The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-03-31
NORTHEASTERN BOUNDARY.


In bounding the United States, the treaty of
1888 begins at the northwest angle of Nova
Scotia, meaning that angle made by line
drawn due north from tide head waters Of ST.
Croix River to the highlands which divide
the rivers that run into the st. Lawrence from
those that fall into the sea, thence along said
highlands to the westernmost head of Con-
nectcut River, SC.
angle Of Nova Scotia, it becomes necessary
TO find il by running out these lines.
We have agreed upon the head waters of
tho ST. Croix and set up a monument, about
which there is now no dispute. All that re-
mains to be done is to run due north line
thence to the ridge Of the highlands which
divide the waters as described in the treaty,
and there is the northwest angle of Nova
| Scotia
That there are such highlands, SO dividing
the waters, every body knows who has be-
slowed thought upon the face of the country.
/ Every map shows it. 1t is easy to run
north line, and yet Great Britain refuses to
do it.
The history Of this line is easily traced,
and it can be proved beyond question that
the northwest angle Of Nova Scotia was as
well known as any spot could be, where there
is no monument, long before the making of
the treaty, and hence it was selected as
| oto ~ oh isha nv
the British authorities.
In 1921 the King granted to Sir William
Alexander, Nova Scotia, which included
New Brunswick The charter bounds the
west line, beginning at the extreme west
point of Nova Scotia, now Cape Sable, thence
across the mouth of great inlet Of the sea,
now Bay of Fundy to the mouth of the River
ST. Croix thence up that river, TO the head
waters of the same, and thence ina north line
to the great River of Canada, now the st.
Lawrence Thus Nova Scotia came to the
ST. Lawrence, and the northwest angle was
on the bank, and the colony bounded north by
the river. Maine New Hampshire, and Yer
mont were alike bounded on the north by the
river and the Canadas, then held by the
French, on the south by it. Thus matters
stood till 1863, when Great Britain conquered
Canada, and it was ceded to her by France.
In that year the King issued his proclama-
ton organizing government In Canada, and
bounding the territory in which he moved the
south line Of that province from the river to
the highlands south, thus taking the whole
valley of the river into that province, and cut
ting off large territory from N. Scotia, Maine,
New Hampshire, and Vermont. Some of the
provinces objected to this, but without effect,
Thus the northwest angle of Nova Scotia was
taken from the river and placed on the high
lands, which are described in the proclamation
as they are in the treaty OF 1888, to be the
highlands which divide the waters which run
into the ST. Lawrence from those which fall
into the sea.
These boundaries were established in IVA
by act of Parliament. They were also re-
cognized in every commission OF the Govern
ors Of the several Provinces who have presided
over them from that day to this. The west
line of Nova Scotia, (now New Brunswick
is in all official papers, and upon all maps,
line due north from the st. Croix TO the high
lands, and the northwest angle Of Nova
Scotia is the point Of intersection of these
lines.
Thus It is plain that the provincial west line
of Nova Scotia has been well known since
1921, and steadily adhered to by Great Br-
tain on all occasions where she speaks Of it
or describes it.
1t lis equally clear that she has never assigned
but one south line to Canada, and that Is along
the highlands which divide the rivers which
run into the st. Lawrence from those which
fall into the sea.
1t will be equally plain, on looking into the
treaty of 1888, that these lines were then
adopted and established as they had existed
from 1863. and as nearly by the language
which had been employed hitherto to describe
them as il was possible to make it.
We have already adverted TO the treaty IN
describing the northwest angle of Nova SEQ
tia as the starting point for the line along the
highlands The east line of the United States
and west line of New Brunswick is equally
identical. The treaty says, east by line
from the mouth of ST. Croix in the Bay OF
Fundy to the head waters thereof; and thence
due north, to the aforesaid highlands, which
divide the rivers which run into the ST. Law
renee from those which fall into the sea.
No truth can be more apparent than that
the northwest angle of Nova Scotia is on the