Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1838-04-12

to lead US away from that announcement OBJ
stacle to their wishes, and plans-the trea-
ty languange. The propositions was SO
equitable and fair-so Just to all parties and
SO full of promise Of adjustment up or pro-
coedings satisfactory to us, that it could
not be preemptorIly rejected. But although
it was entertained the answer to it clogged
the proposition with so many conditions and
so limited the powers of the commission
ers, and required the concession on our
part of the all important fact, that the ST
Johns and Ristigouche are not Atlantic
river-that the original plan was at once
deprived of all vitality or power, or use
aud in fact, the reference would have been
merely an agreement TO abide by the decis-
ion, provided both parties should be salts
fed and assent to it.
II is certainly somewhat remarkable,
that if the assumed fact is true, VIZ: that
the treaty line cannot be laid down or@fxed
according to the treaty, that so much UNI
Willingness should be exhibited to have an
attempt made to ascertain it, or if Great
Britain is so strongly convinced of the JUS
tice and strength of her argument and
claim, that should be SO reluctant to refer
the whole question to disinterested and
scientific Europeans
There is an apparent and | doubt not
real anxiety to avoid discussion or eXamin-
alton based upon the treaty--and | fear
that if we once abandon that line in search
of conventional one, we shall never be
able to bring them back again to consider
the present line or to recognize the treaty
as of any binding efficacy. | fear too,
that the only question i'll negotiations for
conventional line will be, how large por
ton of our territory we must yield up. The
suggestion made by our government, to
take the river St John from its mouth to its
source as the boundary was rejected, with
simple expression of wonder that it should
have been made--and our Government is
told explicitly that his "Maiesty's Govern
ment cannot consent to embarrass the ne
gociation respecting the boundary by mix
ing up with i, q discussion regarding the
navigation of the ST John, as an integral
part of the question"
The iutimation seems plain, and no ne
gociaIion for an exchange of territory or
privileges will be entered into, but the sim
gle point will be, how shall the disputed
territory be divided between the parties.
fear that if we abandon the treaty language
so clear and so decided in our favor, and
50 much at VARIANCE with their claim, we
shall leave certainty for an uncertainty,
and throw doubt, confusion and embar-
rassment over our claim and our course of
action, and yield to Great Britain, the great
obstacle we now present to her grasping
spirit, the solemn treaty of 'S3. And what
security have we that any line can be fixed
upon which shall be permanent, or what
certainty is there that the new line may not
be declared to be 'imprnctcable" whenev-
err it may come in contact with any of the
plans or wishes ofGreat Britain 1t would
certainly be difficult to present stronger
diplomacy aud skill can manufacture
doubts and embarrassments, in the discus
sion of the question as now presented, we
may well despair Of ever fixing certain
and unal.erable line of boundary. If am
accused of injustice or severity in these re-
marks, would point in justification to the
remarkable progress of the doubts and as
sertions in relation TO the treaty line of
boundary.--Wh the question as TO which
river was the true St Croix of the treaty,
(Which was the only question then in dis
pute) was before the commissioners under
the treaty ofI794, the British agent fou nd
ed his principal argument for the western
most river, upon the ground that, line due
north from the source of that river, (the
St Johns, which have their mouth within
New Brunswick.
He says, "the most accustomed and
convenient rule in cases of this kind, is to
leave to each power respectively the sour
ces of those rivers that empty themselves,
or whose mouths are within lis territory up
on the sea coast, if it can be done consist
emily with, or in conformity with the intent
of the treaty." "a line due
north from the source of the western or
main branch of the Schoodiac OF st Croix,
will fully secure this effect to the United
States in every instance, also to Great Brit
ain in all instances except in that of the
river st John, wherein it becomes impossi-
Die, by reason that the sources of this river
are to the westward, not only of the west
ern boundary line of Nova Scotia, but OF
the sources of the Penobscot, and even OF
the Kennebec so that this north line must
Of necessity cross the st John, but it will
cross it in a part of it almost at the foot OF
the highlands and where it ceases to be
navigable. But if a north line is traced
from the source of the Cheputnatecock, il
will not only cross the river st John within
about fifty miles from Fredericton, the me-