The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-08-29
ICONTINUED.I

other device, the ne,U question was then
got up-that of the line forming the
boundary of Maine. Let it be seen by
what devices it was set down in the
treaty Of Ghent for that future negoti.
ton, by which that State has since
been dismembered, and the mountain
chain which, before, we held, as a mi.
litary barrier against England, given
to her, as military barrier, againstus.
These, then, were the facts: When
the negotiations commenced, the British
negotiators proposed to the American,
that the United States should cede to
Great Britain that part of the present
State of Maine which formed an angle
between the two British provinces of
New Brunswick and Canada, in order
to slraighten the communications be-
tween those provinces. This they
proposed should be done, by revisio n
of the old, and hitherto undisputed
boundary, as fixed by the treaty of
1888. By the very terms of this prop
osition OF cession, the British negotia-
tors acknowledged the right of United
States to the territory, which they
sought then, to acquire. This terrific
ry had ever been included within our
organized limits; Great Britain had ne.
yer, up TO that moment, dropped hint
impeaching our title or suggesting any
pretension, upon her part, TO an inch
of that territory. Never had she even
limited the existence Of any doubt or
uncertainty, as to the old boundary in
that region. Nor did her negotiators
then, at the commencement of the nego-
tiations, drop such hint. But when
the American negotlators treated this
proposition for cession of the terrific
ry, as an effort of the British Govern
ment to dismember the United States,
stated their own want of authority to
make such cesslon, and declared that
they would never, therefore, subscribe
stipulation to that effect: when this
was done, the British uegotiators, see-
ing that all prospect OF obtaining the
territory by cession, was at an end, in
stantly changed their posi:ion,and then,
for the first time, claimed the territory
for Great Britain, as matter of right
as a thing to which she had alwtys
had title. Then for the first time, did
they set up the shameless pretcnsion.
that the true line of boundary was not,
where it had ever been known and re.
cognised to be. but that it ran through
that territory, so as to throw to Grea;
Britain, as matter ofright, the identi-
cal angle which, but few weeks be-
fore, they had asked our negotators
to cede, as thing belonging to the Uni
ted States, and desired by Great Br-
tain. Under these circumstances it
was, that our negotiators Il speak n OF
of the wisdom OF their conduct in this
particularly so far yielded as to allow
an article to be inserted in the treaty,
providing for the re-survey of the line.
Thus, was this new question of boun-
dary started at Ghent, by the British
negotiators, and together with the old
question, of which have spoken, kept
in reserve by them, for the future use
of their Government in treating with
ours. .-.
Here, then, it is to be remembered,
that at the conclusion of the treaty of
Ghen', two questions of boundary re-
NAMED to be settled; one All old one,
the other new one; the first, that from
the Lake-o. 1.-THE. Woods TO the Rocky
Mountains; the second, that through
the territory Of Maine.
And now, sir, ] come to the next
negaton in the order of time, that
which ended in the convention Of Goth
of October, 1918. This, too, Lad the
adjustment Of boundaries for its object.
And what was the result? With a
steadiness of purpose which system
alone can give, Great Britain again pur-
sued, and again obtained, the desired
end. 1',oo questions Of boundary rem
ained unadjusted, when the negotiations
,rere opened-the old one, and the new
one, Of which ! have spoken. Were
both Of them settled? No, sir, no.
Faithful to herself-faithful to the un.
bending principles Of her system, Great
Britain found means TO adjust the old
one only, and to hold the ne,o one still
in re5erve, for the future. In that con-
venton, the line from the Lake-of-the.
Woods to the mountains, was fixed ;the
other, through Maine, was left to a
more auspicious hour. But was this
all! BY no means. That would have
been but half the fruit Of her policy