Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-03-22

well known point. This can be clearly !
established by the most authentic official
documents. which, it will concusvely OPP.
pear, from the highest intrinsic evidence,
we're before The commissioners at The time
they formed the treaty. 1t is true that
this point had never been fixed by actual
survey, nor was it marked by the erection
Of any monument; but that it could be
| found upon the ground at the intersection.
This northwest angle Of Nova Scotia,
which was notorious, although the very
spot had not been nscerlained, was fixed
upon as the place of beginning of our
boundary, IN order to prevent oil future
disputes; aud yet, strange as 1t may appear
this is the very point now contested by the
! British Government Whether with any
good reason, it will be the task Of the
committee to inquire.
lts agreed by both parties that the map,
cclled MitcheIPs map, copy Of which is
annexed TO this report, was the one used
by the commissioners at the formation Of
tho treaty. 1t was published in 1865, and
bears upon its iace an official stamp; having
been undertaken with the appreciation and
at the request Of the Lords Commissioners
for Trade and Plantations. Whoever may
inspect this map VIII, at once, perceive the
natural formation Of that region. The
river st. Lawrence runs from the south.
west towards the northeast; whilst M
merous tributaries rising in the highlands
TO the south OF it,and. passing north through
its valley, empty themselves into the main
stream. These tributaries are all ntccs.
sariIy short; because the highlands from
which they flow run at no great distance
from the river, and in parallel direction to
1t, throughout its whole course. From
these highlands on the south, proceed the
head waters Of the Connecticut, and An-
droscoggio, the Kcnncbcc. the Penohscot
the st. John, and the Ristigouchc, all
flowing into the Atlantic ocean, through
different bays. And here it may be OBJ
served, that there is not single stream,
which rises on the south side Of these hirh
lands, throughout this whole region, which
, does not first empty itself into some Allan
tic bay; not one Of them flows directly into
the maln ocean Such is the natural for
, nation: Highlands running in q parallel
direction with the St. Lawrence, and di.
J vldng the streams which fall into that
, river on the north, from those which seek
9 the Atlantic ocean in the south. In 1855
i, when Mitch9II's map was published, the
British possessions in North America did
c not eX end north of the S.. Lawrence. 49,
: At that period, it will appear from the map
Y that the northwest angle of Nova Scotia
c was TO be found on the ST. Lawrence, at
o the point inlcrscc'ed by the line running
b due north from The source the ST. Croix,
y This north line is distinctly marked upon
t map. On the west Of it, the words "New
. England" ore printed in large letter, and
on the cast Nova Scotia"
II this map were, alone, TO be The guide
] aud il The place Of beginning of our boun.
: dairy. mentioned in the treaty. had been
r simply "the northwest angle Of Nova SEQ
Tin" without further qualification, The State
e Of Maine would have extended TO the ST.
y Lawrence. In Whit manner was this
d northwest angle Of Nova Scotia brought as
: fai south as the highlands separating The
!. sheams which flow in opposite direction:
TO the st Lawrence and TO The AtIanhc
IS In February, 1903, Grea, Britain acquired
d Canada from France by treaty. Canada
- New England and Nova Scotia being ibeT
i. all subject TO the British Crown, the King
k thought proper, in creating The province O
:, Quebec, TO extend lis limits south of tht
h 81. Lawrence, 50 as 10 include the vnllel
n Of that river. The reasons were obvious
Is Quebec, the seat Of Government, wa
is situate on its northern shore. IL was on,
Is ofthe ostimportant cites in North Ameri
}. ca, and the Trade and business Of the pcop
ri along the numerous Streams which nowe
into The 81, Lawrence from the highland
ir south Of il. would naturally centre therc.-
Us Besides, il was obviously convenient iha
A. the limbs OF the Different provinces shout
! be regulated, as far as practicable, by On
.. course Of The rivers; and 10 would hav
i. been highly inconvenent that the vale
at south Of The ST. Lawrence, within sight c
n, capital of The province of Quebec, and ne
lis cessarl'y having constant intercourse VII
as The opposite shore, should continue attach
n cd TO remote and distant Govcrnmcnts.-
he The King, therefore, by his proclamation
ed dated on tho 18th of October, l7G3, declare
cd that the Government Of Quebec should b
of bounded, south of the St. Lawrence, BY
he line crossing that river and the Lake Chan
ly plain, in forty five degrees Of north latitud
st, and passing "a'ong the highlands whic
e divide the rivers that empty themselves If
nd TO tho sea, and also along the north Goa
ly Of the Bay des Chaeurs and the coast
the Gulf Of St.Lawreuce, to Cape Rosters
We Thus the province Of Quebec was eXtent
es cd south, so as to include the vale of I'll
es St. Lawrence, and It's southern line WI
ell fixed along the highlands from whence i
ed tributaries flowed, New England on
N Nova Scotia were deprived of thls much
he their former territory; but they still retain
n, cd all that portion Of Il watered by stream
Of whose sources were on the south side
lis these highlands, and which cmpticd then
selves into the sea, This was natur,
he and proper division. Alter the date of tn
th proclamation, where was "the northwes
nd angle Of Nova Scotia" to be found -
he Can doubt or difficulty rest upon th
e. question: We must look for it on the lin