Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1838-04-26

nit that, of the three main points referred
to the arbiter as necessary to, ascertain the
boundary of the treaty, he had decldedtwo.
On the first point, Mr. McLane said, 1t
was not contended decision was made,
or that either the angle or the highlands,
called for by the treaty, was founo; ana,
on the third point an opinion merely was
expressed. that it would be suitable to pro-
coed to fresh operations to measure the OBJ
served latitude, sc.
The Secretary admitted that ifthe Ameri-
can proposition should be acceded to by
his Majesty's Government and the COM
mission hereafter to be appointed, should
result in ascertaining the true situation OF
the boundary called for by the treaty OF
1888. that it would be afterwards necessa-
nv, in order 10 ascertain the true line, to
settle the other points according to which
it should be traced. He therefore offered,
ifthe American proposition should be ac-
ceded to, notwithstanding the obligatory
effect of the decision Of the arblter on the
point is denied,"to take the stream situated
(arthest to the northwest among those
which fall into the northernmost OF the three
lakes the last of which bears the the name
of Connecticut lake, as the northwestern
most head Of the Connecticut river, accor-
ding to the treaty of 1885, and as it re-
spects the third point referred to the arbi-
ter, the line of boundary on the 45o OF latl-
tude, but upon which he failed to decide,
the President would agree, if the PROPOSE
ton as to the first point was embraced, to
adopt the old line surveyed and marked by
Valentine and Collins, in l77l and l772.
The Secretary then proceeded to state
further and insuperable objections TO an
acquescence, by the United States, in the
opinions supposed to have been pronoun-
ced by the arbter, in the course of his rea-
soning upon the first point submitted to
him. He remarked that the views express
sed by the arbiter on these subordmate
matters, could not be regarded as decisions
within the meaning Of the reference, but
rather as postulates or premises, by which
he arrived at the opinion expressed in re-
gard to the point in dispute; by an acqui-
escence in them, therefore, as required by
Great Britain, the United States would re-
iect as erroneous, the conclusion ofthe ar
bitter, whilst they would adopt the premises
and reasoning by which it was attained;
that the seven postulates or premises pre-
scented as necessary to be considered ny
the United States, are but part OF those on
which the arbiter was equally explicit in
the expression of his views; that, on others,
his reasoning might be considered as more
favorable to the pretensions of this Govern
ment; and that no reason was perceived
why an acquiescence in his opinions upon
these, should not equally apply to all the
premises assumed by him, and be binding
upon both parties. Mr.. McLane was,
however, persuaded that there was no obli-
CATION on either Government to acquiesce
in the opinion of the arbter on any of the
matters involved in his premises; that such
acquiescence would defeat the end oil the
present negotiation; and that, as il appear.
ed to be mutually conceded that the arbl-
ter had not been able to decide upon the
first and most material point, SO as to make
binding decision, there could certainly
be no greater obligation to yield to his OPP
inions on subordinate matters merely. The
Secretary further observed that the most
material point of the three submitted 10 the
arbter, was that of the highlands, to which
the Presidents proposition directly applies,
and which are designated in the treaty of
peace as the northwest angle of Nova SEQ
tia, formed by line drawn due north from
the source oil the ST. Croix river to the
highlands dividing the rivers, sc, that the
arbiter found it impossible to decide this
point, and therefore recommended new
line, different from that called for by the
treaty of 1888, and which could only be
established by conventional arrangement
between the two Governments; that the
Government Of the United States could not
adopt this recommendation, nor agree upon
new and conventional line, without the
consent of the State of Maine That the
present negotiation proposed to ascertain
the boundary according to the treaty OF
1888, and for this purpose, however attain
ed, the authority of the Government of the
United States was complete; that the pro-
position offered by the Government of the
United States, promised, IN the opinion OF
the President, the means ofascertaining the
true line, by discovering the highlands OF
the treaty; but the British Government as
ked the United States, as preliminary
concession, to acquiesce in the opinion of
the arbiter upon certain subordinate facts;
concession which would, in effect, defeat
the sole object, not only of the proposition,
but of the negotiation, viz: the determiaa-
lion of the boundary according to the trea-
ty of 1888, by confning the negotiation to
conventional line, to which this Govern
ment had not the authority to agree. Mr..