The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-12-31

when the treaty requires that it shall be run di-
recfiy north
But this is not all ; for these commissioners
are believed TO be the first persons who, IN a
lapse of over two centuries, have given this
construction TO the charter Of 1921 or contend
ed that this line should be so run. But as il can
be no way important to follow out this labored
argument, for the colonial charter cannot be sub
stltuted for the treaty, we shall dismiss il with
this observation, that II appears 10 be introduced
for one of two purposes--to invite England 10
violate her pledged faith, or 10 create confusion
in the question at issue. We would also add
that we do not see how such line could, in any
particular, agree with the treaty.
The next attempt is TO establish line which
conforms, as is alleged, in all respects 10 the
treaty and il So the argument TO prove that
| the line OF the charter is the true line, deserves
little consideration This new line brings the
northwest angle Of Nova Scotia nearly, if not
quite one hundred miles south of the point
where we contend the treaty places it-cuts off
one-third of Mane-throws the ST Johns river
! wholly into the Province Of New Brunswick,
which is part OF the original Province Of Nova
| Scotia.
| The reader must have some acquaintance with
the topography OF the country To understand
! this new pretension.
The bay Of Chaleurs bounds New Brunswick
on the norh dividing il as far as il stretches in
terror from the sea, which may be one hundred
miles from the District of Gospee, in Lower
| Canada, which lays north OF ii. Gospee is
peninsula, lying between the bay of Chaeurs
and the river ST. Lawrence, and is of consider
able width, say fifty or sixty miles. The river
| Restiguoche, which has its source in the south
ern slope Of the elevation or highlands, between
II and the ST. Lawrence, runs in an easterly di-
rectlon, nearly parallel TO the dividing highlands,
and enters the head of the bay of Chaleurs.-
/ The st. Johns river rises III the same elevation,
or highlands, but far 10 the south west of the
head waters of the Restigouche, and also takes
its course nearly parallel to the elevation, in
northeaserly direction till il approaches the
head waters of the Restigouche, when il is
turned to the left, takes course southerly for
long distance, then southeasterly, and enters the
bay of Fundy, which is the southern boundary
of New Brunswick. The most western Of the
head waters of the st. Johns are opposite 10
the head waters of the Chaudiere, a river of
Canada, which running norhery enters the ST.
Lawrence some miles above Quebec. The line
which the commissioners draw into controversy,
extends from the sources of the St Johns and
the Chaudere northeasterly TO the northwest
angle Of Nova Scotia distance of perhaps two
hundred miles, and thence south towards the
monument, about one hundred miles to the point
where they propose to place this angle near the
junction of the Aroostook and St. Johns. With
this description, which will be readily compre
give some account of the new line Of highlands
discovered by the commissioners, and shall re-
present il as we find it ON the map, which is
made TO present their views of the face of the
country. Ii commences, not on the east line of
the United States, or at the newly proposed
northwest angle of Nova Scotia but on the
south side of the bay of Chaleurs, in the pro-
vince of New Brunswick, about one hundred
and twenty miles easterly of the ST. Johns river
at its junction with the Aroostook river, and is
traced southweserly till il crosses the ST. Johns,
near where the river Tobique enters it from the
east, and then falls upon the waters of the Aroos-
| took coming in from the west and here they
make the northwest angle Of Nova Scotia
some fifty or sixty miles north of the monument
at the head Of the ST. CroiY. The line is thence
traced southwestery to the highlands, which
| separate the sources of the ST. Johns from the
Chaudier", and thence to the northwestemost
head of the Connecticut river. The distance
| from the st. Johns southwesterly to the sources
of the Chaudiere may be one hundred and
twenty miles. This is described as an unbroken
chain of highlands, corresponding to the require
menls of the treaty We will now test the
truth of this conclusion by facts drawn chiefly
1 from the report and the map of the commission
| ers.
The proposition is that line drawn directly
north from the monument, shall stop at or near
the Aroostook river, not far from where il enters
south of the northwest angle of Nova Scotia, to
! which we claim, and which is situated upon
| highlands which send their waters down into
the st. Lawrence.
The first inquiry is, if they place the north
west angle of Nova Scotia (as they must If il be
at the terminus of line drawn diyectiv north
from the monument, according to the require
ment of the treaty,) at the Aroostook, will il be
upon highlands which turn their waters into the
i \ al al a,
not, but in the valley of the ST. Johns westerly
of, but near that river itself and line known
! from that point to the Chaudiere south westerly,
will leave much the larger portion OF the valley
of the ST. Johns as well as the river itself be-
tween such line and the highlands which are
| drained on the north side into the 81. Lawrence.
! The St Johns, as has been observed first runs
easterlv, then turning nearly at right angles runs
southerly, receiving the Aroostook from the west.
| The Aroostook therefore lays south and west of
the st. Johns, and is wholly within the valley of
that stream The highlands OF the commission
ers are represented as ranging along the Aroos-
took southwestcrly, and as being crossed by il
and its branches in several places, while the
range is nearly one hundred miles souherly of
any lands that turn their waters down into the
ST. Lawrence, and in its whole extent from the
mouth of the Aroostook to the head waters of
| the Chaudiere about one hundred and twenty
miles the ST. Johns and its tributaries run be-
tween it and such highlands. The northwest
angle of Nova Scotia. if placed at this point,
cannot therefore be on highlands dividing the
rivers which empty themselves intothe st. Law
renee from those falling into the Atlantic ocean,
but will be in the valley Of the St Johns, a river
of the Atlantic only and the terminus of line
drawn directly north from the monument will
place il almost on the bank of that river. This
objection is necessarily fatal to the conclusion Of
the commissioners.
But if The reader will look at the map even of
the commissioners, he will find to his surprise,