Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-01-11
SETTLEMENT OF THE BOuNDA-
RY QUESTION.

The following paragraph from the Lon.
dan Morning Chronicle, the official organ
of the BH'ish ministry, would seem to
indicate ,ha, sas,9is.reaatss Aps been made
towards settlement of the North Eastern
boundary qncOpn. =. y
From the London Morning CHI (Mclc Of Nov. e
We have heard to-day. in quarters
where Information on such matters espcci-
ally may be fully relied upon. hat the
qucs ton Of boundary bctwe IN the posses,
SONS Of Great Britain in North America
and the United States. is on the eve Of
being formally adjusted, aud in n manner.
It Is said, which will give satisfaction to
The public nn both sides, and be IN accord
ance with the views Of the two govern.
ments.
1t is, in fact, stated that communications
between Mr.. Stevenson. the American
minister. ond our government, upon this
point. and that it has been determined TO
appoint commission, to decide upon the
question, the government at thaeame time
recommending mutually for their adoption.
that the river ST. John should forrSthe
separating line between the Two countries.
whereby that portion OF the province OF
Maine WITCH the AuicIicans have always
c AIMED will he reded3io us, and. as 40
equivalent. the coast and territory lying
between the rivers ST. Croix and ST. John,
equal in size to what is given up on the
other SIDE, will be- made over To America.
;. By this means Maine will possess amos,
an entire water boundary. and the country
between Nova Scotia and Canada will be
laid open to US, point in Itself OF the very~
utmost Importance, more especially at The
preecnt moment, and there can be $i'tle
doubt that the railway which las often
been proposed from Halifax to Quebec.
but as often put IF in consequence Of the
state of the boundary question, will soon
be carried into effect, by which means it is
needless to say, most important and
Favorable change will be effected in our
Canadian trade.
This project Of exchanging the portion
Of the State of Maine north Of the St.
Johns, for that portion of New Brunswick
west Of that river,-in other words, Of
making The St. Johns, throughout its whole
extent. the boundary between the United
States and the British possessions. was
suggested some years ago, by the Ameri
can to the British government, and was al,
that time promptly rejected. The absolute
necessity ofsecuring a road from St. Johns
to Quebec, it the Canadian provinces are
TO be retained, has probably induced the
British government to receive the proposal
they had once rejected. 1t remains to be
seen whether the S,ntc of Maine will con.
sent 10 this exchange. Massachusetts,
too, has an interest in this matter. She is
owner, in common with Maine, of the
] lands north of the St. Johns, bu, the land,
to DO received in exchange, west Of the
S.. Johns, are already private property
and nothing but the jurisdiction can be
ceded. What indemnity are Massacbu
sctts and Maine to receive for the loss u
property which they will suffer by the
cession, and who will pay tina, indemnity
The two tracts proposed to be exchanged
appear to be Of nearly equal extent, nnt
The exchange, in certain respects. woult
be advantageous 10 both parties. 1t is
serions question, however, whether it i
good policy in the United States, to con
, sent 10 cesson which will strong heu
the British hold upon Canada, tac,lita,,
The defence Of those provinces in case Of
war with the Uaicd S'utes, and furnsl
? the means Of throwing o British army int,
the heart OF our territory Boston Alias
NEW YORK.
, Tho Legislature Of the State If New