Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1840-02-20
THE RETROGRADE ADMINISTRA-
TION

The several administrations of our State
government, anterior to that of Gov. Fair
field, and the several national adminis-
trations, anterior TO that of Mr.. Van Buren,
unformaly denied all right of the British
government, under any agreement, to ex-
elusive civil or military jurisdiction over
the Madawaska settlement and territory
And all can remember, how stoutly the
honor and resources ofthe State, and the
lives and property of its citizens, have been
pledged again, by those proceeding adj
minstrations, to resist all such claims and
exercise Of jurisdiction by the British gov
ernment.
But, when the arrangements Of last wins
ter, dictated by Mr.. Van Buren, to Gov.
Fairfield, were assented to by the latter.
we could not fail TO see, and seeing could
not forbear to express, the hnmilating fact
that it was most decidedly retrograde
movement forced upon our State, and ig-
nobly assen,ed to by the Governor and by
the Legislature acting under his and Mr..
Van Buren's suborniDg influence.
We know the presses in the pay of both
State and federal government swore lusti-
ly that it was all right-all prudential
Doch"i'
of the heretofore asserted and sustained
rights of Maine. But we regarded all
this blarney as mere partizan protestations
forced out to sustain party, rather than az
an honest vindication of truth and sound
cause.
The truth, however, at last breaks forth
The fact that Madawaska was knowingly.
and designedly, given up to the exclusive
control, civil and military OF the British
government, by the agreement of last win
ter, dictated by the federal administration
and ignominiously yielded to by Gov.
Fairfield, is now distinctly avowed, aud not
merely recognized, by Mr.. Van Buren's
Secretary of State, Mr. Forsyth, in the cor
respondence just now published by the or
der Of the n. S. Senate. We alluded par
ticularly to the letter of MIR. Forsyth to
Mr. Fox, dated Jan. l6, 1880, and mark
sC3ethe passage which we now quote:-
"The agreement between Governor
Fairfield aud Sir John Harvey provided
likewise that the question Of possession and
jurisdiction should remain as it Mtn stood,
but stated ,chere 1t stood by providing that
Great Britain was 10 continue holding, IN
fact, possession of part of the territory,
MEANING THAT PART EMBRACED IN THE
MADAwAsKA SETTLEMENTS, an the occupnn-
cy of Which, as aoell as in the enjoyment ofths
usual comsmanic cations beiaceen .Nsw Bruns-
rick and Her .Majesty's upper prorinces,
THE GOVERNOR OF MAINE DIscLAlMED ALL
INTENTIONS OF DISTURBING THE DaITsH
AUTHORITIES"
We ask the reader to re-peruse the a
bove humiliatIng testimony which the Min.
listers the British government at Wash
ngton have extracted from Mr.. Van Bur-
ems administration of the affairs and in
terests of Maine by Governor Fairfield
Maine has by agreement positively yielded
up her jurisdiction Of the Madawaska por-
ton Of the disputed territory to the British,
until the dispute shall be ended
And will any one now assert, that Maine
has not refrigerated. travelled backwards,
retreated, from her previously asserted and
sustained rights. in the arrangement en-