The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1840-06-13
THE NORTHEASTERN BOUNDARY.

We noticed In this paper, that was highly probaole
that the question of the northeastern boundary would
be soon and amicably settled, from the fact that
proposition had been made by Englandto pay mil
lion Of dollars for certain portions of the disputed
territory, and de6nitively to fix the boundary so us
to prevent future misunderstanding in relation to the
subject. This ruHaor, it since appears, without the
least foundation; no such proposition has been made
Some time since, information was asked for, in the
British Parliament on the subject Of the negotiation
relative to the boundary and the 7th of May Lord
JonN RUSSELL made his answer TO the inquiry. His
Iordship stated that there were two distinct ques
tions involved in the matter; the first of which was,
the general question of the boundary growing out of
:he treaty of 1888, and the treaty of Ghent and the
other with respect to the Interpretation of the
agreement, entered into in the spring Of 1889, be.
tween Gov. FAIRFIELD and Sir JOHN Harvey; refer
ring to the agreement made thro gh Gen. Scorr.
In relation to the first question, his Lordship said
that proposition made last year. by the British
government and the reply to that was counter pro-
position of totally different nature being made by
tho United States. In the meantime the commission
crs appointed by Great Britain to survey tho disputed
territory had returned and made their report, which,
it was said contained matter Of considerable impor
tancH, and was then under tho consideration of the
government, and an answer would be Immediately
returned to the last proposition made by this govo
ment giving information as to how fur they will fall
in with the terms of that proposition. His Lordship
stated that "this tho only answer hs could give at
present, on that branch of the subject" The an
swcr in relation to the second question is given more
ut length and out Of which he says has arisen all the
recent difficulties. He rccapitulaes the terms of the
agreement and suggests that it was not explicit c.
pough,-that it was ambiguous, and that the A
americans had advanced farther that the agreement
referred to warranted them in doing. Under these
circumstances he wrote to the Governor Of British
America, that it would be exceedingly desirable, in
order to avoid any collision between the adverse par
ties that tho exact geographical position at present
occupied by each party should be distinctly ascertain
ed, and mude the foundation of fresh agreement
In the course of his explanations, his Lordship
marks, thcrc is, will not say, possibility. but
will say probability, Of any collision taking place
between the adverse parties" The following is the
concluding sentence of his answer
Such is an outline of The state of affairs.
at present between the two countries-no
doubt it implies that differences of an un-
pleasant nature have occurred between the
two countries on This question Of The bour.
diary; but when consider how much both
countries are interested in the preserva-
ton Of peace-(hear, hear, and cheers)-
the great responsibility that will be incur.
red by whichever country shall unneces-
saril have recourse to hostilities, (chcers,)
trust and believe that peace will not be
interrupted, but that the whole will end in
2 formal and amicable settlement of all
existing differences. (Cheers)