The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-10-16

Its northery and enters that river much higher
up than the Aroostook The Allaquash ISSUES from
several lakes which again eross this line range Of
highlands We shave now traced this range of noun
tains as laid down the commissioners map through
nearly all its from the bay Of Chaeurs to the
new northwest angle of Nova Scotia and from thence
the point where the head waters of the ST. Johns
and the Penobscot are found on one side and the
Chaudure on the other which is undspuled ground
distance Of about 2i0 miles and as far as is found
along the waters of the Tobiquo-the Aroostook and
the Aaquash which is the greater part OF the distance
the range of highlands it is represented does not
even constitute the exterior limit of any valley but
lies wholly within the valley Of the ST. Johns The
sources ofstreams are by the laws of nature the high
est parts of them and constitute the outer limit Of the
valleys in which they pan of the head waters
OF the Iobique, Aroostook, and Allaquash lay south
OF this range and run through II, which proves
cusvey that nearly the whole range if there be any
thing that deserves that appellaon lies in the valley
OF the St Johns and being up and divided by these
waters and pierced by the ST. Johns itself at level of
only 200 feet above the tide what claim can it have to
be described the highlands of the treaty because Of
its unbroken character No one can read the treaty
and entertain the belief that such highland is meant
Even if it were a continuous, unbrokcn chain when
the treaty says it be one turning its waters into
the St Lawrence and must be found by running
line directly north from the monument meaning most
obviously the elevation which separates the valley of
the ST. Lawrence from the adjoining valleys lying
southery oft.
The commissioners seem to be aware Of the objec-
ton TO placing the northwest angle Of Nova Scotia al
point SO much at variance with the treaty and pro-
coed to establish necessity for it, by contending that
4 he angle be placed where assert il should be- no
highlands can be found extending from thence to the
northwest head Of Connecticut river and for that rea-
son it would be impossible to execute the treaty in the
way We insist is right If this be So it merits serious
consideration though the objection is quite as fatal to
the line they point out aside from the other objections
to it, But the question is whether the reasoning and
proof this point is either conclusive or satisaco-
ry We think it utterly fails to sustain the conclu-
sion The river St Lawrence drains or takes of the
waters of the valley Of the St. Lawrence and all the
territory through which that river extends and thus
drains is within the limits of that valley and there
IS OF necessity exterior limit which bounds it, which
must be found along these high grounds in which the
streams that flow into il, rise Beyond this limit we
all know the waters flow in another direction and
through other valleys this elevation being the divd
ing limit. This law of nature is interchangeable, and
nothing be more certain than that there is an
elevation which turns the waters down in one direc-
ton towards the St. Lawrence, and in the other to-
wards the Atlantic ocean, and this elevation is con
tinuous at height sufficient for this purpose. No
contradict this nor is there any map
even that Of the commissioners, which does not
present the face of the country.
The point where the Commissioners profess first to
find themselves at loss to trace distinct highlands in
ranging nouheastely along the of the treaty is
at the head of the Chaudure Iriver. Opposite to the
sources of this river they admit the most western
southwestern of the st. Johns are found and
their map represents these as springing from the eeya
ton and running one way for long distance along
this ridge, perhaps one hundred and fifty niles while
the Chaudure Etchemin and several other rivers flow
in the opposite direction the ST. Lawrence On the
one flank is the valley of the St Johns on the other
the St Lawrence and the waters of every stream that
spreads over that region divided by this crest be-
tween these rive-s. Weneed no other proof of this
than the interchangeable laws of nature as the two
valleys cannot exist without such separation Of their
waters, and the map and reasoning of the Commits
sioners admit ii in the fullest extent.
But the Commissioners deny that this dividing ele-
walton is the highlands of the treaty because they
aver it consists of peaks with broad gaps intervening
and because some Off is swampy and the rivers which
have their there and run down the opposite
slopes oreriap each other
The language of the treaty Is peculiar Il desg-
mates the route where the line is to be run not as
mountains hills connected chain of either but
the highlands trhich bride The rirers Nothing is
required but land high enough to perform this Office
when therefore they admit that the streams do rise and
flow each way, they yield the whole argument~-for
the land, if tabular swampy, answers well to the
treaty if it in ridges succession of noun
tain peaks it is high enough to do what the treaty
requires, divide the waters
1t is also continuous and unbroken for this purpose
as il every where from the northwest angle of Nova
Scotia at the river Mets, which flows into the st.
Lawrence, and thence to the Chaudere and thence to
the northwesternmost head of the Connecticut scpa-
rates the of the streams and in itself the pa
rent of them all, containing is itself the sources that
feed them 1t matters not if parts are more elc
waited than others and give to it broken appearance,
as all parts are high enough
Nor does il merit the least consideration that the
rivers oreriap each other by which understand for
example, that the Of river flowing down the
south slope farther north than the source of river
flowing down the north slope The treaty docs not
require a straight line, but provides that it shall be
where the land divides the water lfthese rivers
do thus overlap still there is dividing line of the
waters between and around the sources of each-an
elevation passing between and around the head of each
which divides and turns the water each waysand the
line of the treaty is to follow this elevation be its d.
rectlon what IL may Il i enough that this crest Is