The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-11-19
Hon. DANIEL WEBSTER,
&C., g., &c.
Mr.. Webster 10 Lord .4shburton.
DEPARTMENT. OF STATE,

Washington, July 9th, 1872.
My LosD: have now to propose to your Iord,hip
line OF division embracing the disputed portion, OF
the boundary between the United State and the Br,
tish provinces OF New Brunswick and the Canadas
with us considerations and equivalents such as con
iorms, believe, IN substance, to the result Of the
many conferences and discussions which have taken
place between US.
The acknowledged territories Of the United Stats
and England join upon each other from the Atlantic
ocean to the eastern foot Of the Rocky mountains
distance OF more than three thousand miles. From
Tue ocean 10 Tie source II the ST. Crox the line of
division has been ascertaned and fixed by agree,
ment: IRON the source Of the ST. Croix 10 a point
near St Regis, on the river St Lawrence it NAV be
considered as unsettled controvered from this
last mentioned point, along the st. Lawrence and
through the lakes, il settled, until reaches the
water communication between Lake Huron a d
Lake Superior. At this point the commissioners,
under tie 9TH article Of the treaty Of Client found
subject Of disagreement which they could not over
come, in deciding up which branch or channel the
line should proceed, till it should reach point in
the middle Of st Mary's river about one mile above
ST. Georges or Sugar island
From The middle OF the water communication be-
tween HE TWO lakes at the point last mentioned the
commissioners extended the line through the remain
ing part OF that water communication, and across
Lake Superior, to point north Of lie Royale but
they could not agree in what direction the line
should run from this last mentioned point nor where
II should leave Lake Superior, nor how it should
be extended TO the Rainy Lake, or Lac la Ptt,ie.
From this last mentioned lake, they agreed on the
line to the northwesernmost point of the Lake Of the
Woods which they found 10 be in latitude 40 deg
D min. SIS sec The line extends according to eX-
listing treaties, due south from this point 10 the 49h
parallel Of north latitude and by that parallel TO the
Rocky mountains
Not being able to agree upon the whole line the
commissioners, under the 7th article, did not make
any JOINT report to their respective Governments
SO Tar as they agreed on any part of The line that
part has been considered settled but il NAV be well
to give validity to these portions of the line by
treaty
To complete the boundary line, therefore, and 10
remove all doubts and disputes IT necessary for the
two Governments to come to agreement three
points;
lst What shall be the line on the northeastern
and northern Iim of the United States from the ST
Croix TO the st. Lawrence, This is by far the most
important and difficult Of the subjects, and involve.
the principal questions of equivalents and compcn,a-
tons.
ID w at shall be the OF the boundary from
the point where the commissioners, under The 9th
article of the treaty Of iGhent, terminated Il cir
abors-to wit point IN the NeebISh chan
nel, near Muddy lake, IN the water commun ca
lion between Lake Huron and Lake Superior, to
point in the middle Of st. Mary's river, one mile
above Sugar Island. This question IS important a.
!, involves the ownership Of that island