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

upon themi and the two forts would have been IN
eapabie Of rendering each other the least assistance
In case Of any assaults by land or water. Such was
the view presented 10 them by the military men, and
they told them a matter OF military science that
Rouse's Point was extremely desirable as point OF
military defence. Ofone thing he Mr.. w was then
CERTAIN that the true road 10 reach Canada in time OF
war Was by the way Of Lake Champlain-the old
path. He took TO himself the credit OF making
remark, thirty years ago, which had been alluded TO
by the honorable member from Michigan, (Mr
CAss.) Thirty years ago, he (Mr. w. y said, then,
that when American woodsmau wished 10 fell tree
he struck at the trunk, and did not content himself
with looping of the branches Now the trunk of the
Canadian possessions was Montreal, and the river
down to Quebec They had found out that in the
late war. He was not competent to scan the OPP
eratlons Of that war in military point Of view; but
he did still suppose that n was rather unfortu-
nate that the war began in Upper Canada, and he
did still suppose that 1t was rather unfortunate that
they made any great effort TO make an impression
IN Upper Canada All the forces-fellowing the
presidents Of former times should have been i'm
mediately eentered on Lake George and Lake
Champlain, and direct movement been made upon
Montreal II the glories of the Thames had been
lost, others would have been earned in that case,
quite as important in the vicinity Of Montreal and
one successful blow struck there-upsn the trunk
would have made all above it theirs, Of course.
Well then, IL seemed 10 him highly important that
the United States should possess Rouse's point as
afordng the best means Of defending the exit from,
and the entrance into Lake Chsmplsin from Canada;
aud he affirmed now, that in all the eAtent Of
the frontier, Of sea and land lake and ocean Of the
great State Of New York-next to the Nanows,
by which vessels approached her great city-there
was not point important 10 her, that she
and the government Of which she is part
should possess, as that which commanded
Lake Champain. Everybody knew that, and
LII Al.
in former years and former wars. He hoped that
this government would last forever. But II il did
not-ifby any decree Of Providence such calami-
~ as dissolution and ACKNOWLEDGMENT should como,
and New York be thrown back upon her own re-
sources, was there, he asked, a point she could 30
much desire for her defence next to that Of the
Narrows, as that point on Lake Champaign No,
not one--not one. Well, how that point SCI
cured TO New York; Why, as he had said, the
18th degree Of latitude the treaty boundary be-
tween the two countries. In point Of fact, it had
been taken for granted for some years that the 45h
degree Of latitude running north OF Rouse's point
brought II within the jurisdiction Of the State Of
New York But 1t was found that il ran south of
the point and so gave Il 10 the British territory.
Well, how did they seek 10 obtain iti BY running
little circle round IL, like the Dutch kingl NO.
they struitsned it-they retained the old line-they
stipulated that that which had been understood TO
be the line should be retained And that only gave
them Rouse's point, but it gave them some thirty
or forty thousand acres Of land lying between $50
and the old line; and they did the same for Yer
mont by retaining the old line they secured to the
people Of that State some sixty or seventy thou.
sand aeres; and the line Of 45o ran through
several Of their townships, leaving their settle
ments on the British side, in several in
stances. He had never heard any Of the constituents
Of his friend near him (Mr. PHELPs) complain OF
that. They made it point, therefore, as one Of the
equivaents-one Of the benehts-one Of the consid-
eraons and advantages, sccruing not directly to the
people Of Maine, but accruing directly TO the people
Of Vermont and New York that the line which had
been the received line, should be established as the
true line. What did they do for New Hampshire
There had been territory long in dispute near the
source Of the Connecticut river. They would observe
that the line was to reach along the highlands to the
northwestemmost head of the Connecticut river
There were several streams there-what were they'
They bore different names-which was the true
northwesternmost headl The State Of New Hamp-
shire had claimed Halls stream. The Dutch line
Of which the senator from New York (Mr. DIcKN-
sos) so much enamoured, did not give that to
New Hampshire; and, indeed, their own commits
sioner, (Mr. Van Nsss,) when surveying that terri
tory under the treaty Of Ghent said that the line
should not run to that creek. Yet that was agreed
to, and gave 100000 acres to New Hampshire
He did not ssy that that was not the right construc
ton, but 1t was construction that the United States
commissioner under the treaty Of Client had given
up. 1t had appeared TO him (Mr. W. just and
important to have it 80, and agreed to by the
British plenipotentiary. He thought that here he
ought to relieve the Senate from any farther discus
sion Of that boundary. He believed that the nego-
tation had been fairly conducted towards Maine and
Massachusetts,; that ii had resulted in arrange
men quite favorable to both, and that ninetenths Of
the people Of the States were entirely satisfied. He
maintained that it had given up no important posi-
ton TO the British government, but the contrary
obtained for the United States military position Of
Il. L.