Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1835-06-23
THE BOUNDARY QUESTION.

We notieed yesterday that Gov. Lucas. of Ohio. had
convened The Legislature of that State to take some de-
between Michigan and Ohio, and that the Governor had
communicated a strong and spirited message to the Lc-
gIsiature upon the subject. We make the following ex-
tracts from the Message :-Balt. Patriot.
CONSIDERING that the most effectual method Of exc.
cutting the Act OF the 23d February, would be to COM
Piiete the civil organization of that part of the State
claimed by Michigan. determined OH attending in per-
son, IN that region of the State at the time the elections
were being held; and 10 take commissions with me 10
deliver To the various officers that might be elected un-
der our laws; and to meet the Commissioners at Pcrrys-
burg, on the day appointed to commence marking the
line; but, on the Goth March, ! received a letter from
MIR. Forsyth, Secretary OF State of the United States.
dated the 18th, in which was told that the President
had besD tntomed by the Acting Governor OF Michigan
Territory, that a collision was likely TO take place be-
twccn that Territory and Ohio, relative TO the extension
of our jurisdiction. To that letter replied al. length,
on the same day received it,; in which / informed the
Secretary of State, that no collision had been anticipa-
ted on the part of Ohio, and i'll no case would it occur,
unless resistance were made to our civil authority. /
transmitted to him n copy of the Act and Resolutions of
last session, at the same time informing him what course
OHIO expected To pursue.
ION the 22d, / received a second letter from Nr. For.
sytli, under the date of the 18th, in which he informed
me, the President learned, with deep regret, that the
military had been called out on the part of Ohio, MS also
on mat OF Michigan, to support our respective claimsis,
JurisdIctlonl e-&i&zMnlS.s answered on ~
giving him to understand hatIaaI1H
was being made by Ohio, and thai Our civil authoritv
was considered sufficient to carry into effect the laws Of
Ohio. also informed him, when the Commissioners no.
minated to run the line, had appointed to meet M Per
rysburg-my intention of joining them therc-and that
The object of my visit to that region Of country, was to
alIay, as much as possible, the excited feelings that had
been produced by the Proclamation of the Acting Co
vernon OF Michigan, andb by the violent measures of Gen.
Brown.
COR the 2Cth, received a third letter from Mr. For.
syth, by Judge Doty, of Detroit, informing me that the
President had determined on appointing Commissions
ers to confer with me and the Acting Governor of Michi-
gan, on the SUBJECT OF the unhappy difficulty, as he call
cd II, that was existing between Ohio and that Territory.
To this replied at some length, on the 9th, cndeavor-
ing to convince him of the very erroneous impressions
under which they labOrPd at WnehIu0fou roapoc,tn1 H.
acts and doings of Ohio.
The Commissioners of the u. S. handed to me a do.
cumcnt during our conference, as they said, at the re-
quest of MIR. Forsyth, which | found TO be the opinion of
the Attorney General. This opinion, | was fully satig-
fed on examination, would, in its tendency, counteract
the laudable excrtions of the President and his Commits
sioncIs, which the sequel proved, for it was proclaimed
by the authorities of Michigan, as a Justification of their
acts: And IL is a subject worthy of remark, that oil the
proceedings at Washington were entirely On parte; that
the three letter from the Secretary of State were writ
ten; the opinion of the Attorney y. General drawn up: and
the Commissioners appointed and bad left Washington,
before my answer to the Sccretary's first letter could
have been received, or any thing correctly known with
regard TO the intentions or movements of Ohio. These
letters Of MIR. Forsyth, and the opinion of the Attorney
General, were evidently dictated under feelings highly
excited and unfayoraLle to Ohio, as is manifest from heir
contents.
Gcntlcmcn-the whole SUBJECTS now before Won for
consideration. The question necessarily arises, what
shall bc done? Shall we abandon our lust claim. rclin-
qpish our indsputable rights, and proclaim to the world,
that the Act and Resolutions of the last session of the
General Assembly were mere empty things Or. rather.
shall we not Gas was declared in said resolutions TO be
our duty0 prepare to carry their provision into effect
The latter, | doubt not, will be your resolution; and [
trust that, by your acts, you viii manifest TO the world
that Ohio knows her constitutional rights; that she has
independence enough TO assert them; and that she can
neither be scduccd by fattcry, bafficd by diplomatic ma
nagcmcnt, nor driven by menaccs from the support of
those rights. And, gentlemen, you may rest assured,
that whatever measures, IN your wisdom, you may df-
rect, will be Githfully pursued by the Executive, TO the
full extent Of his constitutional power, and the means
that may be placed under his control"
Governor Lucas also wrote another letter to Mr.. Sc
crctary Forsyth, dated LIST Of June. From this letter,
we make the following extracts
" You say, the President trusts that as the question is
now, by tic exercise Of fofbcsrancc on both sides, in a
train 10 BE- referred to the proper tribunal for adjustment,
there will be- y mutual disposition 10 make allowances
for any irregularities which may have resulted from mis-
guided zeal, and to avoid all that cnn prevent the resto-
ration Of harmony in future. | am Mt loss to know who
arc here mcant by the parties. / am sure Ohio cannot
be one. The Department at Washington, and tho au-
thoritics Of Michigan, appear TO be the only parties that
have raised questions Of difficulty, and if they have
placed those difficulties IN a train TO be referred 10 tho
proper tribunal, for adjustment, Ohio can have no OBJ
fcction to such a course. Ohio has no questions 20 sub
nit to tribunals for adiustment-sbc has done no act that
resulted from "misg0idcd zcai"-she has done no at 90
disturbt The harmony ofihc community, neither do-kshe in
tend tocommit any such act but she does igtcnd TO main.