Lexington union. (Lexington, Miss.) 1838-18??, 1840-04-18
Your obedient servant.
THOMAS B. WOODWARD.

There has been current report here that the
United States had declared war agans, Great
Britain, whichi,appears not correct; but there
10 good reason to believe that such will be the
@se If the subject Of the North Eastern Boundary
i, not soon settled. The British authorities have,
for some considerable time past, been erecting
forts along the line of the disputed territory, aud
they are making every preparation Tor war;
troop. are continually arriving from England, and
Mr.. Fox, the British Minister at Washington,
seems TO think that the British Provinces are
sufficiently fortified now for him to change from
the polite and affable negotiator to the overbear-
ing toolof tyranical government, The follow
ing 10 an extract of letter sent bySFox, TO Mr..
Forsyth, in which it will be seen he uses very in
dependent, il not insulting language
"Her Majesty's Government: claim and expect
from the good faith of the Government of The
United States, that the people Of Maine shall
replace themselves in the situation in which they
stood before the agreements Of last year were
signel-,ha, they shall, therefore, retire from, The
VALLEY of the st. John, and contine themselves to
the Valley Of the .4roostic-that they shalIoccupy
that Talley in temporary manner only, for the
purpose, as agreed upon, of preventing depreda-
fions--and that they shall not construct lori6ca-
tons, nor make roads, or permanent settlements.
Until this be done by the people OF the State
of Maine, and SO long rs that people shall persist
in The present system Of aggression, her Maiestys
Government will feel it their duty to make ,uch
military arrangements as may be required tortte
protection Of her .Majeay's rights. And her Ma
jesty's Government deem it right to declare that
il the rcsul, Of the unustifabe proceedings of the
State of Maine should be collision between her
Maesty's troops and the people of that State, the
responsibility of all the consequences that NAV
snsue therefrom, be they what they NAV, will resi-
with the people and Government of the United
States"
To which the gallant Forsyth, returned the
following promp, aud spirited reply
" Unless her Majesty's Government shall forth
with arrest all military interference in the qles-
tion--unless it shall apply to the subject more
determined efforts than have hitherto been made
10 bring the dispute to certain, pacific adjust
ment, the misfortunes predicted by Mr.. Fox, in
the name of his Government, may most unfortu
nately happen"
1t is with regret that we are obliged to say
that our Government has been rather dilatory il
erecting and repairing our fortifcations--th fort
on the Atlantic coast present dilapdated ap
pearance-,he marks Of the Wondering hant
of,ime is upon their walls-theI foundations arr
srumbing and ready to fall with crash Of thun
der to the ground--aud shall 1t be so!--God for
bid il. Let the General Government see the sit
uation we are placed inland let US, fellow cti
gems, If we cannot maintain our rights by fair ant
honorable negotiation, rally round our sister stat
who is threatened with the vengeance Of tyran
ical foreign power, and swear, by "our lives, GU
fortunes, and our sacred honor" that we p,l
maintain that sacred liberty which decsnded t,
" from our noble and gallan, forefaihers."