North American. [volume] (Swanton, Vt.) 1839-1841, 1840-04-15
Signs OF the Times.
NORTH EASTERN BOUNDARY

Il
We beg the earnea attention Of our
people to the (o.low ,ng facts. We need
not add, perhaps, after the continual con-
1fmajions Of oil shat we have sad, touch
ing this greatly misunderstood question o!
the North Eastern Boundary, that what
ne say now, may tie depended upon. Our
readers viii Judge Tor themselves, upon our
simnle assurance, that we know these
things 10 be tree, on authority not to be
questioned.
" Mr.. Fox, in his note TO Mr.. Forsyth,
states that 10 artillery is TO be found at
the British posts an the disp1ied territory.
True: none is 10 be seen. But there are
twelve pieces Of artillery masked, together
with ali the necessary APPENDICES, ready
u he mounted in half an hour, on wagons,
al the TemiousQual fort.
d" The number OF troops given by Mr..
Fox, aud the agent OF Maine, Gas reported
to the latter by the British commanding
officer y ~ only two hundred. True I:
troops il Uniform; but IL we include the
Royal miners and sappers, used and dress
ell as iab0rers, we shall have Just three
hundred and Gity-t!ree doctors and ser
wants, lwenIy-nlne- told, three hum
dred and eighiv-two besides maiI.caryiers,
expresses and workmrn on the roads--aII
trained soldiers-amounting in the whole
to nearly eight hundred instead Of two
hundred armed men.
Let me apprIze you now OF another
manmuyre. The two hundred and fifty
six men, ordered to reinforce the troops on
the disputed territory, under colonel Col
die, Of which | informed you about six
weeks ago, and which report as you see
has Just been confirmed by the New Bruins
wick papers, are countermanded .-Iaborefs
having been found to answer The purpose
better, and TO save appearances. | warn
YOU now, that this well.contrived manGu-
vre will succeed in binding your editors
generally. Within a few days, or few
weeks at farthest, the whole story will be
denied, Though the movement was &C
knowledged by the New Brunswick pa
pers,) aud the outcry will be heard that
the American people md the American
government are under strange Geusion,
or have been strange Y misin'ormed.
"Observe: the reason confdentiaily CIV
en- bv the British Provincial authorities,
is at variance with that given by Mr.. Fox
himself. They say that the occupation is
necessary TO prevent the inhabitants Of the
disputed territory from rising. Do you
want names? You shall have one TO be-
gin with. MIR. Derbyshre the attacha Of
the Governor General, wrote confden-
tal letter to private citizen Of Portland,
to say this, (Which letter was intended for
the people and the governmentD
"' That this reinforcement was not sent
as told you ii would be, was owing alto
gether TO the timely information Of
friend well known to YOU
4" Permit me to prophesy. The British
troops will be Withdrawn, as the river
opens. After which, having it in their
power to throw into the disputed territory
any required number Of men by their
steamboats, and batleaux (Which are all
ready now it would be sufficient for them
to keep a corporal's guard upon the spot
except to provide against q surprise.
Within four days after an outbreak, they
could move two thousand men from Que
bee; that is, before the United States
troops could reach Houlton!
"One other fact. The British are now
streng hening Woodstock. This will give
them the absolute command OF the military
road just finished by Maine, as well as of
Fort Fairfield, and all the barracks there!
Cast your eye upon the map, and you will
see the inevitable consequences. To
your tents therefore" j. n.
Portland Me. March 81.