Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1840-04-06
Mr.. Forsyth 10 Mr.. For.
DEPARTMENT DE STATE.
Washington. March 95. Is

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,
Washington, March 49, 1910. {
The undersigned, Secretary of State of the u
nted States, acknowledges to have received Mr.
Fox's communication OF the 18th instant, in refer
cnce TO the boundary negotiation and the affairs OF
the disputed territory. The information given in
the closing part Of it, that n reply to the last
proposition of the United States, upon the subject
OF the boundary may he expected in short time,
is highly gratifying TO the President, who has,
however, given directions to the undersigned in
making this acknowledgment, TO accompany it
with the expression Of his profound regret that
Mr. Fox note IS in no other respect satisfactory.
Aiter the arrangements, which in the beginning
OF last year were entered into on the part OF The
two governments with regard tothe occupation of
the disputed territory, the President had INDUCED
the hope that the causes of irritation which bad
grown out of this branch Of the subject would
have been removed. Relying Oh the disposition
OF Maine 10 cooperate with the Federal Govern
mcnt IN all that could lead to pncIc djusment
OF the principal question, the President felt conf
dent that his observation-disclosures maintain order and
peace on the border woul he fully carried out.
He looked upon all apprehensions Of designs by
the people of Maine to take possession of the
territory, as without adequate foundation deem
ing il Improbable that on the of an amicable
adjustment OF the question, any portion of the A
mericnn people, would without cause and with
out oh Get, leopard the success of the negotiation
and cndanger the peace of the country. trou
bIesomc, irritating, and comparatively unmpor.
tant, because subordinate, subject being thus dis.
posed of, the President hoped the parties would
be left free at once to discuss and finally adjust
the principal question. In this he has been dis
appointed. While the proceedings of her maes.
ty's government at home have been attended with
unlocked for delays, lis attention has been diverted
from The great sub jet in controversy by repeated
complaints, imputngto portion ofthe people of
"a o,.in.l tka
ments of their government designs which have
never been entertained, and designs which Mr..
Fox knows would receive no .cDHhlenarrce from
this government.
1t is regretted that at this late hour so much
n'sapprchenslon still exists the side of the
British government, as to the object and obvious
meaning of the existing arrangements respecting
the disputed territory. The i'll success which ap.
pears to have attended the efforts made by the
undersigned to convey, through Mr.. Fox, to her
hla!esys government, more correct impressions
respecting them, calls for recurrence TO the
subject; and brief review of thecorrespondsnce
which has grown out of it, may tend to remove
the erroneous views wh.cl, prevail us to the manner
in which the terms Of the arrangements referred
to have been observed.
As Mr. Fox had 10 authority TO make any
agreement respecting the exercise of jurisdiction
over the disputed territory hut between him and
the uudersigned on the 9Th of February, 1882
lldI OnJtCt IOT
the restoration and preservation of peace in the
territory. To accomplish this object, it provided
that hor Majesty's officers should not seek 10 ex
pei, by military force, the armed party which had
been sent by aine into the district bordering on
the RestoOk river; and that, on the other hand
the government of Maine would voluntarily, and
without needless delay, Withdraw beyond the
bounds of the disputed territory any armed free
then within them. Besides this, the arrangements
had other ohjects-the dispersion of notorious
respasSers, and the protection OF public prop .riy
from depreciation. In case future necessity should
arise for this, the operation was TO he conducted
by concert, jointly or separately, according the
! agreement between the governments of Maine
and New Brunswick.
In this last mentioned respect, the agreement
looked TO some further arrangement between
Maine and New Brunswick. Tliroug'i the agen.
cy nf Gen. Scott, one was agreed TO, on the 23d
and 25th of March following, 10y which Sir John
Harvey bound himself not 10 seek without re-
newed instructions TO that effect from his Govern
ment, o,iake military possession of the Territory
or to repe from it by military force the armed
| civil posse, or the ttoops Of Maine On the part
of Maine, it was agreed Try her Governor that no
attempt shonld he made without renewed inslrllc-
tons from the Legislature, to disturb by arms the
province of New Brunswick in the possession OF
the Madawnslia settlements, or interrupt the usua
| communications between that and the upper prov
were to remain Unchanged each party holding in
| fact, possession of part of tho disputed Territory
but each denying the right of The other TO do so
With that understanding, Maine was, without I'm
necessary delay, to withdraw her military force
leaving only, under a land agent, a small civil pos
sc, armed or unarmed, to protect the timber re-
Gently cut and TO prevent farther depredations
In the complaints of iniractions OF the agree
ments OF the. state of Maine, addressed to the un
dersgned, Mr. Fox has assumed two positions
which not authorised by the terms Of those
agreements: LIST, admitting eright of Maine tt
maintain civil posse in the disputed territory fo
The purposes stated in the agreement, he does sc
with the restriction that the action of the posse WA.
to he confined within certain limits; and I'd, b,
making the advance of the Maine posse into The
valley ofthe Upper ST. Joha the ground Of his com
plant OF entertainment upon the Madawaska set
dement, ke assumes to extepd,the limits of thu
settlement beyond those it occupied at the date
of the agreement.
4 The United States cannot acquesce in either o
these positions.
In the first place, nothing is found in the agree
ment subscribed TO by Governor Fairfield aud Si
John Harvey, defining any limits in The disputed
territory within which the operations of the civi
posse OF Maine were to be circumscribed. Tn,
] task OF preserving the timber recently cut, and
. preventing further depredntions within the dspu