The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1839-03-26
OF A CESSATION OF HOSTILE
TIES


According to present appearances, the late threat
ened hostiliIies between the sovereign State of
Name, and the ''imperial" province Of New Bruins
wick not to mention that magnanimous. " olunteer,
the province of Nova Scotia, seem likely to be
settled without any great efuslon of human blood;
in which contingency the generous and thought,
ful foresight of the Nova Scotan Legislature, in
making provision for the widows and orphans of
those who might fall in the war, will turn out TO be
quite superfluous, and will be apt, perhaps, to pass
with posterity, however unlustly, for mere sense
less bravado.
Gov. Fairfield in his message to the Maine Leg
islature recommends withdrawal of the troops
from the Aroosook country, provided Sir John
Harvey shalt first signify waiver of his threat TO
expel them by force and provided inrther that the
right of Name to keep civil force in the country
for the apprehension OF dcpredations, shall be
edged, at least, not disputed.
AS Sir John Harvey has opened II communi-
cation with Governor Fairfield for the purpose of a
negotiation upon the basis Of the memorandum en-
tered into between Mr. Forsyth and Mr. Fox things
have assumed quite pacific character.
1t would seem that Sir John Harvey and Mr. Fox
encouraged by the easy Incidence, if treachery
with which the Cabinet at Washington has hither-
to yielded TO every claim and assumption on
the part of the British Government, had resolved
to improve the opportunity afforded by the
late enterprise, authorised by the Maine Legs.
lature for the expulsion Of trrspaSsers from The
Aroostook, to insist upon claim for which they
had long been preparing the way, to an exclusive
possession and jurisdiction of the disputed territory
pending the negotiation. Honco, tie fiery procIa-
nation of Sir john Harvey,which reused the State
of Maine to arms, and hence, the bold aud posi-.
tive assumption, on the part of MIR Fox, that the
Cabinet ut Washington bad expressly agreed TO sur
render up the possession and jurisdiction ofthe dis
puled territory the British, until such time the
controversy should be settled 1t Is by no means
certain that the negotiations between the Two gov
ernments have not afforded the British some pretty
strong grounds for setting up this alleged agreements
and there is every reason to believe judging from
their past conduct that the Cabinet at Washington
would have succumbed at once TO this preenson
had it not been for the excitement which it had
produced in Maine, and the universal disgust with
| which such concession would have been regarded
| Thus stimulated, the Cabinet mustered courage tc
deny the existence of any such agreement. They
stopped, however, half way, not daring to insist UP
on AN exclusive jurisdiction on the part of Maine
even over that portion of the disputed territory
which had been for years in her occupancy or thai
of her predecessor, Massachusetts, but setting up
strange sort of Emongrel jurisdiction, common &c
| Maine and to New Brunswick, but not capable o
| being exercised by either
Governor Fairfield in his message, shows
strong dsinclinaon 10 be satisfied with this sort o
jurisdiction, which in fact amounts to nothing anc
seems inclined to insist that the exclusive jurisdc
ton of the Aroostook valley shall be conceded tt
Maine. In what particular way this question may
| be temporarily arranged, between Governor Fair
field and Sir John Harvey, it is not easy to say
but there can be little doubt that some how or 9th
| er, the matter will be arranged between them, II
such way as 10 furnish some sort of apoog,
for the withdrawal of the Maine troops.
In the mean time, it is worthy of observation
that this whole movement, forward and retrogad
| on the part Of Governor Fairfield, seems likely t
postpone instead OF advancing tho ultimate settle
ment of the boundary question, and the turn whic
it will give to the affair, soH be likely enough to de
priue Maine of considerably larger portion of ter
ritory than she aoould haze lost BY accepting the
uard of the King qf the Netherlands, aotich at til
time she..rejected ,oith so much indignation