Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1838-04-26
North Eastern boundary.
Mr.. FORSYTH TO GOV. KENT.
To has Ercslleney EDWARD KENT.
Governor Of the State Of Maine.
Department Of State,
WASHINGTON, March LIST, 1898.

w AsHINGToN, hIarch Isl, 1905.
SIN: The discussions between the Fed
eral Government and that of great Britain.
in respect to the northeastern boundary Of
the United States, have arriyedat the stage
| in which the President thinks II due to the
State of Maine, and necessary to the intel
ligent action Of the General Government,
to take the sense of that State in regard to
the expediency of opening direct negotia-
ton for the establishment ofa conventional
line; and, if it should deem an attempt to
adjust the matter OF controversy in that form
advisable, then to ask its assent to the same.
With this view. and to place the Govern
ment of Maine in full possession of the
present state ofthe negotiation. and of all
the discussions that have been had upon
the subject, the accompanying documents
are communicated, which, takerfin connec-
ton with those heretofore transmitted, will
be found TO contain that information.
The principles which have hitherto gov
erned every successive administration Of
the Federal Government in respect to its
powers and duties in the matter, are;
1st. That it has power to settle the boun-
Diary line in question with Great Britain,
upon the principles and according to the
stipulation of the treaty of 1888, either by
direct negotiation, or, in case of ascertain
ed inability to do so, by arbitration; and
that it is its duty to make all proper efforts
to accomplish this object by one or the 9TH
err those means.
Cd. That the General Government is not
competent to negotiate, unless perhaps on
grounds of mpefious public necessity, a
conventional line involving a cession Of ter
ritory to which the State of Maine is enti-
tied, or the exchange thereof for other ter
rltory, not included within the limits of that
State, according to the true construction of
the treaty, without the consent of the
State.
In these views Of his predecessors in of
| fee, the President fully occurs, and 1t is
his design to continue to act upon them.
The attention of the Federal Govern
ment has. of course, in the first instance
been directed to effortsfo settfe tho treaty
line. A historical outline of.the measures
which have been. successfully taken by it ),
to that end. may be useful to the Govern
ment of Maine, in coming TO conclusion
on the proposition now submitted. It will,
however, be unnecessary here to do more
than advert 10 the cardinal features ofthis
protracted negotiation.
| The treaty of peace between the United
States of America and his Britannia Ma
jesty, concluded at Paris in September,
1893, defines the boundaries of the said
States, and the following words taken from
the second article of that instrument, are
intended to designate part of the boun-
Diary between those States and the British
North American provinces, viz: 'sFrom
the northwest angle of Nova Scotia, viz:
that angle which is formed by line drawn
due north from the source ofthe Saint Gro
tx river TO the highlands; along the said
hig HANDS which divide those rivers that
empty themselves into the River St Law
renee, from those which fall into the Allan
tic ocean, to the northwesternmost head of
the Connecticut river,
'seast by line to be drawn along the mid
die of the river St. Croix, from its mouth
in the Bay of Fundy to its source, and from
its source directly north to the aforesaid
highlands, which divide the rivers that fall
into the Atlantic ocean, from those which
fall into the st. Lawrence" An immedi-
ate execution of some Of the provisions of
this treaty was, however, delayed by cir
cumstance on which il is now unnecessary
to dwell; and, in November, 1854, a sec
ond treaty was concluded between the two
parties. In the mean time, doubts having
arisen as to what river was truly intended
under the name Of the St. Croix, mentioned
in the treaty Of peace, and forming part
of the boundary therein described, this
question was referred, by virtue Of the 9Th
article Of the new treaty, to the decision
of commission appointed in the manner
therein prescribed. both parties agreeing to
consider such decision final and conclusive.
The commissioners, appointedinpursuance
of the 9Th article Of iae treaty Of 1894, de-
4 cided by their declaration Of October, Goth,
II79S, that the northern branch (Chsputna-
ticooky of river called Schoodiac was the
true river ST. Croix, intended by the treaty
of peace.
/ At the date Of the treaty Of Client, De-
ceinber, "a, 1904, the whole of the bonn
Diary line from the source of the river ST.
/ Croix to the most notherumost point Of the
Lake of the Woods, still remained unascer-
tanned, and twas, therefore, agreed 70 pro-
vide for a final adjustment thereof. For
this purpose, the appointment OF commits