The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-04-06

ing the negotiation Of the treaty, when the executive
government devolyed upon General Harrison. Now,
sir, the FIRST Of these topics is the question Of the
northeastern boundary Of the United States. The
general history Of that question: from the peace Of
1883 ill this time, 10 known to all public men, Of
course pretty we'll understood by the great mass Of
informed men throughout the country | shall al
lude to II but briefly. Mr.. w. then proceeded
to present condensed statepent of the history Of
the negotiations touching this northeastern boun-
Diary, from the earliest period down to the
ment OF Mr.. Van Buren's, administration. Mr..
Van Buren,, in his first message 10 Congress, repre-
scented has question IN point Of imporanee as trans
cendng any other question connected with the for
eign relations OF the country, and expressed his
ardent hope that il might be speedily settled
He (Mr. WEBsrER) would show that when Mr.
Van Buren went out Of Office no lefl the question
quite far from settlement, and little farther from
Il. In his humble judgment II any advance was
made il was an advance backward; by which he
meant TO say, that when Mr. Van Buren, went out OF
Office the question had become so complicated by
successive series Of diplomatic correspondence and
/ arrangements, that there was a mesh-an entangle-
ment about IL, which rendered il far difficult TO
proceed with it than il had been open and fresh
question for diplomatic correspondence. In order 10
establish these assertions he would be obliged To
ask the patience Of the Senate TO indulge him IN
some lhlagno OF reference TO documents than was
custom 10 public debate; because his desire was
&c present TO the country, IL he might, well as TO
/
history Of the country, OF what he might now have
| an opportunity to say. Mr.. w. then went on to
quote from Mr.. Van Buren's second message the
| diplomatic correspondence between Messrs Fox
and Forsyth, in Senate document No. $40, I'd
session 25lh Congress; Senate document No
1 sos, vol. via FIRST session Goth Congress; MIR.
Van Burens message, December, 1910. From
/ this historical sketch Of the diplomatic cores
pondenee between the two governments dur
| ing the administration Of Mr.. Van Buren,, he (Mr
| w. commended that the whole question brought
into pretty little diplomatic ENHANCEMENT any
one might choose to look upon Of summers day
one which would have taken Richelieu, Talleyrand
| Nessellrode, and Metternich to have unrayelled
Such; indeed, the deplOrably confused and COM
plicated state Of the question; such the utter hope
essness Of adjustment that Lord Palmerston declar-
ed that he had not the slightest expectation Of set
Element till there would be a change in the admins
traton Of the government Of the United States.
Mr.. w. then proceeded to show how he had
ravelled this mesh Of projects and contemporaries
! and gave a somewhat extended sketch Of the
negotiations from the time Of the accession OF
| General Harrison to the presldency-details with
| which the public in general are toleraby familiar,
| and which we have not at present space to report.
| BE dwelt at some length the proposition
| Of Lord Palmerston ~ make an exploration
and survey by commissioners each side,
whose decision TO be referred to three learned
| professors, to be chosen by the kings of Prussia
Sardinia, and Saxony; and quoted from the de-
bates in the British Parliament, portions Of com.
munications from Mr.. Fox TO Lord Pamerson
That was the state Of the controversy at the death
Of Gen. Harnson--an occurrence which he very
much regretted public account we'll as person.
| ally. He (Mr. W. came TO the conclusion that il
than useless to persist tina form of set
| Ting the question. As far back as 1888 Mr.. Van
Buren, wrote TO the governor of Maine in reference
to the sentiments Of the people Of Maine. He (Mr.
W. saw the difficulty Of calling on the State Of
Maine to agree 10 arrangement by which she
should part with territory and jurisdictions and that
| consent was required beforehand. But he confded
IN her, that she would do oil patriotism and a sense
of duty required, and how hopeless it to expeci
to settle the question any reasonable time IL had
been said hundred times that Maine was coerced
into an agreement; but that absurd; for no con.
ventiona line could be agreed upon without her con
sent. Mr.. w. then proceeded to show the grounds
| upon which the suggestion made through Mr..
Fox to the British government that the true way to
settle was by compromise and conventional line
| and read a letter addressed to the Department Of
State from Mr.. Everett also letter from the De-
plrtment Of State in reply. When it was learned
that Lord Ashburton was coming, with authority TO
settle that and other questions the United States gov
eminent saw the necessity Of getting the States to
consent to conventional line. The legislature of
Massachusetts was then in session at Boston, and
the governor recommended the adoptou OF reso-
lutions in favor Of the appointment Of commission
ers to represent Massachusetts,, which had an inter
est in the dispute to the extent of the lands claimed
by her; Maine certainly having a much more pecu-
liar and delicate interest, not only territory but
the right of government hers. A letter was ad-
dressed from the Department of State to the govern
ments of those two States drawing their attention to
the true state Of the question. Mr.: w. here read
portion of this letter. and observed that on receipt
of that letter the governor Of Maine-now an hon
orable senator there, Mr.. FAIRFIELD - acted
promptly, assembled the legislature of Maine, and
laid the communication before them. Mr.. w. here
read lengthy series of resolutions passed by the
legislature of Maine in response to the communica
| ton The State of Maine, he said, was invited to
consent to line OF compromise for equivalents and
fair considerations and she sent her commission
ers to Washington, and through them assented To
all that was done 1t was absurd to complain of that
treaty. But there were those who thought them
selves better able to take of Maine than Maine
herself-who had it constantly in their mouths that
Maine was robbed Of portion of her territory, and
coerced into compliance; but the fact was that four
of her most distinguished citizens, who were invited
to come and make a compromise, and who did so
Understandings, gave their consent-and well they
might, as they gained several substantial advantages
Mr. w. here entered into minute statement of the
difficulties of running the line of boundary 700 miles
in length He stated the various points in dispute,
and said one of the principal difficulties WIS that
Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, owned
all the territory on one side, whilst the United
States owned none; each of the three States having
an interest in the matter to the extent Of their terri
tory. The difficulty was, to please all. 1t was
not to be expected by the Maine commission.
ers that they were to give up nothing they could
not hope to gain new advantages, and at the same
time be left in possession of all they claimed How
could they call that compromise Maine expected
nothing Of the kind. There were people who said
in her behalf that she deprived of vast tract OF
valuable territory. Not word Of truth was there in
that such persons were careful Of the interests
OF Maine than she was herself and in that whole
State there would not be found fifty intelligent can
dc men, who, would complain, who ever did COM
plain, or who at this moment would be willing to
ness, at the of the navigation of the ST. John,
and the other solid advantages derived from the
treaty: The whole proceeding on the part of the
United States was thus far wise, discreet and proper.
II was wise to endeavor 10 put end to the almost
intermnable diplomatic correspondence about arbi-
tration and exploration, and which had bafied every
preceding administration. II was settled, however,
and settled without anything being done indiscrcet,
improper, regardless of the rights Of Maine or un.
patriotic and he thanked God that u ,rned o,t IN