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

tainly the line was to run equally far north
whether the starting point was east or
west; unless the highlands inclined to the
south. And yet we are now required as a
preliminary to admit that the st John and
the Restigouce are not Atlantic rivers.
In 1914, when the negotiations which
resulted in the Treaty of Client were in
progress, no pretence was made that our
line did not extend beyond the st Johns,
and according TO our present views, Great
Britain by her negotiations expressly sta.
ted. that she /" desires The rerision of the
frontier bci,ceen her North american domin-
ions and those of the United States, not ,Uiih
any uiew 10 an acquisition Of territory, as
such, bit for tie purpose Of securing her pos
session, and preventing future disputes.
".and such VARIATION Of the
line of frontier as may secure direct comma
nication Jetwern Quebec and Halitar."
And when our negociators peremptorily
refused to agree 10 any cession of territory,
the answer was that they "were not prepar-
ed to anticipate the objections contained in
the note of the American Plenipotentia-
ries, that they were instructed to treat for
the revision of their boundary lines, with
the statement which they had subsequently
made, that they had no authority 10 cEDE
nny part ho,ceUer INSIGNIFICANT the United
States, although the proposal left nopen. for
them 10 demand an equivalent for such cEs-
SION IN territory or othercise,'
And yet now that territory which they
then offered to pay us for, is claimed as
their own; --and that line which then was
admitted and recognized as including the
territory as Gained by us, is now declared
to be impract cable, and must be abandon
ed, and a more convenient one sought for
and established.
feel most sensibly that this question
now presented is one of very grave impor-
lance, and that the action now to be had
by the Legislature Of Maine may and prob
ably will hare material influence upon the
relations between this government and
Great Britain The painful conviction is
forced upon me that G Britain is determin-
edit hold this territory that she now claims,
deeming il important, as securing a con-
/ uection between her provinces in time Of
%ar and peace. And reterate the asser-
ton heretofore made, that we have little
to hope from the forbearance or action OF
the British government. Their aim is APP
parent to expunge the treaty provision, and
to hold on with an unyieldng grasp to their
modern claim, and to reject all proportions
having the treaty line for their basis can
not but regret it as unfortunate, that our
own general government, although it has
always recognized our rights to be consult
ed before any conventional line should be
adopted has in degree at least given
countenance to the propriety and expedi-
ency Of departing from the treaty line.
"In note from the Department of
State, dated cath April, 1895, Sir Charles
II. Vaughan was assured that his generous
suggestion, as His Bri;anc Majesty's
minister, that negotiation should be open
ed for the establishment Of a conventional
boundary between the two countries, was
duly appreciated by the President, who,
had he possessed like power. with His
Majesty's government over the subject
would have met the suggestion in favora-
BE spirit"
Such suggestion, it seems TO me, al
though dictated by sincere desire to end
the controversy, was well calculated TO
lead our opponents as matter of policy oh
! their part to clog the previous proposition
with insuperable difficulties, and to en-
courage them to perseyere in their at
tempts to obiterate the treaty language.
/ think the same effect must have result
cd from the singular announcement to the
British Government Of the United States in
/ 1882, in opening the negotiation under the
| vote of the Senate for settlement Of the
TREATY line, "that If the Plenpotentiaries
should fail in new attempt to agree upon
the Line intended by the treaty Of 1888,
there would probably be less difficulty than
before In fixing conventional boundary,
as measures were in progress TO obtain
from the State of Maine more extensive
powers than were before possessed, with a
view Of overcoming the constitutional OBJ
otacles, which mad opposed themselves to
such an arrangement"
If direct proposition had come to us
through the general government for a spe-
cifc line of boundary, yielding to us terri
tory or privileges of navigation equivalent
!, to the unsettled territory which we might
I cede to them, it would certainly have pre-
scented the question in different aspect.
But the question now is, as / understand
it, whether we shall take the lead in
abandoning the treaty and volunteer pro-
positions for a conventional line. In res
pect to the proposition for additional sur
veys, as it long seems to me inexpedient
for this State to acquiesce i'll the proposed
negotiation for a conventional line, until it