The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-01-26
Communications.
ron THE MADIsoNlAs
THE BOUNDARY QUESTION or MAINE.

THE BOUNDARY QUESTION OF MAINE.
From the Documents relating to the Northeastern
boundary of the United States, published at Wash
ington il appears that President jackson made pro-
posal to the British Government likely to be injurious
TO the rights and interests Of Maine, The proposal
was that the line between Maine and New Bruins
wick required by the treaty Of 1883, to be run due
north TO the highlands, which divide the waters fall
ing into the Atlantic from those that fall into the ST.
Lawrence, may be run,-in case the highlands are
not found in this north line,-in a line rest ofthe
north line directly the highlands wherever the high
lands may be found due regard TO the interests OF
Maine may require, that some remarks should be made
upon this proposal.
Mr. LIVINGSTON, the Secretary of State, in his note
to the British Minister May 2S, 1888, says that from
the St. Croix "we have two-fod description oil
boundary: aline in certain direction, and a natural
object to which, it was supposed, the line in that d
rection would lead; a line from the source OF the
river ST. Croix directly NORTH" and the highlands
which divide the waters that flow into the Atlantic
ocean, from those which flow into the river St Law
renee The American Government have believed,
that these descriptions would coincide, that IS to
say that the highlands designated by the treaty would
be reached by north line, drawn from the head OF
the ST.. Croix They make no preensions further east
than that line but lion accurate survey II should
be found that the north line mentioned IN the treaty
should pass each ofthe highlands therein described,
and that they should be found at some point further
west then the principle, to which REFER would APP
ply, TO wit that the direction of the line to connect
la ,o ref he
as to suit their ascertancd position" He then an
nexes diagram, from which it appears, that u the
highlands should be found, even to the northwest OF
the ST. Croix then the line may be run northwest IN
stead of north. Were this done, it would cut OIL
large portion Of the unsettled lands of Maine, lying
south Of the ST. John, and give to Great Britain
much larger portion Of the disputed territory than was
awarded to her by the King Of the Netherlands.
Mr.. McLANE, the Secretary of State, repeats the
proposal June s. 1888 discarding the due north
line, should that become necessary, to seek for and
find, in the first place, the highlands which divide
those rivers &c. and when these shall be found IN any
part of the disputed territory north or south Of the St
John river, to draw line from the monument to the
said highlands and to that point thereof which shall
be nearest to due north line from the monument
This proposal is repeated by Mr., FORSYTH, the Sc
cretary of State, in his note of April 30 1888. lie
also assigns the Of the proposal which Is this
"The President is advised that it is rule in practi-
cal surveying that when there found in the location
of the premises described in deed or any other in
strument, a disagreement in the course of given
line and the bearing Of natural object called Tor as
its termination the given must be made yield
to the given object and the line closed at the object in
direction corresponding, nearly as practicable, to
the couJ prescribed upon the principle that the ma
tural object furnishes evidence of the true intention
of the parties which may be relied upon with more
safety than the course"
Thus, in the opinion of the President, to run to the
object rather than by the course, may possibly be the
only way to establish the true line of the treaty Of
1888 and this, he conccives, he may do, and Maine
cannot complain Of it, for it is executing the treaty;
but to fix upon line, without the consent of
Maine, he deems out Of his power.
Such is the proposal, on which some remarks will
now be made as well on the general subject.
There seems to be no reason whatever for the reln-
quishment the part of our Government in the
proposal was accepted of all pretension to line east
of the north line. The very rule, adopted by the Pre-
sdent that in certain the line is to be run TO the
object rather than by the course would require that in
case the highlands sought for should be found east of
the north line, then the line should be run straightto
those highlands, even although it should be north
east course We must strike the object, whenever it
is to be found, to the right to heet The British
Minister could not fail to be pleased with this unasked
for and improper concessonthis sinister proposition,
as Mr.. John Holmes called it, He says: The pro-
position of Mr. Livingston rery justly provides against
any deviation eastward from the direct north line from
the St. Croix." But why, according to the rule ofthe
President, should not the deviation be eastward, if
the highlands should be found eastward, well as
westward, if the highlands should be found Westward
1t is Just and good rule which operate only
in direction, and that TO the injury of Maine.
1t is well observed by the British Minister, in
swering the plea of our Government that the new
boundary recommended by the arbiter would imply
cession Of part of the territory of Maine But if
this objection is insurmountable, against the line
recommended by the King of the Netherlands, would
it not be equally fatal to that suggested by Mr. Living
ston2 Because ifthe boundary formed by line
drawn from the head of the ST Croix to highlands,
found to the westward of the meridian of that spot
that boundary would not be the boundary of the
treaty; seeing that the treaty requires the boundary
along the meridian ofhe head of the St Croxi
and that the State of Maine might object to any devil
alton from the line ofthe treaty in westerly direction,
as justly il could to any deviation from that line in
souherly direction. Nay it might object, with more
appearance oreason, to westerly departure from real
meridian which is distinctly specified in the treaty,
&c"
The State of Maine ought to feel obliged to Mr.
Vaughan for these observations, and the they
seem to be the very observations which ought to have
been made by our own Secretary of State. Our own
Government has strangely blundercd in this nego-
nfio