Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-07-21
From the Washington Spectator.
THE NORTHEASTERN BOUNDARY,

As 1t is important that this subject
should be well understood, especially
Y. luncture wheI SO much depends up
on its determination, we give an extract
from the speech Of Mr.. LOWELL OF Maine
upon the Army Appropriation bill, which
presents more clear and succinct view
OF the matter, ihan any thing we could
offer Of eur own. When ii is rec0lect-
ed that the country in despute embraces
a third part Of the State Of Maine that
it is as large as Massachusetts and Con-
nectieut united that it contains some OF
the richest soil in New England, is wa
tered BY numerous rivers. and covered
with the most valuable forests when il
is recollected. farther, that its impor-
lance in "A national point ofvlew, is even
greater than its mere pecuinary value,
and that upon scarcely plausible pretexts
of recent origin and ever-growing preten-
sion, in violation of the obvious phraseo-
logy of solemn treaty, Great Britain
seems determined to obtain, at least a
large portion of it, at every hazard, the
Importance OF this controversy cannot be
nftil Az GU AZ 10 q luOoItOI tHfOiftt'1 ho
tional honor as well as-interest, and is,
by no means, as too many are disposed
10 consider ii, small matter which cou-
Germs Maine alone, although were this e.
ven the case, the Government of the Uni
ted States is bound by the Constitution
to maintain the integrity of her territory.
If this controversy, the settlement OF
which cannot much longer be postponed
can be determined upon fair and honora-
BILE terms. none will feel more gratified
than ourselves. We go farther, and ex-
press our belief, that if ever there was a
British Ministry disposed to liberal adj
iustment, it is that of>Slr ROBERT PEEL,
and that he has made a very judicious
selection in the mission which has lately
reached our shores. Still we should not
give ourselves up to blind confidence.
but recOllect that we have to deal with
the first power on land Of sea. of all
grasping aud never-yielding pretenslons,
and that, If, as is well remarked by Mr.
LOWELL, she seeks to strengthen herself,
it can only be against IT'S. by gaining pos
session of this "coigne of vantage" We
commend the whole speech from which
we extract the following passage, to the
attention of our readers.
"The honorable gentleman from Mas
sachusetts Mr.. Cushing] has said that
the first was the gravest question OF all.
1t is 50; and | claim the attention of the
committee, while give brief historic
81 sketch of that controyersF-tracing it
from the treaty of 1888 to the present
time-that they may see the immense i'm.
portance of the question in national
point of view, and judge Of the probabili.
ty of a settlement, by Lord Ashburton,
If this great question.
ain the second article of the treaty oil
1898, the northern boundary of the Uni
ted States is described in these words
From the northwest angle of Nova SEQ.
tia. viz: that.ang lie which is formed by a
line drawn Que north from-the source of
the Croix river, to the highlands along
the said highlands which divide those rlv-
ers that empty themselves into the river
ST. Lawrence from those which fall into
the Atlantic ocean, to the northwestern
most head of Connecticut river" The
eastern boundary is expressed in these
word: '' East by line to be drawn a.
long the middle of the river St. Croix,
from its mouth, into the Bay of Fundy,
to its source; and from its source direct
y North to the aforesaid highlands, which
divide the rivers which flow into the At
lantc ocean, from those which fall into
the river st. Lawrence"
sit appears that the river st. Croix de-
rived its name from the cross which had
been erected by the first settlers on its
banks, who are understood to have been
French Catholics. There are two rivers
which have tlleir mouths in the BAY oil
Fundy, and which were known at differ
ent times by the name of st. Croix.
There had been settlement ON each Of
them, and grasses had been erected on
the banks of each. Hence some uncer
,ainty arose as to which of these river!
was the one intended that the Magagua
dayic. and the English that the Scoudiac
was the river intended by the treaty.
ITO settle this question, it was pro
vided in the fifth article of the treaty o
1894, commonly called "Jay's treaty.
that commissioners should be appointed
by the two Governments. In pursuanc,
Of which, commissioners were appointed
few years after, and ini79S proceede,
to discharge the duty assigned them
They decided that the Scoudiac was tn,
river intended by the treaty. aud that tn,
northern branch, called Chaputnatcoo,
was the true source of the river. They
therefore, proceeded to establish tn,
boundary line from the mouth of that riv
er in the Bay of Fundy. along the mid
die of the river, to its source, The,
then commenced the due north line at tn
source Of the river, and marked yellow
birch tree by the line, which they encirl
ed with iron hoops, and which has beer
known by the name Of the Monument,
from that time to the present. The com
missioners then made reports to their re
spective Governments, which were dul,