Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-12-04
THOSE SETTLERS CLAIMS.

To the Editor Of the Wig d. Courier:
My attention has been called to several ar
ticles in the Portland Press mentioned in your
columns in reference to resolve introduced
at the last session of the legislature to quiet
certain settlers upon the disputed territory,
the tenor of which is so erroneous that l am
induced to volunteer the following explana-
ton. The resolve was introduced in accord
ance with the suggestion of the Land Agent
in his last Annual Report, where the whole
facts are carefully Sc. forth on pages to IL.
BY the treaty of 1912, the United States
Government agreed with that of Great Bril-
tain to quiet the settlers on the disputed ter
rtory by confirming their titles and IDEAL
with them on the most liberal principles of
equity Under this provision and to help
carry into effect the treaty stipulations, the
States of Maine and Massachusetts have
from time to time made to the numerous set
tiers the requisite deeds of the lands IN their
possession, uatil all such have been queted
80 far as they had settled on the lands Of the
State. few however remain whose settle
ments are on lands of proprietors or private
owners, but who notwithstanding came within
the purview of the treaty. Toward them the
State originally was uuder no obligations,
however otherwise it might be with the Gen
eral Government.
After the deeds to settlers had been pria-
cpally made, our State appealed to Congress
for indemnity for the lands thus given to set
tiers to satisfy the treaty obligations, and per-
sistently enforced the claim from 1856 until
1868, when by act of July 20, 1868, Congress
authorized the Treasurer to pay Maine one
dollar and twenty five cents ($l.25) per acre
for all lands thus taken up by settlers, with
I'd IN. hair hin ,.4ut
to Massachusetts being for 26, $50 acres, and
to Maine for 81, l25 acres, the following pro
viso being enacted as part of the Act.
provided the States shall agree with the [ ned
Estates that the settlers upon the p,.blc lands in
"the late disputed territory of Maine, entitled to
zoe Quilted in their possessions as asccrtained by
commissioners heretofore Instituted by States,
"shall have been or shall be quoted by u release
"of the title Of said States"
Under this act Maine actually received in.
to its Treasury the sum OF Sll3, 90G.25 Which
sum included payment no, oaly for the lands
belonging to private proprietors and taken up
by settlers under the treaty "as ascertained by
the Commissioners" The State having thus
received from the United States Sl.25 per
acre for all the lands thus taken up by settlers,
under the treaty, within the disputed terri
tory, upon proprietors' lands, the settlers
claim that to that extent they should have the
benefit of that amount in the purchase OF
their lands according to tbs terms of the act
of Congress above recited. This claim hav
ing been preferred the undersigned was en-
ployed by the Land Agent to investigate the
nature of the claim, and a thorough examina.
ton of the voluminous documents, reports
and Legislative and Congressional acts was
made, the result of which was reported to
that officer and adopted by him in his Annual
Report as before mentioned. The legislative
committee did not hesitate to accept the con-
illusions arrived at, and the resolve drawn or
directed by the undersigned was reported and
at once received passage. mlsunder
standing on the part Of some members at the
close of the session led to its being withdrawn
from the Governor and postponed to the next
session. The censure cast upon individuals
and the effect of the resolve as set forth in
the articles alluded TO are all unjust and erro-
neous. The resolve was very cautiously
drawn, so as to prevent any perversion of its
meaning, and is applicable to and embraces
only a very small number of settlers and
only a few hundred acres of land and has no
reference to any land lost by corrected run
ming of the boundary line
After the payment of the money into the
State Treasury it was paid out to the Euro
pean s, North An erican Railway Company
under the act of the Legislature $50 provide
means for the defence of the N. e. frontier;"
but this cannot affect the equitable claim of
the settlers under the act of Congress. The
resolve proposed for enactment is as follows:
RESOLVED, That the Land Agent, under the
direction of the Governor and Council, is author
lied to quiet the title Of settlers coming within the
provisions of the treaty of Washington, by pur-
chasing of the owners their outstanding interest
in the soil of any such settlers lots, independent
improvements, and causing conveyance thereof,
together with all interest of the State therein, to
be made to such settlers, their heirs and assigns;
provided not more than one dollar and twenty
five cents per acre shall be paid in any case for
any such outstanding title or interest and no lots
shall be purchased which are not embraced within
the number Of those for which compensation was
made by the United States to the State of Maine
under act of Congress passed July 20, 1868.
This explanation is VOLUNTEERED by as &C. of
justice to all parties interested, as well as to
set the public right in the matter.
Wy