Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1842-09-16

! of the United States, it has been regarded
as an object of Importance, not only to es-
tablish the rights and jurisdiction OF those
states, up to the line which they have been
considered TO extend, but also TO compre'
bend Rouse's Point within the territory oil
the United States The REIMBURSEMENT by
the British Government of all the territory,
south of the line heretofore considered to
be the true l,ne, has been obtained aud
the consideration for this REIMBURSEMENT Is
to ensure by the provisions of the treaty to
the states OF Maine aud Massachusetts.
The line of boundary, then, from the
source of the ST. CrOix to the st. Lawrence
so far as Maine and Massachusetts are con-
cerned, is fixed by their own consent aud
for considerations satisfactory to them the
chief of these considerations being the priv
lepe of Transporting the lumber and agricul-
tnral products grown and raised in Maine,
on the waters of the st. Johns and its tribu-
taries, down that river TO the ocean, Tree
from imposition or disability. The Impor-
lance of this privilege, perpetual IN ITS terms
to country covered at present by pine Tor
cs,s of great value, and much of 1t capable
hereafter of agricultural improvements, is
not matter upon which the opinion OF in
tellirent men is likely to be divided.
So far as New Hampshire is concerned,
the treaty secures all that she requires, and
New York and Vermont are quoted to the
extent of their claim and occupation. The
difference which would be made in the
northern boundary of these two states, by
correcting the parallel of latitude, may be
seen in Tanners maps, (lS36) new atlas ;
maps Nos. g and 9.
From the intersection of the 10th degree
of north latitude with the St. Lawrence, and
along that river aud the lakes TO the water
communication between Lake Huron and
Lake Superior, the line was dehnltively
agreed on by the commissioners OF the two
governments, under the 9th article OF the
treaty of Client. But between this last
mentioned point and the Lake oil the Woods,
the commissioners acting under the 9TH ar
ticle of that treaty, found several matters of
disagreement and therefore made no joint
report to their respective government. The
first ofthese was Sugar Island, or st. Georges
Island, lying in St. Mary's river or the wa
ter communication between Lakes Huron
aud Superior. BY the present treaty, this
island is embraced in the territories of the
United States Both from soil and position,
il is regarded as of much value
Another matter of difference was the
manner of extending the line from the point
at which the commissioners arrived, north
of Isle Royale in Lake Superior, to the
Lake of the Woods. The British commits
sioners insisted on proceeding TO the Fond
4 .,l,o 10 hn al
and thence by the river st. Louis to the
Rainy Lake. The American commissioner
supposed the true course to be to proceed
by way of the Dog River. Attempts were
made to compromise this difference, but
without success. The details of these pro-
ceedings are found at length in the printed
separated reports ofthe commissioners.
From the imperfect knowledge of this re-
mote country, at the date of the treaty Of
peace, some of the descriptions in that trea-
ty do not harmonic with It's natural features
as now ascertained. Long Lake" is no
where to be found under that name There
is reason for supposing, however, that the
sheet of water intended by that name, is the
estuary of the mouth of Pigeon River
The present treaty adopts, therefore, that
estuary and river, and afterwards pursues
the usual route, across the height of land by
the various portages and small lakes, till the
line reaches Rainy Lake; from which the
commissioners agreed on the extension of il |
to its termination, in the northwest angle OF
the Lake of the Woods. The region of
country on and near the shore of the lake,
between Pigeon River Oh the north, and |
n,.I Il I LII, I
south and west, considered valuable as
mineral region, is thus included within the
United States. 1t embraces territory of
four millions Of acres, northward of the
claim set up by the British commissioner
under the treaty of Client. From the height
oil land at the head of Pigeon River, west
eriy to the Rainy Lake the country is I'M
derstood to be Of little value, being de
scribed by surveyors and marked ON the
map as region of rock and water.
From the northwest angle of the Lake of
the Woods, which is found to be in latitude
40 deg. % min. 50 sec. north, existing trea-
ties require the line to be run due south to
It's intersection with the 45th parallel, and
thence along that parallel to the Rocky
Mountains.
Alter sundry informal communications
with the British minister upon the subject of
Inc claims OF the two countries to territory
west of the Rocky Mountains, so little pro-
liability was found to exist of coming to any
agreement on that subject at present, that
II was not thought expedent to make it one
OF the subjects of formal negotiation, to be
entered upon between this government and
the British minister, as part of his duties UNI
der his special mission.
by the treaty of 1883, the line of division
along the rivers and lakes, from the place
where the forty-fith section of north lati-
lude strikes the st. Lawrence, to the outlet
of Lake Superior, is invariably to be drawn