The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1840-04-11
The United States cannot acquiesce i'll

In the first place, nothing Is Iouha III
the agreement subscribed to by Governor
Fairfield and Sir John Harvey, defining
any limits in the disputed territory, with
in which the operations of the civil posse
of Maine were to be circumscrlbed. Inc
task of preserving the timber recently
cut, and of preventing further depreda'
tions, acithin the disputed territory was
assigned 10 the State of Maine, alter her
military force should have been Withdrawn
from it; and it was to be accomplished oy
civil posse, armed or unarmed' whlch
was to continue in the territory, and 10
operate in every part of it where Its agen-
cy might be required, to protect the tl,n'
ber already cut, and prevent iur'ner oe'
predatious, without any Limitation what
ever, or any restrictions, except such as
might be construed into an attempt TO as
turb. by arms, the Province of New
Brunswick in her possession of the Mada,
waska settlement, or interrupt the usual
communication between the Provinces.
1t is thus, in the exercise of a legitimate
right, and in the conscientious discharge
of an obligation imposed upon her by a
solemn compact, that the State of Maine
has done those acts which have given rise
to complaints, for which no adequate
cause is perceived. The undersigned feels
confident that when those acts shall hare
been considered by her Majesty's Govern
ment at home, as explained in his note
to Mr.. Fox, of The Oath of December
last, and in connexion with the foregoing
remarks, they will no longer be viewed as
calculated 10 excite the apprehenslons ol
her Majesty's Government that the faith oil
existing arrangements is 10 be broken on
the part of the United States.
With regard to the second position as.
sumed by Mr.. Fox, that the advance OF
the Maine posse along the valley of the
Restook 10 the mouth Of Fish river, and
into the valley of the upper St. John, is
at variance with the terms and spirit OF
the agreements; the undersigned must OBJ
serve that, if at variance with any of their
provisions, it could only be with those
which secure her MajesIy's Province ol
New Brunswick against any attempt to
disturb the possession of the Madawaska
settlements, and to interrupt the usual
communications between New Brunswick
and the upper provinces. The agreement
could only have reference to the Madawas-
ka settlements, as confined wlthln iheir
actual limits at the time it was subscribed.
The undersigned, in his note of the 24th
of December last, stated the reasons why
the mouth Of Fish river, and the portion
of the valley Of the St. John through
which it passes, could in no proper
sense be considered as embraced in the
Madawaska settlements. Were the United
States to admit the pretensIon sci up on
the part of Great Britain, to give to the
Madlwaska settlements degree of con-
strpctiye extension that might, at this
time, suit the purposes of her Majesty's
colonial authorities, those settlements
might soon be made, with like justice, to
embrace any portions of the disputed ter
ritory: and the right given to the Province
of New Brunswick to occupy them tempo
rarily, and for a special purpose, might
by inference quite as plausible, give the
Jurisdiction exercised by her Mdjestys
authorities an extent which would render
the present state of the question, so long
as it could be maintained, equivalent to a
decision on the merits Of the whole con-
troversy in favor of Great Britain. If the
small settlement at MAZDA gaska, on the
north side of the ST.. John, means the
whole valley of that river If boom
across the Fish river, and station of
small posse on the south side of the st
John, at the mouth of Fish river, is
disturbance of that settlement, which is
twenty-five miles below-within the mean
ing of the agreement, it is difficult to con-
ceive that there are any limitations to the
pretensions of her Majesty's Government
under it, or how the State of Maine could
exercise the preventative power with re-
gard 10 tres passers, which was, on her
part, the great object of the temporary
arrangement. The movements of British
troops lately Witnessed in the disputed
territory, and the erection of Military
works for their protection and accommo'
dation, of which authentic information,
recently received at the Department OF
State, bas been communicated 10 Mr.. Fox,
impart still graver aspect to the matter
Immediately under consideration. The
fact of those military operations, establish
ed beyond doubt, left unexplained, or