Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-01-23

ordered but the question was taken by count and
decided in the afiirmatlve-yeas q, nays ..
The House then adjourned till Monday next
IN SENATE
Friday, January II, loiO-[ IN ronetnsio"l
| THE MAINE BOUNDARY. -
On motion of Mr. BUCHANAN, in accordance with
his nrome on Yesterday the Senate took up the reso
lutions offered by Mr.. Williams, calling on the frcsl-
dent of the United States for the correspondence mol
,lro,dv communicated with the British Government,
IN the subject of the Maine Boundary, and with the
British Minister and the Governor OF Name relative 10
invasion of the State of Naine and the exercise o. u
r;sdiction in the disputed territory
The question being on the following aco'''ohai fcso
| luton, offered by Mr. Rugges:
Rcsorcd further That the Prcsden. be requested to
communicate to the Senate, far as may not De IN
compatible with the public interest," whether any ana,
if any what measures have been taken, under the act
of Congress Of March, 1872 or othe"ise 10 cause e
removal or expulsion of the British troops which have
taken nossession of portion of the territory OF Maine
cla;m.d hv Great Britain; and especially whether,
since the last session of Congress, any military posts
have been established in Name, or any other military
measures adopted preparatory to just vndcaton OF
tho honor and rights of the nation and of Maine,
connected with the perSeverng claim made by Great
Britain 10 a portion of the territory Of that State.
MI. BUCHANAN said he scarcely knew what to say
on the subject of this resolution. II would seem to
contain implied censuTc upon lhe fresiaeil' whch'
in his humble opinion, wholly unfounded In re-
yard TO the course pursued by that distinguished Off
Ger in this very important and delicate matter, there
was but one sentiment in this country and all political
parties had evnced their appreciation oft But the re-
solution of the Senator Mr. Ruggles called upon HIM
10 communicate TO the Senate whether any and what
! measures have been taken under the act OF March,
1899 or otherwise TO eXpcl the British troops IRON Inc
disputed territory and whether since the last session,
any military posts have been established IN Name pre-
paratory TO a Just vindcation of the nation honor.
Now. (said Mr. b. every Senator knows perfectly we'll
the only answer which the President can give TO these
ntcrrogatores Indeed, this answer has been snbsnn,
tally given in advance. In his annual message Gatca
on the second December last, ne mas informed Us
That he had no, touched dollar of the $lG,0UO,0OG
confded 20 him by the act of March, 1852 and he then
surrendered up the trust which had been contided to
him by Congress And why did he pursue thus course
Simply because the contingency had not happened,
upon which he could have applied this money There
had been no invasion Of territory, or any imminent
dapuer of such an invasion. There had been no at
temp on the part of Great Britain to enforce by arms
her claim to exclusive jurisdiction over the disputed
territory. So far from it, that a solemn agreement
had been entered into with the British authorities Tor
the express purpose of preventing any such al
tempt from being made by either nation 1t was moi
until about the first Of January that the President
could possibly have heard that two companies OF
British troops had been stationed at the Iem'scouata
lake because the letter Of Governor Fairfield, COM
muncatng this information, was not dated until the
23d of December. And yet the Senate are gravely
called upon adopt resolution asking the President
whether he has taken any measures, under the act OF
March, 1882 to expel these troops-n the very face OF
his message of the ID December last declaring that he
had not found it necessary to any of the powers
conferred upon him by this act Nay, more. If the
President had established military posts in the dsput
ed territory his conduct would have been Justly censu
rabe and would have afforded to the British Govern
ment the same cause of offence as they have afforded
10 u.s. unless should be satisfactorily explained in
Gently statonins troops at the Tcmlscouata lake The
Presidents answer TO these inquiries, we all know,
must be in the negative and it would therefore, seem
that the object to cast an implied though q very
unjust cpnsure upon him for having done nothing.
Mr. b SAID he did not know what course the presl-
dent had pursued since the receipt of Gov Fairfield
letter He presumed, however, that as matter OF
course he had protested against this military occupa
ton of the disputed territory b. the British authorities
as violation Of the subsstng agreement and Of the
rights of Maine, and had asked explanation from
the British Minister. Before he attempted to exPci
these troops by force, he must call upon Congress TO
furnish him the means. Indeed, we as yet know no.
thing of the particular circumstances attending thus
military occupation, except what is contained IN the
letter of Gov. Fairfield lie should, therefore, be glad II
the Senator from Maine would withdraw his resolution
hut If hc did not, Mr. b. would not object To It's pas
sage. All the information which II was IN the Presi-
dents power TO communicate would De elected II IT
could at this iimc he properly commnn Gated by the
two resolutions or the Senators colleague, [Mf. VIII
ars.)
MIR B sad that on the question OF the Northeastern
boundary, the conduct OF the treslael mao HithcILo
been SO fortunate sa,sy even his political oPPo
ncnts II had combined prudence with hrmneSs and
had received the appreciation Of almost every reecung
man the country. The negotiation on tins important
question was, if lie might be permitted to use the ex
preston now at It's very crisis and the President had
deemed inexpedcnt to communicate to Congress any
ofthe correspondence which had taken place between
the two Governments the close Of the last session,
doubtless because he deemed that II might have an IN
furious effect upon the negotiation. Judging by the
it,rIf hHp
confidence in the President wait for short period,
and not be calling upon him for communications which
may he injurious 10 the public interest, and which, II
So ought be withheld The final result OF the ncgo
taton will probably soon be known; and Will then, as
matter OF course, be submitted to Congress- with all
the correspondence.
Allow me, SAID Mr. b., to make general remark
before take my seat. am very apprehens've that we
NAV have serious difficulties with the British authorl-
ties before the close Of this controversy My earnest
desire s therefore, that proceedings may be marked
with such Justice moderation and irmncss as to justify
US in the eyes OF all mankind. A contest must be
avoided if this be possible consistently with national
honor and them II should be forced upon us, we
shall be united people.
He made these remarks without any knowledge upon
the subject other than that III the possession OF every
Senator.
MIR RUGGLES said he concurred fully in the reso-
utons OF his colleague, asking for copies OF cores
pondcncc. But Mr.. Rs amendment went further,
merely what had been said but what had been done by
the PRESIDENT and Mr. r. would be glad to know what
had been done under the act of 1885, by any other
authority He had not been aware that ms amend
men could be construed into any dsrespect censure
of the President certainly twas not intended. twas
n simple inquiry; and if the President had not done
what he ought, mr r. would leave that matter to be
decided by the State which he represented. Mr. r..
also believed that the President might have done some
thing the second Of December, under some au-
H.. u'I
it was worth while to know. lie at least might have
taken precautionary measures, such, at least as
making surveys for it was TO be presumed that the Pre-
especially as he could h6t Il
risk Of difficulty as well as the Senator from Pehnsyl-
vania and MIR. r. himself
They had learned from the President himself, that
commissioners had been appointed to make survey OF
the county, and report not to this, but to the British
Government And what had that commission done
Tho had rome IN the ST Johns river, crossing the
Inc on their way the West to the head waters OF the
ST John which were contiguous TO those OF the ARGOS,