Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-03-08

| nc sInIe OF NAME DhO TInnL w uTTeSt
the dcpreJaiions complained of; it belong.
ed to her to Judge OF the exigency Of the
occasion calling for her interference; and
it is presumed. that had the Lieutenant
Governor Of New Brunswick been correct.
] " advised of tho nature Of the proceeding
of the state Of Maine, he would not have
regarded the transactions as requiring on
! his part any resort TO force. Each party
claims o right to the territory, aud hence
to the exclusive jurisdiction over it, it is
manifest that, to prevent the destruction
of the timber by trcspassers, acting against
the authority Of both. and at tho same
time avoid forcible collision between the
contiguous governments during the pend
cncv of negotiations concerning the title,
resort must be had to the mutual exercise
of Jurisdiction in such extreme cases, or
to an nrnlcabe and temporary arrangement
az to the limits within which it should DO
exercised by each party. The understand
ing supposed to exist between the United
States aud Great Britain has been found
heretofore sufficient for that purpose, and
believe will prove so hereafter, if the par
| tics on the frontier directly interested in
the question. are respectively governed by
Just spirit OF Cancellation and forbcorancc.
If it shall be found, az there is now reason
20 ap2rehend. that there is in the modes
of cons,ruing that standing BY the
two governments. difference not to be
reconciled, | shall net hesitate to propose
to her Britannia Mojcs'ys government n
distinct arrangement for The temporary and
,,,,,,,,,l ;nri. he, Of ,,h lot
similar difficulties may in future be pre-
vented.
But between an effort on the part OF
Maine to preserve the property in dispute
from destruction by ntruders and a military
occupation by that State Of the territory,
with view to hold it bv force, while the
settlement il a subject of negotiation be-
tween the two Governments. there is an
essential difference. as well in respect TO
the position ~ the State, as TO the duties Of
the General Government. In n letter ad
dressed by The Secretary Of State to the
Governor Of Maine. on no first If March
Last, giving n detailed statement Of the steps
which had heen 'aken by the Federal Gov.
eminent 10 bring the controversy to a ter
mna'ion, and designed to apprse the Gov
ernor Of that state OF the views Of the fed
eral executive, in respect TO the future, it
was stated that while The obligations Of the
fedora government TO do all in it's power
to effect the srtilcmen; OF The boundary
question were fully recognized, 1t had, 10
the event of being unable 10 do so specfi
cally. by mutual consent. no other means
to accomplish that object amcablv. than
BY another arbi,ra'ion or by a commission
with an umpire, in The nature Of an arb,ra
ton, and that in the event of all other
measures failing, the President would deem
it bis duty to submit another proposition
to the government Of Great Britain. to
refer the decision of the question TO a third
power. These are still my views upon the
subject. and until this eiep shall have been
taken, cannot think it proper TO invoke
the attention of Congress 10 other than
amicabe means for the settlement of the
controversy, or to cause the military pow
or ofthe federal government to be brought
in aid of the state Of Maine, in any a,iemp,
to effect that object by resort to force.
On the other hand, il the authorities Of
New Brunswick should attemp, to enforce
the claim Of exclusive jurisdiction set up
by them, by means of military occupation
on their part Of the disputed territory, |
shall feel myself bound to consider the
contingency provided by the Constitution
as having occurred, on the happening OF
which S'ne has tho right to call for aid
Of the Fedora Government to repel inva
sion.
have expressed TO the British Minister
near this Government q confident rXpec,a.
ton that tho agents of the State Of Maine,
who have been arrested under an obvious
misopprchonsio of the object of their mis-"
sion will be promptly released and to he
Governor Of Maine 'ha, a similar course
will be pursued in regard to the agents of
the Province Of New Brunswick. have
also recommended that any mll,ia tina,
may hive been brought together by the
Sta,e OF Maine from On apprehension of
collision with the Government or people of
the British Province, WILDE voluntarily md
peaceaby dlsbanded.
canno, allow mysclfto doubt tina, the
results anticipated from these representa-,
tons, will be scnsonably realised. The
parties more Immediately interested, can
not but perceive, that an appeal TO arms,
under existing circumstances, will not only
prove fatal to their present interests, but
would postpone. if not defeat. the attain
ment Of lh" main objects which they have
in view. The very incidents which have
recently occurred, will necessarily awaken
the Governments TO the importance of
promptly adjusting dispute by which it is
now made manifest that the peace ofthc
two nations is daily md immlnen,ly endan
gercd This expectation is further war
ran'ed BY the general forbcarance which
has hitherto Characterised the conduct of
the Government and people on both sides
Of the lnc. IN tho uniform patriotism Of
Mnre, Of her at,achmen, to the Union. her
respect for the wishes Of the people of her
sister States, Of whose interest in her vel
fare she cannot be unconscious, and in the
solIc'iudc fell by the country a, urge for
the preservation OF pence with our neigh
bors, we have strong guarantee that she