Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-09-14
MESSAGE FROM
THE PRESIDENT or THE q. STATES,
ACCOMPANYING A TREATY WITH
GREAT BRITAIN.


GREAT BRITAIN.
have the satisfaction to communicate TO the
Senate the re .ults Of he negotiations recently held
M this city with the British Minister, special and
extraordinary.
let. A Treaty to settle and define the boundaries
between the territories 81 tho United States and
pose sions Of lef Btiusnie Majesty in North 4.
m,rics, for The suppression OF the African slave
trade, and Inc sursender Of criminals, f~ugiiivcs from
lost,ce, IN certain cases.
"a. A correspondence on the subject OF the inter-
ference OF the Colonial authorities Of the British
ca by stress OF weather, or carried by violence into
the ports OF those colonies.
81. A correspondence upon tho subject, of the at.
tack and deStruction OF the steamboat Caroline.
4h. A eorrespondencc on the subject of imposes
ment
IL this treaty shall receive the APPRECIATION of the
Senate, IL will terminate a difference respecting
boundary which has long subsisted between the two
gpvetnments-has tie IN the subject Of several IN.
eneciual attempts at settlement, and has sometimes
led 10 great irritation, not without danger OF disturb-
ing the existing peace. Both the United States
and the States more Immediately concerned, have
entertained no doubt Of tho validity Of the American
title to oil the territory which has been in dispu,e;
but that title was controvcrted. and the government
OF the United States had agreed TO make the dispute
a subject Of Arbitration. One arbitration had been
actually had, but had failed TO settle the controver.
~; and !, was found, ut the commencement of las,
year, that a correspondence had been IN progress be-
tween the two governments for a joint commission,
with an ultimate reference To On umpire or arbitra-
TOT, with authority to make q final decision. That
correspondence, however, has been retarded by va
rious occurrences, and had come 10 no definite result
when the special mission of Lord Ashburtcn was
announced. This movement on the paIt OF Eng
land, afforded, in the Judgment Of the Executive, a
favorable opportunity for making an attempt 10 set
tie this long existing controversy by some agreement
or treaty, without further reference to Arbitration
IL seemed entirely proper that, II this purpose were
entertained, consultation should be bad with the su-
thorities OF the States OF Maine ond Massachusetts,.
Letters, therefore, Of which copies are herewith
communicated, were addressed 10 the Governors of
those States, suggesting that commissioners should
be appointed by each of them, respectively, TO repair
10 this city and confer with the authorities Of this
government on a line by agreement or comp omiss,
with its equivalents and compensations. This sug-
eestion was met by both States in a spirit Of cander
aud patriotism, and promptly complied with. Four
commissioners on tho par, Of Maine, and three on
the part OF Massachusetts,, all persons OF distinction
and high character, were duly appointed and com
missioned, and lost no time in presenting them
selves at the seat Of the government OF the United
States. These commissioners have been in cores
~pondence with this government during the period
Of the discussions; have enjoyed its confidence and
freest communications; have aided the general ob
lect with their counsel and advice; and in the end,
have unanimously signihed their assent to the line
proposed in the treaty.
Ordinarily, il would be no easy task TO reconcile
and bring together such a variety of interests in a
iDhttcf lu llscu uunnCuika n1 pcrpleIeOt OUT the efforts
of the Government in attempting TO accomplish this
desirable object, have been seconded and sustained
10y Il spirit of accommodation and Cancellation on the
part Of the States concerned, to which much Of the
success Of these efforts is TO be ascribed.
CONTESTED with the settlement of the line Of the
Northeastern Boundary, so fat as il respects the
States Of Maine and Massachusetts, is the continue.
ton of that line along the highlands to the North
gesern-most head OF Connecticut river, Which of
the sources Of that stream is entitled to this charnc.
ter, has been matter OF controversy and of some in
terest to the State of New Hampshire. The King
OF the Netherlands decided the main branch TO be
tho Northw esterpmost head ofthe Connecticut. This
did not satisfy the claim Of New Hampshire. The
line agreed 10 in the present treaty follows the high
lands to ths head of Halls stream, and thence down
that river embracing the whole claim OF n. Hamp.
shire, and establishing her title to l0O. 600 acres OF
territory, more than she would have had by the de-. |
cision Of the King of the Netherlands.
BY the treaty OF 1888, the line is to proceed down
the Connecticut river 10 the 45th degree Of north
latitude, and thence west by that parallel, ill it
strikes the ST Lawrence. Recent examinations hay.
ing nscertainad that the line heretofore received as
the true line OF latitude between those points was
erroneous, and that the correction Of this error would
not only leave, on the British side, a considerable
tract OF territory, heretofore supposed TO belong 10
the States OF Vermont and N. York, but also Rouse's
Point, the site OF a military work of the u. States.
1t has been regarded as an object of importance, MOI
only to establish the rights and jurisdiction Of those
States, upon the line 10 which they have been con-
sidered 10 extend, but also 10 comprehend Rouse's
Point within the territory Of the United States. The
REIMBURSEMENT by the British Government of oil the
territory south Of the line heretofore considered 10
he the true line, has been obiained; and The con
sideration for this REIMBURSEMENT. is 10 enure by the
provisions oil the treaty 10 the States Of Maine and
Massachusetts.
The line OF boundary, thea, from the sources OF
the ST. Croix to the ST. Lawrence, Sd far as Maine
and Massachusetts, are concerned, is fixed by their
own consent and for considerations satisfactory 10
them The chief Of these considerations being the
privilege Of transporting the lumber aud agricuI,u
raj products grown and raised in Maine on the
waters OF The ST. Johns and its tributaries down
that river TO the ocean,, free from imposition or dis.
ability. The Importance OF this privilege, perpe.-
ual in its terms, TO a country covered at present 10y
pine forests oil great value, and much of IL CAPABLE
hereafter Of agricultural Improvement, is not a ma,
ter upon which The opinion OF intelligent men is
likely 10 be divided.
So far as New Hampshire is concerned, the treaty
secures all that she requires, and New York and
Vermont a e qnieis ! 10 the extent Of their claim aod
occupation. The diff, renee which would he made in
the northern boundary Of these two States, by COR
rectiog the parallel Of latitude, may be seen in Tan.
nets Maps, usS6) new Atlas. Maps Nos. 6 and
y.
From tho intersection OF the 45lh deg. OF north
latitude with the 81. Lawrence, and along that river
and The lakes 10 the water communication be. Reen
Like Huron and Lake Superior, the line was de-
6aitively agreed on by the Commissioners Of the
two Governments under the Oh article of the Trea>
~ OF Client. But between this last mentioned point
and the Lake Of The Woods, the Commissioners
acting under the TIN article Of That treaty found
several matters OF disagreement, and therefore made
no joint report TO their respective Governments.
The first OF these was Sugar Island, or 81. Georges
Island, lying 10 81. Mary's river, or the water com
munieaiion between Lakes Huron and 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 tho point at which the Com
missioners arrived, north Of Isle Roysle. in Lake
Superior 10 the Lake Of the Woods. The Blush
Commissioned insisted on proceeding 10 the Fond
du Lac, ut the southwest angle Of the Lake, 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 proceed
ings are found ot length in the printed, separate re-
ports Of tue Commissioner.
From the imperfect knowledge Of this remote
country, az the date Of the treaty Of peace, some
Of the descriptions IN that treaty do not harmonise
with is natural features as now ascertained. "Long
Lake" is nowhere 10 be found under that name
There is reason for supposlng, however, that the
sheet Of water intended by that name, is tho estuary
ot the mouth OF Pigeon River. The present treaty
adopts therefore that estuary and river and after
wards pursues the usual route, across the height Of
land by the various portages and small lakes, I'LL
the line reaches Rainy Lake; from which the Com
mlssioners ngreed on the extension Of IL TO is ter
minatIon, in the northwest angle Of the Lake Of
the Woods. The region OF country on end near
II ~