Lincoln telegraph., 1838-05-03
North Eastern Boundary.
MIR. FORSYTH TO GOV. KENT.
To has Ercellency EDWARD KENT.
Governor Of the State Of Maine.
Department Of State,
WASHINGTON, March lst, 1898.

Department Of State,
WASHINGTON, March lst, 1888.
Continued.
In note dated March, is, Sir Charles
r. Vaughan offered some observations up
on the objections, on the part ofthe United
States, to acquiesce in the points previous
ly submitted to the American Government
He said that the adoption Of the views of
the British Government by the Govern
ment ofthe United States, was meant to be
the ground work of future proceedings,
whether those proceedings were eto be di-
rected to another attempt to trace the boun-
Diary as proposed by the latter, or to di-
vision Of the territory depending upon
conventional line; he maintained that the
arbter had decided, as the British Gov
ernment asserted, two out ofthe three main
points submitted for his decision, viz, what
ought to be considered as the northwest
ernmost head of the Connecticut, (but
which the Government ofthe United States
is only willing to admit conditionally,) and
the point relative to tracing the boundary
along the 80 of latitude This point, he
observed, Mr.. McLane wished 10 dispose
of by adopting the old line of Collins and
Valentine, which was suspected ofgreat
lnaccuracy by both parties, and the only
motive for retaining which, was, because
some American citizens have made settle
ments upon territory, that new survey
might throw into the possession of Great
Britain. Sir Charles denied that the acqni-
escence Of the United States in the seven
subordinate points lately submitted by his
Majesty's Government, would conine the
negotiation to conventional line, to which
the President had no authority to agree;
and affirmed that not step could be taken
by the commissioners to be appointed ac-
cordng to Mr. Livingston's proposition,
Notwithstanding the unlimited discretion
which it was proposed to give them, unless
the two Governments agreed upon two OF
the seven subordinate points; "the charac-
ter ofthe land they are to discover as diyi-
ding waters according to thetreaty of1783;
and what are to be considered as Atlantic
rivers
In answer to MIR. Nc Lanes observation,
that On many points the reasoning of the
arbitei had been more favorable to the
United States tban to Great Britain, and
that, therefore, acquescence should equal
ly apply to all the premises assumed, Sir
Charles expressed his confidence that if
acqulescence in them could facilitate the
object which now occupied both Govern
ments, they would meet with the most fa-
vored consideration. Sir Charles adverted
to the obligations contracted under the 7th
article ofthe convention; to the opinion of
his Majesty's Government that they were
binding, and its willingness to abide by the
award of the arbiter; he referred to the
small majority by which he supposed the
award to have been defeated in the Senate
Of the United States, and new negotiation
advised to be opened to'the complicated
nature of the plan proposed by the United
States, for another attempt 10 trace the
boundary of the treaty; to the rejection of
the points proposed BY the British Govern
ment to render that plan more practicable,
&c; and regretted, sincerely, that the a.
ward of the arbiter, which conferred upon
the United States three-fifths of the dispu-
ted territory, together with Rouse's point,
much greater concession than is ever
likely to be obtained by protracted nego-
tation, was set aside. An alleged insu-
perable constitutional difficulty having oc-
casioned the rejection of the dward, Sir
Charles wished to ascertain, previously to
any further proceedings, how far the Gen
eral Government had the power to carry
into effect any arrangement resulting from
new negotiation; the answer of Mr.. Nc
Lane upon this point having been confined
to stating, that should a new commission ol
survey, freed from the restriction of follow
ing the due north line of the treaty, find
any where westward Of that line, highlands
) separating rivers, according to the treaty
of 1893, line drawn from the monument
at the source of the ST. Croix, would be
such fulfilment ofthe terms ofthat trea-
ty, that the President could agree to make
1.-THE boundary without reference to the
State of Maine.
Mr. McLane, under date Of March 2l
, corrected the error into which Sir Charles
had fallen. in regard to the proceedings on
: the award in the Senate of the United
States, and showed that that body not only
failed, but by two repeated votes of thirty.
five and thirty -four to eight, refused to con.
sent to the execution Of the award, and, by
necessary implication, denied its binding
effect upon the United States; thus putting
it out of the power of the President to car
ry it into effect, and leaving the high par
ties to the submission situated precisely as