The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1843-04-20


other Of this controversy being very remarkable
The balance after comparing them all with care and
attention greatly Ia favor Of the UAited State,
claim. That claim, cleer as At was was not orIg-
nally opposed by The British Goyeumcnt, on he
ground Of error in drawing the boundary line, but
upon that of the extreme advantage such line az
lorded the United States over Great Britain. Yetu
was made and ratified, and nothing more claim.
ed than the treaty allowed. Had there been pre-
text for denouncing the maps erroneous, IN point
OF fact, would not the opponents Of the proposed lire
have made use OF II as argument Of great force on
their side OF the question This they did not pre-
tend TO do They did not allude 10 such an
idea for, indeed, there was not a shadow Of a pre-
tence 10 base such an argument upon.
Notwithstanding all Tins, continued Mr. Webster
from that time 10 tbs II Was for long series Of
years found absolutely impossible 10 bring tie two
Governments to any understanding or treaty upon
the subject. Aud here lac went 10 describe, cur.
soriy, the of attempted negotiations and the
arbitration Of the King OF the Netherlands the re
suit of which tho absurd proposition, the part
OF the arbitrator TO "split the difference"
| The position assumed by Great Britain MIR. Web
ster commended, had ever been based, not upon tie
true consruc ion OF the treaty, aud The evidence sup
piled by maps, &c. but upon the great and manifest
ineonrrnience to herself, involved in the American
view Of the subject, and upon the unlikehood III
such line could even, by any possibility, have been
agreed on by herself
But, continued he, the treaty Of Washington pro-
ceeded upon the idea Of compromise. When hi,
administration had come into power, one arbitration
had failed, and the exigency Of AFFAIRS required in
the opinion of the Government, that there should lie
speedily another and vigorous attempt made TO settle
the question so long uDhappily in dispute between
the two Governments. The reference to another ar
bitter considered, but at last il was concluded the
wiser course TO attempt an arrangement by compro-
mise. The administration acted in this in the spirit
mculcated in Holy Writ "Agree with thine adver-
sary quickly, mhis thou ant IN the ,cay uith him."
(Appause.) This Government looked upon the
question as such a one as might arise between two
landed propretors VIII, territorial boundaries pre-
scented here and there inconyenieny proiectin, cor
nep, kind Of dispute easily enough settled in az
fairs Of private life, in which it would not for mo-
me,t be imagined that ihe only advantageous kind of
compromise that in which one party was to yield
every thing and get nothing, or get every thing and
yield nothing. fRenewed cheers.) Such
Of conduct this formed part Of the plans of the
Government, in IFS endeavors to arrange finally this
| vexatious dispute. We proceeded upon basis OF
liberal and equitable compromise, and attained
suit which," said Mr. Webster, al must fully be-
lieve is approved BY the great body of the people OF
this country" (Grcat applause and loud signs Of a.
| sent) The States of Massachusetts and Maine.
the parties most Immediately interested, have ex-
pressed themselves entirely satisfied with the arrange
ment and it his firm belief that at this moment
they both far better off than they before the
ratification Of the treaty The navigation OF the river
! St Johns was more than an adequate compensation
for The comparatively unmportant amount Of terri
! tory they have yielded And as to the United
| States, he why, in view of the term,
Of the treaty, the importance OF settling forever
question so vexatious, and of all other consideration,
suggested by the subject this country should now be
satisfied TIL. interests of New York Vermont, and
New Hampshire, had been adequately cared for in
arranging the treaty. and neither had any to
complain (Signs Of assent
| MIR. Webster said that it did not follow that this
treaty, SO advantageous TO country, must
cessary be disadvantageous to the other party in the
dispute so amicably settled. II was but poor,
row, and mean spirit that congratulate, itself upon
its gain, in consideration of the loss il, involves
to another. IApplause.l | know, said Mr.. Web
ser that in the conflict Of parties, in the position that
man often holds TO man, little dust here aud there
must be thrown into the air by personal parssns,
which am happy to see, however, has not produced
any very considerable effect. Laughter. Public
opinion is satisfied appreciation 4 can point tri-
umphantly to the great majores in Congress,
tanning the treaty, and ask, upon what question of
great public moment in The whole history Of the
country, there has been such wonderful unanim
ity on the par, Of both branches Of the National Le
g'sla,ure Loud and prolonged appause.l
As to the efforts of the exGeologist, (Featherjton.
haugh) and those Of the London press touching the
maps aud the red lines, and all that, Mr.. Webster
dismissed them all very cayalierly not calculated
to produce any great fermentation in the public mind
or any important effect upon the history of these
| transactions.
Upon the opening OF the negotiations at Washing
Massachusetts should be invited TO take part IN
them, AS being most Immediately interested in pro-
per settlement Of the questions at issue And it vas
liked that nothing should he concluded upon without
their consent. To this the Stats agreed, only i'm
posing the condition that their Commissioners should
agree unanimously in any plan of negotiation that
might be fixed upon. OF course, under these cir
cumstances, 1t become the duty of the Government,
continued Mr.. Webster, TO lay before the CommiS
soners of Massachusetts and Maine all the proofs
i "A M fact hear tha at
questions at issue between the two Governments
each and all TO go for what in their estimation, they
were worth. All these carefully considered by
them, and the result was the perfect unaumity
OF action on their part. And as to the charge in
dustrousy brui'ed in certain quarters that had not
laid before the British negotator all the facts within
! my knowledge tearing upon the questions at issue,
continued Alr. Webster, have only to say that
no reason why should have felt myself bound to %
TO Lord Ashburion aud tell him that there was or
there might be a map, or other document Paris
which, II found would strengthen the British claim,
| tAppause and laughter.l
MIR. Webster would conclude by saying that he
entirely satisfied with the judgment OF the country IN
regard to The late negotiation and its result IL con-
tanned nothing d,sreputablc TO the country yield
ing Of any thing valuable without angle and adequate
compensation and consideration. II was the
cessiul result OF manly, patriotic aud noble dsro
son on the part Of this Government tosettle qges
ton, which growing less and less easy of arrange
ment the longer II allowed TO remain oren. And
IT'S consequences had been 20 dispel all alarms to
Danish and forever TO quell all Jealousy, and to put
an end 10 all chance Of quarrel and misapprehension
on these subjects between two powerful nations.
MIR. Webster, upon sitting down, spplauded
loudly and long, and after vote Of thanks 10 HIM
and TO MIR Gallatin had been unanimously passed by
the society, in consideration Of their able aud eo-
quent efforts on that eycning-snd after the adoption
Of resolution that the report Of Mr. Gallatin, aud
the speech Of Mr. Webster be published by the
ty tie meeting adjourned.
Srrcrr.-The Hayre packet at New York, brought
500 900 in specie, aud the Liverpool packet l50O0O
On Monday evening the water at Albany was higher