Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1839-01-17
Esaissc Legislature.
GOV. KItNT',~' Mess >GE
NORTHEASTERN BOUNDARY


To he Stn0fe and Housrof Reprt sentotirrs.
it being by the Con>ii ntion made the
duty ol the Governor, To give the Legis!a-
iure, from time 10 time, information of the
condition of the State" deem it proper to
avail myself of this OCCASION to lay before
you, at the close of the year, IA succinct ac-
count of the proceedings of the Execu-
tive, and copies of the various documents
which have been prepared and received
during the year IN relation to the prr-em-
imnrnily Interesting and important question
the North E 'slern Boundary of our State.
Snrh an exposition i, due rqupl.y 20 the
people aud their Representatives,, who have
a right to know in detail the action of their
public servants. and Ia the Executive. who
has heen entrusted with an important dutv
aud y direct agency in carrying .nin effect
the dechred will Of the Legislature, and
who may Justly feel a natural desire that
the people, whom he las served IN a res
ponsible station. and in whose Judgment
and sict he rrposcs,, his confidence, should
fully understand his acts and the reasons
upon which they we're founded.
| expressed to the Legislature and the
people my views Of the rights and duties
of this State and of the General Govern
ment in relation to this subj ct, nj the con-.
mencment Of the year. Al thai time CHI
zen of our State was Imprisoned IN a tot
eign Ill for attempting /, eXecue a law
within the limits ii this State and the dis
puted territory Before any proceedings on
the subject by The Legislature or the FIX
ecat,ve, after the organiz4iinn nfthe Civil
Gosern:nrnt, MIR. Greedy was r. leased
VT lopt trial or explanation, and returned
to his place al residence in this State.
The aspect q; the genera question, at
the COMM ncenent Of the year, III reference
Ia the diplomatic intercourse between Great
B.l,an aud lie United Suites, and the ap-
paraent want Of interest IN relation to its,
SPECIFY and saIi factory termination, eAhb-
lied in the lingering correspondence whi"h
had then come To light, the apathy aud in
difference with whlch other Staies. except
those directly Interested. seemed lo reg irl
II, anG the general ignorance winch pc
vailed abro. d Of The grounds Of orr claim
aud the Justice ct our cause. all cou-pl.td
10 throw il cloud owe, onr rights and an un-
certaln'v over our prospects. No couilnn-
Llchllon oi any progress Ia the neg"ciati"n
had been made tor several wears, and no
reply 10 the last Am rican Proposition,
male IN February, 1856, had been mhde
public. And when after mean y two years
delay, an answer "illai pr"Pos!iion was
received, the result OF the discussion Was
such complete failure, and the neg"cia-
ton between the two governments had c"mc
Ia such an absolute ielriihaiion. that the
President Off the Unit, States thought 1T
due Ia the State at Maine, and nrcessrv IL
the intelligent actin.. of the General u "
ernlnent, To take the sense ct this State IN
regard 20 the expectancy fopening drict
nrgociaton for the esiabl si,ent ii c0nr,n-
tiOnal ine." THIS proposition was accor-
pingly made. ihro' the Executive Of thus
STATE, aud resulted il "a decided expression
1" the Legislature against the proposal, aud
determination to abide by the treaty line.
The only proceeding which had been had IN
III Congress vas the approrittion of go
GEO. in 1887, To enable the Pres dent to
run and locate the treaty line, which he
had drclined To do. on the ground that the
law WAS not Imperative III its terms, aud he
did not deem il exprdirnt in the state of
tie then pending negociaiion. AT the ii lie
fthe deliberations Of the last Legislature