The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1841-01-26
GOV. KENT ON THE BOUNDARY CUES.
TION

EDWARD KENT has been formally indicted into
the office of Governor of Mane and has delivered
his Message to the Legislature. it is lengthy, but
il opens clearly the condition of the affairs of the
State, and is one of the ablest Executive Messages
we have ever :eah. The author, though young,
speaks like statesman of ripper years, and of long
experience, and The Message throughout breathes
a spirit of patriotism worthy of the generous heart
that conceived it,.
We extract below large portion of the Message
relating 10 the Boundary Question:
The arrangement assented to on the part Of
Maine in 1889, by which condition that Name
should remain in undsturbed possession of part of
lhe territory, il stipulated that should not
"attempt to disturb by arms, the Province of New
Brunswick, in the posse sson of the Madawaska
Settlements was acquiesccd IN by the people, on
ly the ground and III The belief, that immedi late
| and determined efforts were 10 be in good faith a.
dopted by both General Governments, TO bring the
matter To speedy, jus: and final termination.
INDUCING such hopes, Maine has certainly yield
ed much in the matter Of temporary arrangements,
influenced by wish to preserve the peace Of the
country and to remove all obstacles to the progress
of Negotiation. But she has right to ask, when
she yields so much, that her motives should be APP
preciated and her cause become the of the
whole country, and pressed with vigor and energy
to final settlement. In the mean time, 1t is our
duty to keep our eyes and our thoughts upon the
starting point Of the treaty--the N. West angle of
| Nova Scotia, and the hjgl.la from thence so
plainly specified in the treaty. and not suffer
Ives to be drawn away into discussions whether
| the monuments al the source Of the ST Croix
which located by both governments, more
than forty years since, ~ fully established, is at the
true point. whether 1t is not possible that an e-
deluviau mountains existed, which by some geolog
| ical process have become "abraded' and worn
down, and have now become tho beds of large riy'
ers. The EARTH as il existed in the year of our
Lord thousand seven hundred and eighty.
| three - determine The locaiion Or hiul-
| lands of the treaty, and the mere speculaons
| OF selfsyed geologsts, concerning imaginary or
theoretical highlands, which probably never had
existence except in the fancies of speculative theo
riss, cannot fairly and legmately have the slight
est influence upon the pending question,
pecaly when, if it could be demonstrated that the
assumed line now exists ii would not answer any
Of the requirements Of the treaty
To mystiiy wha: is plain and draw attention
from the main subject to collateral issues, is some
| times diplomatic mode of plocrastinaug a final
| decisions and OF making up plausible case from
| the mere duration of the controversy
| The time cannot be far distant when the ques.
ton must assume a more definite shape, either
peaceabe or warlike; and much as we may depre-
cate the awful evils and miseries of war, ought
to be prepared to meet the issue, if such after all
is the determination of our opponents, with the
frmness of men who feel that they have the right
and who will not yield to threats force the in
hertance of fathers and the rghtfGl territory OF
our State. The unanImity wach has characterize
ed our State on the question: in the midst of all
the people will sustain rulers in all judicious
temperate yet firm and decided measures, and that
il is regarded by them, 700 sacred and too sol
emn subject to be made the instrument of any
mere party schemes or movements. Let us in the
spirit of patriotism, continue to regard this contro-
versy eminently national in its character
involving both our immediate interests State
and our duty to the whole uniou, placed as we are
in the from, line of the disputed ground Cherish
ing such sentiments, Maine, IN this her great que.
lion, will stand on high and honorable ground ant
command the respect and attention to which she il
entitled and secure the aid and protection guaran
, iced bv the Constitution.
The survey and scientific examination of tn,
line claimed by us, which was commenced by thu
, State in 1893, and suspended has at last been
dertaken by the General Government, and from
the high character of the gentlemen engaged, WI
are fully justified in iuduIging the confident belief
that we shall soon have the evidence oc compeen
, witnesses, based upon actual examination and EN-
bodied in formal report, TO the existence of hos
facts which knowledge of the laws ofnature an
the physical necessities of the have long sine
satisfied every reasoning man, must exist upon tn
, face of the earth 1t is in my apprehension,
source of regret, that his examination has been s
a long delayed, especially since the singular posi-
tons, and remarkable assertions and assumr
tons in sthe report of Messrs. Feathorston
: haugh and Nudge to the British Govern
l. ment. That Report ought net to have had tw
4 years priority ofpublic attention, over counte
u examination and report on our part.
e The Correspondence which has recently bee
communicated 10 you, by my predecessor, disclos
+ another movement on the part of the British au
= thorities, well calculated to arrest attention an
~ call forth indignant remonstrance on the part
of Me d. the Union, If correctly informedsa yer
d short Time after the conclusion of the agreomen