Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1841-01-21

part of the British authorities, we'll calcu-
lated to arrest attention and call forth in
dgnant remonstrance on the part Of Maine
and the Union. If am correctly inform
ed, in very short time after the conclu-
sion of the agreement, by which 1t was in
effect stipulated that the British author-
ties should not attempt to take military
possession OF what is termed by them the
Disputed Territory during the existence
OF that arrangement, detachment oi her
majesty's troops was stationed al Tamis-
couta Lake, within that territory and has
been continued there ever snce-and we
are now Informed that another detachment
has been moved to and stationed at the
Madawaska Settlement for the purpose of
sustaining the Jurisdiction and supporting
the exercise OF authority on the part OF the
! British Magistrates This movement, has
been made by the Governor General Of the
British Provinces, without any prior noti-
fication or correspondence seeking lnior-
nation or explanation from the authorities
ofthis State or the United States-and as
snming as the ground Of action, the reports
! Of acts and threats of individuals, without
I inquiring whether those assumed facts, if
IN any part true, were in pursuance OF OF
ders or justified by the Government of
Maine. caunot but view this proceeding,
as my predecessor does, in his reply TO Sir
John Harvey, AS "a direct and palpable in
| Engagement of the subsis.ing arrangement,
aud as taking military possession of that
portion Of the contested Territory. And
| if the suggestion Of 1t Governor Harvey
who seems not to have been consulted in
relation 10 this new act Of Jurisdiction, and
who evidently regards it with regret, If not
as an Infringement Of subsisting arrange
ments, is disregarded, and the British
Troops are permanently located at NADIA
waska, shall feel it my duty to reterate
the request already made to the General
| Government and to urge upon that Gov
eminent the justice and expediency of
taking military possession on the part Of
the United STATES OF the Territory in dis
pute. The General Government owes it
to Maine to move forward in this matter,
with prompness and energy, with SIN
cere and even anxious desire TO preserve
peace, but with an equally firm determine
ton to maintain suhslsting engagements on
our part, and to insist upon full perform
ance from the other party.
But | will not permit myself to doubt,
! that prudent and wise Councils will pre-
vail, and that the promised determination
of pending negotiations will not be retarded
or prevented by hasty and unjustfiable
movements in relation TO military occupa-
ton, during the progress of the surveys
and negotiations intended for final de-
termination of the long vexed question.
would again call your attention to our
defenceless seaboald and frontier. l need
not enlarge upon the topic, for the naked
facts are the strongest arguments on this
subject. As guardians of Maine, it is your
| right and duty to set forth our situation
| and our claims upon the Government, that
alone has the power to place US in proper
state of defence against foreign enemies,
and have no doubt you will discharge
your duty.
The state and condition Of the Treasury
appear in the Report of the Treasurer,
which has been laid before you. BY this
document it appears that the whole debt of
the State, exclusive of about eleven thou
sand dollars of immediate claims upon the
Treasury, is one million six hundred and
seventy weight thousand, three hundred and
sixly-seyen dollars, and iorty-four cents,
and the annual interest is one hundred and
two thousand and siXty-one dollars. The
funded debt of the State is payable in three,
five, eight, twelve, fifteen and twenty years.
| concur in the suggestion of The Ireasur-
urer, that it is important that immediate
measures should be taken TO create sink
ing fund for the payment of the debt as II
NAV become due. The claims OF the State
on the United States, for the recent expen-
ses in the ArooStook territory, is based
upon expenditures, which were made from
the money borrowed, and justice to our
successors seems to require, that the a
mount when received be at ouce appropriate
| ed to meet that debt, and not be expended
in defraying the current expenses OF gov
eminent.
The suggestion, also, that portion Of
the annual State tax may be thus appro-
priated, derives additional force, from the
consideration that the present small amount
of immediate liabilities and the large "a
mount of cash on hand, and immediately
receivable, Is owing IN part at least, to the
fact that considerable portion OF the or
binary expenses of the last year, and IN
terest on the public debt, have been paid
out of The money received from the loans
obtained. This course was undoubtedly
judicious, as it places The Treasury in IA
stale to meet all demands promptly. The