The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-02-28
TWENTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
THIRD SESS SION.
IN SENATE,
MONDAY, Feb. 25, 1889.

i
MONDAY, Feb. 25, 1899
The Hon. w. r. KING was This morning elected
4 President pro tenn. Of The Senate by unanimous
vote; after which, on taking The chair, he returned
his thanks in neat and appropriate address for the
| honor conferred on him.
The following memorials and petitions were pre-
| BY Mr.. RUGGLES From citizens Of Maine, re-
monstrating against the passage of any law interior
| ing with the fishing bountes
/ BY Mr.. MERRlCK; From the Mayor and City
Council of Baltimore, asking the usual appropria
4 tion for the Improvement of the haIbor.
/ BY Mr.. NORVELL: A joint resolution Of the
Legislature of Michigan, asking Congress to see
that the naturalization laws be properly observed by
foreign powers towards naiuralized citizens.
Also, from citizens OF Michigan, in relation 10 the
same.
BY Mr.. SWIFT: From citizens of Vermont,
asking the establishment of a national foundry at
| Vncennes.
BY Mr.. FULTON From citizens Of Arkansas,
asking presumption rights TO certain tracts of land
BY Mr.. YOUNG: From citizens of Illinois, in
| relation to mail route
/ Mr.. RUGGLES reported the bill the better to pre-
serve the lives Of persons on board vessels propelled
in whole or in part by steam.
| Mr.. WRIGHT, from the Committee on Finance,
asked TO be discharged from the consideration Of the
memorial Of the Screw Dock Company, of New
| York; from the document in relation 10 the Mineral
Bank, in Wisconsin: and from the bill for the can
collation. of certain debenture bonds on expectation
| Mr.. HUBBARD desired 10 have recess from
| to 5, 10 expedite the public business. This motion,
after some debate, was lost
And, on motion Of Mr.. DAVIS, the hour of meet
ing was fixed at 10 A. M. instead of H. as hereto
| FORE
The following bills were successfully taken up,
and ordered 10 be engrossed for a third reading
Granting pension 10 David Walker.
To explain and limit the powers Of the Circuit
Court of The District of Columbia
| To amend an act confirming certain land claims
in the State Of Michigan.
To authorize the payment Of equitable commits
sions to the agents attorneys OF persons in whose
/ favor awards have been made, under three several
treaties between the United States and certain TO-
reign powers, which awards have been retained in
the Treasury in payment of debts due to the United
States. ...
| To revive an act authorizing certain soldiers in
the late to surrender the bounty lands drawn by
them, and TO locate others in lieu thereof and for
| other purposes. ....
For the relief Of J. and w. Beeson and Others
The following bills were, on motion, indefinitely
| postponed
| For The relief OF Isaac Hilton.
For the relief of Joseph Veazie.
For the relief of Daniel Davis.
For the relief of the legal representatives of Philip
Barbour, deceased
/ THE MAINE CONTROVERSY.
Mr. WILLIAMS, Of Maine, having asked and OBJ
| tanned leave of the Senate to make some remarks
not in order under the rules proceeded 10 state that
he had noticed in one OF the morning papers some
comments on the late incidents in Maine TO the eff
i a
country, which comments Mr.. w. could not permit
| to pass unnoticed What their object could be,
when there was prospect of contest with foreign
country thus 10 in advance and put our own peo-
pie in the wrong, Mr.. w. could not understand
There could be no question whatever as to the right
OF Maine TO the territory in dispute. That question
was largely and deliberately discussed at the last
| sion of Congress, and a resolution was passed by
both Houses with great unanimity, which Mr.. w.
trusted had put that question at rest In order that
| the Senate might understand more fully what the
State of Maine had DONE Mr.. w. asked their atten-
| ton, while he made brief statement Of the circum-
stances which led to the controversy now going on.
This Mr.. w. proceeded 10 do infinitely. [Bnt be-
fore he concluded, Mr.. Preston objected, that the
same ground must be gone over again in day or
two, when the question would be regularly presented
to the Senate, and that time was, at this late stage
of the session, to be lost needessly: but Mr.. P.
withdrew his objection at the intercession of MIR.
Davis and others, and Mr.. w. was allowed to pro-
coed to conclusion.
A sketch of his statement follows:
The territory south Of the ST. Johns was never
considered debateabe ground until after the treaty
| of Client, and when the commissioners under that
treaty disagreed as to the line of boundary as de-
| scribed in the treaty of 1883.
portion of IL, contiguous to the line actually run
| from the monument including the Aroostook river,
was granted by the Common wealth Of Massachu-
sets, more than 30 years ago, and has been held by
the grantees and those claiming under them TO this
| time. Other parts have been surveyed into town
ships, under the joint AUTHORITY OF Massachusetts and
| Maine and have been divided between those States
| The first settlements upon the Aroostook were
| commenced within the last fifteen years, and were
made by citizens Of The States, and some persons
| from the Provinces of Nova Scotia and New Bruins
wick, who went upon II as American territory, and
| TO avoid their provincial creditors.
Soon after Maine was separated from Massachu-
sets, and made an independent State her anda agents
from year to year. went upon this territory to prevent
depradaons, and to obtain satisfaction for trespasses
committed thereon, and, in many instances, effected
| their purpose
Pending the arbitration and since, various ar
engagements have been proposed TO preserve the tim
Der upon this territory and to prevent collision be-
tween the authorities Of the contending parties pro-
vidng that neither party should do acts to increase
their claims or prejudice the rights OF The Other
/ Under this arrangement, Maine has not pressed
her jurisdiction beyond the ST. Johns, but has con-
SANITY exercised supervision of the territory south
4 OF the ST. Johns, granted permits 10 cut timber, and
to obtain satisfaction for timber cut by trespassers,
i opened and made roads, put on settlers, &c.
The recent claim by the authorities Of New Bruins
wick to maintain exclusive jurisdiction has been
constantly resisted, as well by the United States
by Maine and Massachusetts.
The Governor OF Maine, being informed that very
! extensive depredationS were being committed upon
the timber in that territory, and by persons avowing
their determination resist BY force any attempts
which the authorities Of Maine might make TO re-
move them, thcreupon the land agent OF Maine, with
the Sheriff Of Penobscot county with posse of about
200 armed men, was sent TO the Aroostook to arrest
the trespassers, and TO prevent further depredaons
While in the discharge Of this duty the LAT agent
was arrested upon our territory by armed men,
taken To Woodstock there examined by magistrates
ordered 10 Fredericton and sent thither upon
horse sled, under military guard and the huzzas Of
the multitude; and what his present situation is is
| not known.