equally divided. With such a settlement
neither party could juStly complain, buI With the pre-
sent settlement neither party is satisfied. England
however, must DC the greatest sufferer since her loss
is not ouy that oferritory, bui OF military posi-
ton OF great consequence TO her in the future
wars glance at the map will show how small an /
American force could intercept succours proceeding
10 Quebec land: in fact all comlnunca, ion be-
tween Great Britain ond Gambia would be seriously !
Impcded during lie winter months Of the year In any
view Of The case whatever principle The Klnr'
may have proceeded, We must deem his MaJesy Us
d. els on very erroneous.
The honor Of England demands Il she shaft promptly &C
quecC with the award Of the ariter and che wi not r