The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1840-04-11
CORRESPONDENCE
Between the Hon. JOHN FORSYTH, and the
Hon. II. S. Fox.
Mr.. Eor to Mr.. FORSYTH.
WAsu1NGToN, March l3, lS4'

The undersigned, her Britannia Majesty:
Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenl
potcaiiary, has been instructed by his
Government to make the following com
munication to The Secretary of State of the
United States in reference to the bounda'
ry negotiation, and the affairs Of The dis
puted territory.
Her Majesty's Government have had
under their consideration the Official note
addressed to the undersigned by the Secrc'
,ary of State of the United States, on the
2lh Of last December, in reply to note
from the undersigned Of the I'd November
preceding, in which the Undersigned pro-
tested in the name of his Government, a
gainst the extensive system of aggression
pursued by the people of the State OF
Maine within the disputed territory, to the
prejudice of the rights Of Great Britain,
and in manifest violation Of the provision
al agreements entered into between the
authorities Of the two countries at the be-
ginning Of the last year.
Her MaiesLy's Government have also
had their attention directed to the public
message transmitted by the Governor of
Maine to the Legislature of the State, on
the Sd of January of the present year.
Upon consideration of the statements
contained in these two official documents,
her Majesty's Government regret to find
that the principal acts of encroachment,
which wore denounced and complained OF
on the part of Great Britain, so far from
either being disproved ,on discontinued, or
satisfactorily explained, by the authorities
Of the State OF Maine, are, on the contrary,
persisted in, and publicly avowed.
Her Majesty's Government have conse-
quentIy instructed the undersigned once
more formally to protest against those acts
OF encroachment and aggression.
Her Majesty's Government claim and
expect, from the good-faith Of the Govern
ment of The u tied States, that the people
Of Maine shall replace themselves in the
situation in which they stood before the
agreements of last year were signed; that
they shall, therefore, retire from the valley
Of the ST.. John, and confne themselves to
the valley Of the Aroostook; that they shall
occupy that valley in temporary manner
only, for the purpose, as agreed upon, oil
preventing depredations and that they
shall not construct forti6cations, nor
make roads or permanent settlements.
Until this be done by the people of the
State of Maine, and so long as that peo-
pie shall persist in the present system OF
aggression, her Majesty's Government will
feel it their duty to make such military
arrangements as many be required for the
protection of her Majesty's rights. And
her Msjesty's Government deem it right
to declare that, if the result Of the unjusli-
fable proceedings of the State Of Maine
should be collision between her Majesty's
troops and the people of that State, the
responsibility Of all the consequences that
may ensue therefrom, be they what they
may, will rest with the people and Gov.
ernment of the United States.
The undersigned has been instructed to
add to this communication, that her Ma
iesty's Government are only waiting for
the detailed report of the British commits
sioners recently employed to survey the
disputed territory, which report, it was be.
lieved, would be completed and delivered
to her Maje5ly's Government by the end of
the present month, in order to transmit to
the Government of the United States re-
ply to their last proposal upon the sub
jcct of the boundary negotiation.
The undersigned avails himself Of this
occasion to renew to the Secretary of State
of the United States the assurance Of his
distinguished consideration.
H. S. FOX.
lion. JOHN FORSYTH, &c. &c. &c.