Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1840-02-06
THE MAINE BOUNDARY.
From the National LntelHgencer.

| From the National Inteligencer.
A Message from the President of the u.
States, was presented to the Senate on Thurs
day, containing the information called for by
certain resolutions of that body, concerning
| the state of affairs on the boundary between
| the United States and the British north-wes-
tern possessions.
We shall lay these documents before our
readers as soon as we can get possession OF
them. For the present we must be content
to state the substance of them, as understood
from the reading by those who heard them
read.
The material papers are those furnished by
lows:
l. A letter from MIR. Fox, the British Min
lister, to MIR. Forsyth, Secretary of State, dat
ed in November last, complaining of the vio-
lation OF the agreement entered into between
the agents of the two Governments last win
ter, by the opening Of roads to the Aroostook,
and the occupation ola part of the disputed
territory by body ofarmed men employed by
the authorities of the State of Maine.
=. A Letter from Mr.. Forsyth, written some
weeks afterwards, replying to the complaints
OF MIR. Fox, that the opening of the roads in
question is not a recent measure, but merely
carrying out policy adopted twelve or four
teen years ago; that the armed body spoken
OF Is only posse employed to drive off intru-
ders; and that nothing has been done on our
side incompatible with the spirit of the agree
ment between the agents ofthe two countries;
whilst on the British side, acts have been
done which may be justly complained of as
Infringing the agreement, such as erecting
barracks for troops on the st. Johns, placing
troops on a part ofthe disputed territory, &c.
| B. A Letter from Mr.. Fox, justifying what
the British authorities have done, on the
ground Of the current report that the Legisla-
| ture the State of Maine had an intention to
abrogate and nullify the agreement made be-
tween the two countries last Spring, which
rumor was too strongly corroborated by the
language or Gov. Fairfield, at the opening of
the Session of that Legislature not to Justify
precautionary measures, which have not been
resorted to, however, with any design to in
fringe the agreement, &c,
4. Another letter from Mr.. Forsyth, to Mr.
FOX, In which he says that there is no reason
TO apprehend such an intention as is imputed
to the Legislature of Maine; that the alleged
precautionary measures are therefore altogeth-
er gratuitous OH the part of the British au-
thorities in New Brunswick, and must be
considered ''a bold infraction'' of the agree
lnent OF last winter and that, if the British
government uphold this proceeding on the
part OF Its agents, such course on its part
Will be regarded by this Government as evil
dence OF a want of that friendly disposition
on the part Of Great Britain which has hither,
to been believed to exist, &c.
This is the substance of these Letters,
which we expect to be able to publish at large
In our next paper.
Upon the subject of the present state of the
boundary Question between the United States
ana Great Britain, as some opinion may be
expected from us, we can only say, that after
more mature consideration of the matter, we
DO not see any immediate cause of alarm a.
Dont IL: The only dangeris that of Governor
falrhelds undertaking a second campaign
against her Majesty's Province of n. Bruins
WICK. We think it quite likely, however,
tiiat he had enough of his last experiment of
that sort to deter him from inconsiderately
Undertaking another. The question is in the
hands OF the Diplomatic agents of the two
Nations, and it may be hoped that friendly
adjustment of it will not be marred or defeat
ed as 1t probably (and almost certainly
would be by the State of Maine's resolving
again to take the business into her own hands;
ithcc iOiDluut1l ny tIG Terms OF the
Constitution Of the United States, and to
which neither this Government nor that of
Great Britain could submit without surrender
lng' or at least compromising, their political
rights.
In reference to this matter, we have pleas
ure III stating, that the memorandum publish |
ed In the papers of the day (and among others |
In our daily paper yesterday as having been
issued by Sir John Harvey, in reference to |
existing relations, turns out to be blunder of |
some editor or other, who has raked up an old |
memorandum out of the ashes of the war of
1872 between the countries, and applied it to
the present day! Sufficient for the day is
he evil thereof" We have not quite so
nearly approached the awful gulf of a war
with Great Britain that her Provincial Cover
lors should think it necessary to be issuing
recommendations Of neutrality to non-comba,
ants on both sides of the border. The day,
We trust, will never come.
A MONSTER,