The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-04-16
MAINE, MR. FORSYTH, MR. STEVENSON
AND THE NORTH EASTERN BOUNDARY.

AND THE NORTH EASTERN BOUNDARY
The question has been asked with some consld'
cradle en- hasis, what has Mr. Stevenson pee. q,
bout ali the ume of his residence in Engaha, tha'
he has NOT been able to bring the North LusteIn
Boundary question satisfactory, or at 'eas'' To
some sort of an Issue ~ . co,, ,I,o
A reference to the published document rom the
ece of tho Secretary ofState annexed to the fres'
jdents annual messages, will serve to show,that me
North Eastern Boundary question mas oeen consul
cred very secondary sort OF an aiiair' anu snd
chief attention of Mr. Stevenson has been expended
upon a matter deemed by the present cabinet oil
much greater Importance.
Our readers will, perhaps, recolect the fact that
certaim American vessels laden with slaves Tor inc
Southern markets were several years since wreck
ed on their passage to New Orleans. The crews were
carried into some OF the British West India Islands
where, in con iormIty TO the British laws, which
like those of Massac husetts, do not acknowledge
men as things, the cargos were set free and suffer
ed to dispose of themselves according to their own
pleasure
Ever since the occurrence Of the first of these
cases. which happened in 1881, the Federal gov
eminent at Washington has been SO urgent In It's
zeal and labor to recover from the British govern.
these liberated slaves, as to have lost sight o.!
all other interests and questions whatever. Inc
matter has been followed up with great spirit and
pertinacy. lmmedi aey after the loss OF the fret
vessel, the Comet, instructions were sent IRON
Washington TO minister TO demand of the Brl-
fish Govern ment the value Of the cargo. In 1882
another despatch was forwarded on the subject
The instructions were again removed IN 1883 the
Secretary of State remarkpg this case +" must be
brought 30 concuslon--the doctrine thnt would JUS
tify the liberation of our slaves, Is too dangerous
to large section Of our country to be tolerated.
In 1884 fresh instructions sent, and de-
mand ordered to be made Tor the value OF the slaves
in the Encomum
In 1885, similar instructions sent relative to
the Enterprise.
In 1886, the instructions renewed the
Secretary observing to Mr. Stevenson, sin the pre-
sont state of our diplomatic relations with the Co
vernment of his Britannia Majesty, the most am
qnediatcly pressing Of the matters with which the
United States legation at London is now char ged
is the claim Of certain American citizens against
Great Britain for number of slaves, the carg0cS
of thres vessels wrecked in the British Islands in
the Atlantic
We beg leave 10 call the attention Of the citizens
of New England, and of the Northern States gen.
eraly TO these last quoted instructions OF the Sec
rotary of State to our minister near the British
Court. 'tIn the present state, he says, "of our
diplomatic relations with Great Britain, the most
immediately pressing, mark that, the most em7nedt-
ately presStng--of the matters with which the u
nted States legation at London is now charged, is
the claim of certain American citizens for certain
slaves, &c" The claim of the State OF Maine for
ten thousand square miles of her territory, and for
divers of her citizens arrested and imprisoned by
the authorities of New Brunswick this claim jim
volving the question of the integrity of our terrific
ries /; the rights and jurisdiction of sovereign
state Of the Union, to say nothing Of the interest
of Massachusetts, we'll as of Maine, in the prop
ty of the disputed territory this great claim,
has lately threatened to involve the countries in a
runous and destructive war, is pronounced by Mr.
Secretary Forsyth in his instructions TO MIR Ambas
ssdor Stevenson, to be quite secondary matter IN
comparison with that most Immediately pressing af-
fair, of ga number of slaves, the oargoes of three
vessels wrecked in the British Islands in the At
antic !"
This most im7nediately pressing matter, was
cordingly pressed by Mr. Stevenson with great
gency, and finding that the British government had
inclination to act the part of tip slaves and drlv-
ers 10 the American slave traders, Mr. Stevenson
Lana npHa cd tnr ne fD "a q
bility of acar, it these demands not acceded
to. In letter to Lord Palmerston of December
3lst, 1886, he expresses hope that the British 60
vernment would "not longer consent to postpone
the decision of a subject which had been for
many years under its consideration and the effect
of which can be none other than to throw not only
additional impedments in the way OF an ADJUST
ment, and increase those feelings of dissatisfaction
and irritation which have already been excited =
but by possibility tend to Tdistmrb and aceaken The
kind and amicabie relations sChich nOac happily
SubSts 6etoeen the too countries and the preSer
vation of aohich essentially depends the interests and
happiness Of both:
then been pending for four or five years, the Maine
boundary question has been pending foria quarter of
a century, and it is certainly quite as true ofthe lat
ter the former, that the effect of postponemen
"can be none other than to throw not only addition
al impediments in the way OF an adjustment, and
increase those feelings of dissatisfaction and irrta
tation which have already been excited but by pos
sibility tend to disturb and weaken the kind and
amlcaDle relations Which suoslst between the TWO
countries, and on the preservation Of which essen
TALLY depends the interests and happiness of both.
How true this is of the Maine boundary question
we have lately had palpable proof,-but the Cab-
net at Washington and the American legation at
London, have been exclusively engrossed with
the most Immediately pressing matter of the liber-
ated slaves, wholly to have lost sight of the i'm
portance and the dangers of the boundary disputes.
From the foregoing facts, the people of Maine
will be able to judge how much they likely to
gain by selling themselves to southern faction and
becoming the passive tools Of a s'NoRTHERN Presi-
dent with SOUTHERN feelings. "-Roston Atlas.
THE "INDEPENDENT TREASURY" AND
Low TAXES. 1886.
Among other arguments in favor of the sub-treas-
ury it is asserted that it will diminish taxes, ~
introduce economy in the public Expenditures, What
an idea Was there ever a more ridiculous alb