Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-04-17

nov ing the councils OF the country, Tor 50 years,
Mr. w. then went through a historical detail to
show when the difficulty originated, how long il
continued, what had been done, and especially
what was It's condition al the time VIM. Henry
Harrison succeeded to the Presidency.
All the Efforts aud sollcitude Of Presidents
Jackson and Van buren, had not advanced the
s~uljcc, a step, but with Mr. Forsyth under the
latter, lie progress had been backward, and when
he (Mr W. took it up, it was as beautiful a
piece of complicated diplomacy as a Nesselrode,
or rallcyrand, or Meiternicll could nave wish.
ed to have unravelled. 1t would have been far
easier TO manage had il been a fresh question.
Projects and coun'cr-prnjec,s, objections and
counter objections had passed between Mr. Fox
and Mr. Forsyth, and finally our Government had
proposed arbitration.
Before he (Nlr W. had wadcd through half
this controversy from 1893 down to 1910, lie
saw, and told Mr Fox, that the true way to settle
this controversy was BY a convention To MAZE n
line. lie saw that there we're numerous Lii
clitics IN the way, but every one would rccol.
lrct what great inronvenIenccs we're attending
the dispute. Maine began 10 make military
preparations, and a barge sum, Ss0O,oo0 was
v1'ed hv her Leg stature for defence against en-.
crnachnrnts from New Brnnswlck. lie saw
the dbl aulty-to call ON a State to part with
what she claimed as within her Jurisdiction, was
\ de jcatc ml'tcr-thc convention could not be
submitted al mite to Maine TOR her consent, still
nc relied on her patriotism, and disposition 10
settle. Massachusetts was interested, and his
worthy colleague, (Mr Davis then Governor,
brought the subject to the notice OF her Legs
liture, then N session, who took the necessary
steps. A letter was addressed by him to the
Governor Of Maine, now a member Of this body,
(Nr FairieId,) who acted a promp, and patriotic
part by issuing a proclamation at once to con.
vene the Legislature, by whom the preliminary
steps we're taken. The commissioners meta
line was agreed upon-equivalents and condi-
tons were annexed, all which were 10 be csti.
mated in Judging of the advantages of the
Treaty.
Nav, notwithstanding all the miserable rroc.
ollle tears that had been shed over the losses o
Maine by those who took it in their mouths tc
say that she had been coerced into this measure
he ven'ured to say that Maine, had never com
planned of the treaty, but on The contrary, tina
no, ten intelligent men could be found in Maine
who would be willing to set it aside and pun
thlngs as they were before. Mr. w. dwell upo,
the value of Rnuse's Point in a military aspect
and took Mr. d. to task for having said that VIC
gave the British n m .lI,ary road. Mr. DIX ex
planned, and admitted that he had no, a%ccuratel
examined this particular point. The navigation
of the s.. johns, which we also acquired, wa.
said BY Mr. w. to be far more valuahlc to US thar
that of the Columbia to Great Britain.
Mr. w. sp,ke until nearly 3 o'c'ock, and hav'
ing concluded this portion Of his speech, gave
way 70 a motion for ad iournment.
IIoUsE.-ln the House, Committees were
called upon for reports.
The Committee on Elections asked to be dis
charged from The further consideration Of a re.
,,.A-.r,,~o trA,, a.. .-,r aF N,n, IT,a.1ar,
asains, the right Of the REPRESENTATIVES OF thai
: ate 10 their seats in the House. they not hay.
ily been elected IL conformity with the provis
ions Of the appointment law.
Mr. Gutter, Of n. Y, moved that the memoria
he referred back 10 the committee, with insiruc
tons to enquire whether SAID members had bee,
elected according to law.
Mr. E.. accompanied his motion Nv a few clio
quen, and per,inen, remarks, and lriumphan,ll
defended the apporilonment law.
The whole subject was laid On the table, BY
vote OF "a 10 95.
The committee on the Judiciary reported
bill to create the office Of Assistant Secretary o
State.
The committee on Naval A.ffiirs reported
resolution, instruc,ing the committee On Com
l1crce 10 inquire into the cause Of the prevail
ence of small poS, and other contagious diseases
III UDsIu VI liltiNIIt!il |esStISt anu INC UeSL Iliuul
OF preventing The same.
The committee on The Library reported Join
resolution to authorize the committee TO contrsc
with a competent American artist, for a pain,in!
for the vacant panel in the rotunda. The sub
lect to be the discovery of America, or some in
cldent connected with the revolution, or late war
at the discretion of the artist. The price not Il
exceed that authorized in the resolution, unde
which a contract was made with Inman.
The resolution was referred to The committed
of the Whole.
The House then went into committee of tn,
Whole, and resumed the consideration of IN,
Cumberland Road bill, and 1t was reported to tn,
House amended but, before takIn. any Ques
ton, a motion was made 10 adjourn. winch pre-
vailed.
TUESDAY, April . SENArE-Thc Scnat
Chamber was again crowded with a brillian
auditory, who were attracted by Mr. Webster
speech.
lie never appeared, perhaps, to greater ad
vantage, in point of person, manner and vote,
or ever treated a subject Of winch he was NOR
Thoroughly master.
The special order was called up to- day, 500
after twelve, and Mr. Webster proceeded /
complete his historical view oflle subject.
lie read a despatch 10 show that The BIRTHS
GIvernmcnt had come to the conclusion tha
they could not settle this question during III
administration Of Mr. Van Buren,, aud Lord Pa.
mersion would, he said, wait for a change of tn
administration. Mr. w. protested against III
inference that Lord p. expected TO find anolhe
administration more facilc, or tina, Mr. Van b.
ren's terms we're particularly eXactlng and h
showed that It was the consequence only Of
complicated dispute as TO the terms of a CONVEX
ton for eXplanalIon-no negotiation for settlin
the boundary having been attempted by the tw
Governments. Mr. Dix had produced extrac,
from parliamentary debates to show the valu
of the country coded to Great Britain, in a mi
itary point OF view. Mr. w. produced contrar
views from Sir Howard Douglass, Lord Paine
ston and others. All those views, though COT
Trajectory, were exaggerated. Nothing was,
fact, gained or lost by either party, in a militar
point Of view, except Rouse's Point, which wa
ceded to us. The two New York Senators ha
not moderated The value of that acquisition b,
they had carefully avoided any mention of it,
This post was regarded by our most eminel
engineers, as of great value. Its lmportanc
was felt during the last war, when our Govern
men, commenced military works on it. In Isl
the United States expended a hundred thousar
d1llars on these works. When the exploratic
took place, subsequently, The line Of 40 ";
found to run South OF Ruusc's Point. As SOC
as VIC recovered lis possession, the L.. 5, Go
ernment pushed the work there to cumpietio
!, Ii gentlemen wanted more information on Il
subject OF lis value, he would refer them to II
opinions OF Colonel lotion and CunmodoI
Morris, who made a military survey Of that r.
zion the last wear.