The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1841-03-10

To Col. X. M. JOHNSON,
Vice President Of the U. States.
wAsH1Nerox, Feb. 6, 1S4l.
Mn Dear Sir: To your inquiries res
meeting nv opinion on the question con-
cerning the Northeastern boundary Of the
United States, will frankly reply.
Congress have no constitutional right to
dismember State or any part OF her ter.
ritory. nor to concede to a foreign pow
.er one foot of the territory Of these Uni.
ted States. 1t is one of those points on
which a majority Of Congress, or even
majority Of a State Legislature cannot
constitu,ionally yield assent. If an indi.
vidual citizen became the lawful proprie.
tor of but an acre Of land within the U.
States, there is no power existing, either
in the General Government, or IN the TO-
vernmeut Of the State in which he is loca.
ted, to expa,riate him BY transferring his
residence to foreign power. His citi-
zenship is his birlhright. His land is his
inheritance. Government is pledged to
protect him in the enjoyment of both, his
State Government to guard his property,
and both Governments to guard his rights
as a citizen. The only question then is
that of the true boundary. II the,bounda-
nv can be ascertained, there can DC no
compromise Of the question. The value Of
the disputed territory is matter Of no
consideration. If it be but a barren acre,
or the whole State Of Maine, the princi.
plc is the same; and though it may cost
another eight years war Of the whole ma.
lion, the whole nation is bound to Sustain
it: The integrity Of our territory is iden.
tilted with our Independence. and cannot
be impaired without the sacrifice OF our
national character.
Can the boundary be de6ned' This is
the only question at issue. Ifit cannot, a
compromise is necessary. Ifil can be de-
fined, it cannot be changed. To settle this
point we must first refer to the treaties OF
peace with Great Britain.
The first Of these, called the provisional
article of peace, signed al Paris, Nov. 80,
1882. defines the boundary as follows:
."From the northwest angle Of Nova
Scotia, viz: that angle which is formed by
a line drawn due north from the source of
81. Croix river 10 the highlands, along the
said highlands. which divide those rivers
which empty themselves into the river ST.
Lawrence, from those which fall into the
Atlantic Ocean, to the northwestermost
head OF Connecticut river: thence down
along the middle IF that river to the forty
fifth degree of north latitude; from thence,
by line due west on said latitude, until
il strikes the river Iroquois or Cataraquay;
thence along the middle Of said river into
Lake Ontario" &c: .
The next is the de6nitive treaty Of peace
between the two countries. signed at Paris,
Sept. g. 1888. In this last the boundary
is defined in the same words as in the for.
mer +.
Frpn, this definition, there can be no diff
6cuity in ascertaining the true boundary.
nrnvided the source Of the St. Croix river
can he determined. This has been settled
by Joint commission of the two Govern
ments, and marked by monument. II
therefore constitutes no part OF this con.
treversy. From this monument line
drawn due north is the liked boundary be-
tween the United States and Nova Scotia,
now New Brunswick. This lins co?tin-
" ues till it intersects that line Of the high.
lands which divide the waters that fall into
St. Lawrence from the waters which find
theirHway into the Atlantic Ocean without
mingling with those Of the ST. Lawrence.
II appears to me, that language could not
make it more definite, and that The most
ordinary surveyor, governed by this def.
nition, could not vary perch in marking
the line. A due west line cannot he drawn
with mathematical accuracy, because il is
curve upon the plane Of the horizon; but
anorth line may be drawn with the great
est ease, and the highes. points Of land
upon every part of the dividing line be-
tween water courses taking opposite d..