Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-05-03
THE AsHBURToN TREATY.
Hor-sr or I.nnns. ApnIL 8


subject which was in respects personal 10 himself al
though also undoubtedly of public nature because
related the treaty which he had had the honor OF negoa-
ing with the United States OF America he would not eper
into any argument whether his treaty good or bad Their
orshIs and the other House of Parliament had already
ed sentence upon it, and he must be very iastlous II ne
were not perfectly satisfied with it. That sentence had alone
induced him to from any controversy Whatever either
in print or otherwise the subject and he should then con-
fine himself to the contradiction of facts which had been
ed and having done leave their ordshps and the country
to dispose of the matter in their minds, without making
any further observations of his The principal fact tna
had been imputed 10 him. condemnation Of the treaty he
made with respect the northeastern boundary OF the uned
States the sacrifice Of certain settlements on the river 81
John, called the Madawaska settlements Reckless impro
pey had attributed to him IN the sacrlce he mace OF
the counys interest by suendeng the Madawaska settle
ments Now, without troubling their lordshIps with any
heightened detail he would call to their recollection that the
Maawaska settle ments consisted OF long Struggling village,
some miles in length the borders OF the river st John, and
that that river having been taken boundary line the por-
ton the south side was by the treaty. Acquired by the un-
ted States And those persons who had accused him OF sacr
cng the interests Of the country had on more than two or
three occasions and positively offered to do this very same act
Of which they alleged he had been guilty, for Lord Palmer
ston when Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs had over
and over again offered give the United States by treaty
those very settlements which he had reproathed him ord
Ashburton) with having conceded.
Now in the first place. their lodshps would probably
recoec when the dispute about the boundary first the
question referred for arbitration to the King of the Neither
which the same portion of the Madawaska settlements which
was conceded to America by his Lord Ashburtons) treaty
given the Amercans that point oil FACT was
no concession his part But was any objection en-
pressed that By the then Foreign Secretary Of
State On the contrary the Secretary of State pressed
gently upon the American Government the propeiy OF accept
ing the award Of the King of the Netherlands by which this
portion of the Madawaska settlement was given to that
country.
He pressed on two or three different occasions in the strong
est terms for said letter dated the l4h October his
Majesty would indeed be greatly geved he could suppose
that the Government of the United States should hesitate 70
accept this gift Therefore, the great CRIME which he Lord
Ashburton) had committed in having conceded these settle
the United States, that noble lord, Lord Palmerson
the then Foreign Secretary Of State had also committed Tor
he not only offered to concede them TO America but earnestly
pressed upon the Government Of the United States the nece
s of accepting the concession, expressing at the same time
how much his Majesty the King Of the Netherlands would be
greved il they refused it, That certainly an admission
the part of the noble lord that exavagant concession
| had been made by him, (l.om Ashburon)
But second letter. written after the oter let
ter, the noble lord again. Foreign Secretary Of State wrote
TO the Government OF the United States in the following words
His Majesty has his serious hopes frustrated with the
deepest concern So that after that noble lord again
expressed his strong chagrn that the line drawn by the Ming
Of the Netherlands had been accepted But IN addition
the facts Of those settlements having been conceded by the
King of the Netherlands and of America having been so
pressed accept them there was the fact that Lord Palmer
ston had himself conceded much more important portion OF
territory than the line made by the King OF the Netherlands
That ran along the heights ntermedaey between he waters
Of the rivers ST. John and ST. Lawrence, which would nave
enabled America command the event OF war; the whole
passage of the river St Lawcnce and which was IN ruin me
only part OF that territory that OF the slightest importance
The noble lord therefore, who complained OF his Lord Ash
buton concession only ready to make the conccs
sion of the Madawaska settlements but to concede very bad
line which, he had stated would have involved tne wnoe
military command Of the valley, and have impedeo ue COM
muncaon between the colony of New Brunswick and Lower
Canada Whatever other persons might think oil this conces
son. whatever their lordsps might think OF ~ he as per
in the world object to il should be the noble lord VINO
thought proper make his objections his ppant man.
before public assembly 1t might however, be SAID That
was true the noble lord had consented TO Objectionable
fne but then Objectionable line made by the award
the King of the Netherlands and that fact was an excuse
But in the first place. should he observed that nasmuch as
the King Of the Netherlands who neutral power, did
think his line bad line to be drawn, and a. his ord
Ashburtons line better than that conceded by the King
Of the Netherlands could in that respect be open to no OBJ
lection The then Foreign Secretary Of State might however
have thought that the award Of the King Of the Netherlands
might be for his accepting unavorabe
line but the whole of the matter having been blown in
1885, four years after the Americans had refused to accept the
award Of the King Of the Netherlands when the subject was
still open negotiation, Lord Pamerson volunteered an Of
ferno offer made to him. any thing pressed up
him by Amercao line separating these Madawaska
settlements which he reproached him Lord Ashburton)
with having conceded And the language which the noble
lord used in writing to Mr. Bankhead that subject this
When tract Of country claimed by two States, and each
party equally confident Of the justice OF his claim to the
ton would be to divide in equal proportions between the two
claimants the territory in dispute"
He (ord Ashbuon) had objection TO the principle laid
down by the noble lord he prepared TO admit 1t but
what he did claim their lordshps judgment upon the
fairness Of the p oceedng Of the who having
accept the line awarded by the King Of the Neher
lands and afterwards proposed that line boundary, came
down and charged him od Ashbuon) with having been
guilty Of adopting bad He wished TO imply no
blame the noble lord for having proposed the concession Of
the Madawaska settlements But with regard to the NADIA
wasa settlements, he believed great many gentlemen else
where spoke of them for party purposes, without knowing
where the settlements caring much about them.
member Of the late Cabinet Lord John Russel had stated
that he had through Lord Sydenham, directed negotiation
between Lord Sydenham and Mr. Webster upon the subject
of the boundary that Lord Sydenham had refused let the
Americans have this portion Of the settlements that Mr.
Webster would the treaty without having them
and that the last Of his ord John Russers) official
life express Lord Sydcnham how much he approved
Of his conduct that occasion Now their lodshps would
be little surprised whom he told them that for the whole
of that statement Of facts there Foundations nasmuch
as there treaty between Lord sydenham and Mr.,
Webster any occasion, and that there question Of
treaty the part Of Lord Sydenham Of Mr. Fox in Wash
ngon in the stated and in respect Of which the noble
lord prded himself in having in the last Of his official
life, shown how boldly he maintained the honor Of this
4 try, He Lord Ashburton) had the most sincere and I'M
cgned respect for the noble lord ord John Russel) He
bad had long friendship and acquaintance with him, and
he knew he would not any thing that he believed be
untrue Whether therefore, the noble lord had dreamed this
fact taken from light authority he could say but there
was no foundation whatever for H. The only negotiation that
took place all was between Mr. Fox, the minister Of this
country at Washington, and Mr. Webster the American min