Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1839-03-01

in dispute bewixt Great bIthin anu Tue
United States, and which has been agreed
betwixt the two General Governments, shall
remain in the exclusive possession and juris
diction Of England until that claim shall be
determined"
Now. sir, cannot hesitate TO say, that in
nv opinion your EScellency is laboring un'
der sn entire misapprehension IN regard to
the facts No such agreement am persua
ded, has ever been made between the two
Governments | have looked in vain Tor il
among the numerous documents which have
grown out Of the qnestion--and have never
bea I'd OF any recognition OF II, verbal or 9th
erwise, on the part Of the officers Of the Gen
eral Government IT. however. such an a
greement exists, your Excellency can un
doubleday point II out. AT all events, such
an agreement can never be recognized by
this State. A decent selfrespect will ever
| forbid it, There were no other considera-
ton in the way.
Your Excelency entreats me immediate
ly 10 reca the force now upon the territory
and thea adds" 1t is proper that should
acouaint your Excellency, that | have d.
recied strong force of Her Majesty troops.
to be in readiness 10 support Her Majesty S
authority. and protect Her Majeslys subjects
in the disputed territory, in the event Of This
request not being Immediately complied
with"
In reply have to say, tha; the territory
bordering on the Aroostook river has al
ways been, as regard the facts. in the pos
session aud under The jurisdiction Of Mass.
and Maine-that, more than thirty years
ago, Mass. surveyed and granted large tracts
Of it, which have ever since, in some way.
been possessed by the grantees, and those
claiming under them-that. the rest Of it was
surveyed by, and some Of it divided between
Mass and Maine, soon after the latter be-
came an independent State-thai both States
have long been in the habi, Of granting per-
mits to cut timber there without being mo-
Tested from any quartcr-that many persons
have purchased these lands of Maine, and
entered into their actual occupaton-and
that, in various other ways, Maine has exer-
cised jurisdiction. which may fairly be re-
garded as exclusive, over this territory
Under these circumstances. information was
received thata body Of armed men had gone
into this territory and were cutting vast
quantities OF the timber. deiying the power Of
this State 10 prevent them.
On these facts being communicated 10 the
Legislature the two branches Immediately
directed the Land Agent 10 take with him
sufficient forcet to arrest these deprcdators,
and to break up their enterprise. The par.
ty of the Land Agent is now on The territory
engaged in executing the trust with which
il was charged-and with my consent will
never leave il. while tho protection Of the
property Of the State from plundercrs
renders il necessary for them to remain
II your Excellency chooses to send an
armed force to aitemp, their expulsion
I can only say that this State will en-
deavor to meet such an attempt as it will de-
serve have no threats to make, no boast
ings 10 indulge. II Maine does her duty. as
say in advance would add 10 the glory of her
career. fshe proves recreant to her duty
and tamely submits 10 be expelled from her
territory. by force that she could success
fully resist. nothing that can say would
tend TO diminish the measure OF her igno-
minity and disgrace
have the honor to be,
With great respect
Your Excellency's obi servt
JOHN FAIRFIELD
(Sovernor of Maine