The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-03-21

| this State in the lands which woui,I lie lost
iiy the confirmation OF the award. A suec-
lal Agent was also sent on by Maine. to
Washington, to see that the rights and in.
tcrests Of that State were not wantonlv sur
rendered.
Things were thus situated, when, as ma
he inferred from the developments, an inoE
.fcial, back stairs communication was made
to the Agent of Maine, that it would b..
most Tor the interest Of The partv-no, OF
Maine-that Gen. jackson should ra:ify the
! awafd; hut, for so doing, that it was ncces.
sary he should have an apology in some act
OF the Government of that State. In pur
suance of this intimatlon, the laie proceed
lngS have taken Diace, which, by consent
/ ing TO an abandonment Of the territory, will
give Gen. jackson n sufficient esruse for
ratifying the award, leaving the subject of
the indemnity to he given to Maine opon
for future negotiation. When the lands
have once been confirmed to Great Britain
we do not believe there is the most remote
probability of our ever obtaining sinUle
cent from the National Government in con.
sderation thereof. The case is a very
plain one. The decision is either right or
wrong. 1t wrong, we are under no obi.
CATION to confirm it, because the decision
embraces question not submitted TO the
alolter; and we ought not 10 do it, because
we thereby transfer, like so many cattle,
without their consent, the Inhabitants of
the territory, 10 the dominion of foreipn
government TO whom they owe no alleTi.
ance. But, especially, we ought not to do
1t, because the people of The United States
VIII never consent that Gen. Jackson's ad-
mlnstratlon, nor any other, shall make use
OF the public funds to pay to Maine and
Massachusetts, for lands to be given away
to Great Britain. If the award is right.
then the lands justly belong to Great Brit
am, and the Government of the Union is
under no obligation to pay US for that 10
which we had no legal claim.
In reference to this subject, the Editor
of the Boston Courier says, that these trans
actions furnish hy far the most remarka.
bic example of the effect of mere party dis
cipline that is to he found in the history of
the country. 1t is in fact scarcely conceiv-
able that few political managers should
have possessed influence enough to per.
suade the Legislature of State, not merel,
to cede large portion of her territory, nnc
allow military road secured by mpreg na
bic posts, TO he run through the heart of he,
domlnions (for such is the avowed object O.
the British, in seeking to obtain this tract
of land, but TO do this in direct defiance o
her own most solemn declarations and nro.
testations, made not three weeks before
ga little month"-and all for the noble mr..
pose of sustaining these same managers ir
the offices they now hold.
We confidently trust that there is still
enough Of virtue and intelligence in The
People Of Maine to defeat this miserable cal.
culation, and, Ivy changing the political com.
plexlon Of The Legislature, TO prevent the
corrupt bargains, which have been entered
upon, from being completed. 1t appears
from the account, that very large number
Of the protested Jackson members of the
House shrunk from eny concern in this 10.
nominious proceeding. Their example will
he followed by every individual vo,e r who
regards the character and interest of his
own State, or the safety of New England
and Maine will he redeemed from her pres.
ent party shackles."