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A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents by James D. Richardson - Full Text Free Book (Part 9/11)
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A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents, 1789-1897: By James D. Richardson (V.4 ) (1897)A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents - Volume 1, part 1: George WashingtonA Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents Volume 3, part 1: Andrew Jackson (Second Term)A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents - Volume 7, part 2: Rutherford B. HayesA Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents Volume 2, part 3: Andrew Jackson, 1st termA Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents Volume 4, part 1: William Henry HarrisonA Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents - Volume 1, part 2: John AdamsA Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents - Volume 6, part 2: Andrew JohnsonA Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents - Volume 1, part 3: Thomas JeffersonA Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents, Volume 8, part 2an exertion of military force, but they will, as at present advised,consult their own discretion in adopting the measures of defense thatmay be rendered necessary by the threats of a violent interruption tothe negotiation which have been used by all parties in Maine and whichthe undersigned regrets to find confirmed by the language (as abovereferred to) employed by the highest official authority in that State.The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to theSecretary of State of the United States the assurance of hisdistinguished consideration.H.S. FOX._Mr. Forsyth to Mr. Fox_.DEPARTMENT OF STATE._Washington, January 28, 1840_.HENRY S. FOX, Esq., etc.:The undersigned, Secretary of State of the United States, has thehonor to reply, by direction of the President, to the note addressedto him on the 26th instant by Mr. Fox, envoy extraordinary and ministerplenipotentiary of Great Britain.The President derives great satisfaction from the information conveyedby Mr. Fox's note that, with reference to the reported movements ofBritish troops within the territory in dispute, no actual changehas taken place in the attitude of Her Majesty's authorities in theterritory since the arrangements entered into by the two Governmentsat the commencement of last year for the preservation of tranquillitywithin its limits, and from his assurances that there exists nointention on the part of Her Majesty's authorities to infringe the termsof those arrangements so long as they are faithfully observed on theside of the United States. The President, however, can not repress afeeling of regret that the British colonial authorities, without gravermotives than the possibility of a departure from the arrangementsreferred to by the State of Maine, should take upon themselves thediscretion, and along with it the fearful responsibility of probableconsequences, of being guided by circumstances liable, as these are,to be misapprehended and misjudged in the adoption within the disputedterritory of measures of defense and precaution in manifest violationof the understanding between the two countries whenever they mayimagine that acts of hostile aggression over the disputed territory aremeditated or threatened on the part of the State of Maine. The Presidentcan not but hope that when Her Majesty's Government at home shall beapprised of the position assumed in this regard by its colonial agentsproper steps will be taken to place the performance of express andsolemn agreements upon a more secure basis than colonial discretion,to be exercised on apprehended disregard of such agreements on the partof the State of Maine.It is gratifying to the President to perceive that Mr. Fox entertainsthe firm belief that the difficulty of conducting to an amicable issuethe pending negotiation for the adjustment of the question of boundaryis not so great as has by many persons been apprehended. As, under acorresponding conviction, the United States have, with a view to thefinal settlement of that exciting question, submitted a propositionfor the consideration of Her Majesty's Government, the President hopesthat the sentiments expressed by Mr. Fox have their foundation in anexpectation of his having it in his power at an early day to communicateto this Government a result of the deliberations had by that of HerBritannic Majesty upon the proposition alluded to which will present theprospect of a prompt and satisfactory settlement, and which, when knownby the State of Maine, will put an end to all grounds of apprehensionsof intentions or disposition on her part to adopt any measurescalculated to embarrass the negotiation or to involve a departure fromthe provisional arrangements. In the existence of those arrangementsthe United States behold an earnest of the mutual desire of the twoGovernments to divest a question abounding in causes of deep and growingexcitement of as much as possible of the asperity and hostile feeling itis calculated to engender; but unless attended with the most scrupulousobservance of the spirit and letter of their provisions, it would provebut one more cause added to the many already prevailing of enmity anddiscord. Mr. Fox has already been made the channel of conveyance to hisGovernment of the desire and determination of the President that theobligations of the country shall be faithfully discharged; that desireis prompted by a sense of expediency as well as of justice, and by ananxious wish to preserve the amicable relations now, so manifestly forthe advantage of both, subsisting between the United States and GreatBritain.The undersigned avails himself of the occasion to renew to Mr. Foxassurances of his distinguished consideration.JOHN FORSYTH._To the Senate of the United States_:In compliance with two resolutions of the Senate, dated the 30th ultimo,calling for information in relation to the disputed boundary betweenthe State of Missouri and the Territory of Iowa, I transmit a reportfrom the Secretary of State, which, with inclosures, contains all theinformation in the executive department on the subject not alreadycommunicated to Congress.M. VAN BUREN.JANUARY 31, 1840.WASHINGTON, _February 4, 1840_._To the Honorable the House of Representatives_:I lay before you a report from the Secretary of the Treasury, withseveral documents annexed, by which it will be seen that judicialconstructions have been given to the existing laws for the collectionof imposts, affecting extensively and injuriously the accruing revenue.They embrace, with many others, the important articles of linens,woolens, and cottons, the last two of which are often treated as silks,because that material constitutes a component part of them, and thusexempted them from duty altogether. Assessments of duties which haveprevailed for years, and in some cases since the passage of the lawsthemselves, are in this manner altered, and uncertainty and litigationintroduced in regard to the future.The effects which these proceedings have already produced in diminishingthe amount of the revenue, and which are likely to increase hereafter,deserve your early consideration.I have therefore deemed it necessary to bring the matter to your notice,with a view to such legislative action as the exigencies of the case mayin your judgment require. It is not believed that any law which can nowbe passed upon the subject can affect the revenue favorably for severalmonths to come, and could not, therefore, be safely regarded as asubstitute for the early provision of certain and adequate means toenable the Treasury to guard the public credit and meet promptly andfaithfully any deficiencies that may occur in the revenue, from whatevercause they may arise.The reasons in favor of the propriety of adopting at an early periodproper measures for that purpose were explained by the Secretary ofthe Treasury in his annual report and recommended to your attentionby myself. The experience of the last two months, and especially therecent decisions of the courts, with the continued suspension ofspecie payments by the banks over large sections of the United States,operating unfavorably upon the revenue, have greatly strengthened theviews then taken of the subject.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON CITY, _February 14, 1840_._To the House of Representatives of the United States_:I lay before you a communication from the Secretary of War, accompaniedby a report of the Commissioner of Pensions, showing the greatimportance of early action on the bill from the Senate providing for thecontinuance of the office of Commissioner of Pensions. The present lawwill expire by its own limitation on the 4th day of the next month, and,sensible of the suffering which would be experienced by the pensionersfrom its suspension, I have deemed it my duty to bring the subject toyour notice and invite your early attention to it.M. VAN BUREN.FEBRUARY 17, 1840._To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States_:I submit to Congress a communication from the Secretary of theTreasury, repeating suggestions contained in his annual report in regardto the necessity of an early provision by law for the protection ofthe Treasury against the fluctuations and contingencies to which itsreceipts are exposed, with additional facts and reasons in favor ofthe propriety of the legislation then desired.The application assumes that although the means of the Treasury for thewhole year may be equal to the expenditures of the year, the Departmentmay, notwithstanding, be rendered unable to meet the claims upon it atthe times when they fall due.This apprehension arises partly from the circumstance that the largestproportion of the charges upon the Treasury, including the payment ofpensions and the redemption of Treasury notes, fall due in the earlypart of this year, viz, in the months of March and May, while theresources on which it might otherwise rely to discharge them can not bemade available until the last half of the year, and partly from the factthat a portion of the means of the Treasury consists of debts due frombanks, for some of which delay has already been asked, and which may notbe punctually paid.Considering the injurious consequences to the character, credit, andbusiness of the country which would result from a failure by theGovernment for ever so short a period to meet its engagements; that thehappening of such a contingency can only be effectually guarded againstby the exercise of legislative authority; that the period when suchdisability must arise, if at all, and which at the commencement of thesession was comparatively remote, has now approached so near as a fewdays; and that the provision asked for is only intended to enable theExecutive to fulfill existing obligations, and chiefly by anticipatingfunds not yet due, without making any additions to the public burdens,I have deemed the subject of sufficient urgency and importance again toask for it your early attention.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON, _February 21, 1840_._To the House of Representatives of the United States_:In compliance with a resolution of the House of Representatives of the7th instant, I communicate a report[62] from the Secretary of State,containing all the information in possession of the Executive respectingthe matters referred to in that resolution.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 62: Relating to the trade with China, etc.]WASHINGTON, _February 27, 1840_._To the Senate of the United States_:I transmit to the Senate, for their consideration with a view to itsratification, a convention for the adjustment of claims of citizens ofthe United States upon the Government of the Mexican Republic, concludedand signed in the city of Washington on the 11th of April last. I alsocommunicate, as explanatory of the motives to the adoption of a newconvention and illustrative of the course of the negotiation, thecorrespondence between the Secretary of State and Mr. Martinez, the lateminister of Mexico accredited to this Government, and also such partsof the correspondence between the former and Mr. Ellis as relate tothe same subject. By the letters of Mr. Ellis it will be seen that theconvention now transmitted to the Senate has been already ratified bythe Government of Mexico. As some of the papers are originals, it isrequested that they may be returned to the Department of State when theconvention shall have been disposed of by the Senate.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON, _March 4, 1840_._To the Senate_:I communicate a report from the Secretary of State, with documents[63]accompanying it, in compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the17th of February last.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 63: Containing information relative to the necessity ofamending the existing law regulating the transfer of property inAmerican vessels abroad.]WASHINGTON, _March 9, 1840_._To the Senate_:In addition to information already communicated in compliance with theresolutions of the Senate of the 17th January last, I think it properto transmit to the Senate copies of two letters, with inclosures, sincereceived from the governor of Maine, and of a correspondence relativethereto between the Secretary of State and the British minister.M. VAN BUREN.EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,_Augusta, February 15, 1840_.His Excellency M. VAN BUREN,_President United States_.SIR: A communication from Mr. Fox, the British minister, to Mr. Forsyth,Secretary of State, under date of January 26, contains the followingstatement:"It appears from _accurate_ information now in possession of theundersigned that the governor of Maine and through him the Presidentand General Government of the United States have been misinformed as tothe facts. In the first place, no _reenforcement_ has been marched tothe British post at the Lake Temiscouata; the _only change_ occurringthere has been the relief of a detachment of Her Majesty's Twenty-fourthRegiment by a detachment of _equal force_ of the Eleventh Regiment, thisforce of _one company_ being now stationed at the Temiscouata post, asit _always has been_, for the necessary purpose of protecting the storesand accommodations provided for the use of Her Majesty's troops who maybe required, as heretofore, to march by that route to and from theProvinces of Canada and New Brunswick. In the second place, it is nottrue that the British authorities either have built or are buildingbarracks on both sides of the St. John River or at the mouth of theMadawaska River; _no new barracks have in fact been built anywhere_"This statement has been read by the citizens of this State with themost profound astonishment, and however high may be the source fromwhich it emanates I must be permitted to say, in the language of thathigh functionary, that "it is not true," though in justice to himI should add that he has undoubtedly been misinformed. Though thisState, in the vindication of her rights and maintenance of her interestsrelative to her territorial boundary, from past experience had noreason to expect any material admissions of the truth on the part ofthe British authorities, she was not prepared to meet such a positiveand unqualified denial of facts as the foregoing exhibits, especiallyof facts so easily susceptible of proof. The "_accuracy_" of theinformation alleged to be in the possession of the minister is onlyequaled by the _justice_ of the pretensions heretofore set up in regardto title.But not to be bandying assertions where proof is abundant, I deem it myduty to transmit to Your Excellency the depositions[64] of a number ofgentlemen, citizens of this State, of great respectability, and whosestatements are entitled to the most implicit confidence.These depositions abundantly prove that up to May last, nearlytwo months subsequent to the arrangement entered into through themediation of General Scott, _no troops_ whatever were stationed atTemiscouata Lake; that in August, September, and October the number didnot exceed 25, while now it has been increased to about 200; that priorto May no barracks had been erected at Temiscouata, but that since thattime two have been built at the head of the lake, besides some fiveor six other buildings apparently adapted to the establishment of apermanent military post, and at the foot of the lake two or morebuildings for barracks and other military purposes; that though no_new_ barracks have been erected at Madawaska, certain buildingsheretofore erected have been engaged for use as such; that a road hasbeen constructed connecting the military post at the head and foot ofthe lake, a tow-path made the whole length of the Madawaska River, theroad from the head of the lake to the military post at the river DesLoup thoroughly repaired, transport boats built, etc.I would further inform Your Excellency that an agent has beendispatched to Temiscouata and Madawaska for the purpose of procuringexact information of the state of things there at the present moment;but having incidentally found some evidence of the state of things priorto November last, I have thought best to forward it without delay forthe purpose of disabusing the Government and the country of the errorsinto which they may have been led by the communication before alludedto. The report of the agent will be transmitted as soon as received,which may not be short of two weeks.Under these circumstances, I have only to repeat my official call uponthe General Government for the protection of this State from _invasion_.I have the honor to be, with great respect, Your Excellency's mostobedient servant,JOHN FAIRFIELD,_Governor of Maine_.[Footnote 64: Omitted.]DEPARTMENT OF STATE,_Washington, February 27, 1840_.His Excellency JOHN FAIRFIELD,_Governor of Maine_.Sir: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt at this Department ofyour excellency's letter to the President of the 15th instant, inclosingthree depositions of citizens of Maine in relation to certain movementsof British troops in the disputed territory. The depositions have beeninformally communicated to the British minister by direction of thePresident, who desires me to apprise your excellency of his intention tocause an official communication to be addressed to the minister on thesubject so soon as the report of the agent dispatched by your order toTemiscouata and Madawaska for the purpose of procuring exact informationas to the present state of things there shall have been received.I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,JOHN FORSYTH.EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,_Augusta, February 27, 1840_.His Excellency M. VAN BUREN,_President United States_.SIR: Having received the report of Benjamin Wiggin, esq., the agentreferred to in my last communication, dispatched by me to the disputedterritory to obtain exact information of British military movements inthat quarter and of the existing state of things, I hasten to lay thesame[65] before you, accompanied by his plan[65] of the British militarypost at the head of Lake Temiscouata. It will be perceived that it goesto confirm in every essential particular the evidence already forwardedin the depositions of Messrs. Varnum, Bartlett, and Little, and isdirectly opposed to the statement contained in the letter of Mr. Foxto Mr. Forsyth under date of 26th of January last.The course thus clearly proved to have been pursued by the BritishGovernment upon the disputed territory is utterly inconsistent withthe arrangement heretofore subsisting, and evinces anything but adisposition to submit to an _amicable_ termination of the questionrelating to the boundary.Permit me to add that the citizens of Maine are awaiting with deepsolicitude that action on the part of the General Government which shallvindicate the national honor and be fulfilling in part a solemnobligation to a member of the Union.I have the honor to be, with high respect, your most obedient servant,JOHN FAIRFIELD,_Governor of Maine_._Mr. Forsyth to Mr. Fox_.DEPARTMENT OF STATE,_Washington, March 6, 1840_.HENRY S. FOX, Esq., etc.:By the directions of the President, the undersigned, Secretary of Stateof the United States, communicates to Mr. Fox, envoy extraordinary andminister plenipotentiary of Great Britain, the inclosed copy of areport[65] made to the governor of the State of Maine by the agentcommissioned on the part of the authorities of that State to ascertainthe precise character and extent of the occupation of parts of thedisputed territory by troops of Her Britannic Majesty and of thebuildings and other public works constructed for their use andaccommodation.By that report and the three depositions which the undersignedinformally communicated to Mr. Fox a few days since he will perceivethat there must be some extraordinary misapprehension on his part of thefacts in relation to the occupation by British troops of portions ofthe disputed territory. The statements contained in these documents andthat given by Mr. Fox in his note of the 20th of January last exhibit astriking discrepancy as to the number of troops now in the territory ascompared with those who were in it when the arrangement between GovernorFairfield and Lieutenant-Governor Harvey was agreed upon, and also asto the present and former state of the buildings there. The extensiveaccommodations prepared and preparing at an old and at new stations, theworks finished and in the course of construction on the land and on thewater, are not in harmony with the assurance that the only object isthe preservation of a few unimportant buildings and storehouses for thetemporary protection of the number of troops Her Majesty's ordinaryservice can require to pass on the road from New Brunswick to Canada.The undersigned will abstain from any remarks upon these contradictorystatements until Mr. Fox shall have had an opportunity to obtain themeans of fully explaining them. How essential it is that this should bepromptly done, and that the steps necessary to a faithful observanceon the part of Her Majesty's colonial authorities of the existingagreements between the two Governments should be immediately taken,Mr. Fox can not fail fully to understand.The undersigned avails himself of the occasion to renew to Mr. Foxassurances of his high consideration.JOHN FORSYTH.[Footnote 65: Omitted.]_Mr. Fox to Mr. Forsyth_.WASHINGTON, _March 7, 1840_.The undersigned, Her Britannic Majesty's envoy extraordinary andminister plenipotentiary, has the honor to acknowledge the receipt ofthe official note of yesterday's date addressed to him by Mr. Forsyth,Secretary of State of the United States, to which is annexed the copy ofa report from Mr. Benjamin Wiggin, an agent employed by the State ofMaine to visit the British military post at Lake Temiscouata, and inwhich reference is made to other papers upon the same subject, whichwere informally communicated to the undersigned by Mr. Forsyth a fewdays before; and the attention of the undersigned is called by Mr.Forsyth to different points upon which the information contained in thesaid papers is considered to be materially at variance with that whichwas conveyed to the United States Government by the undersigned in hisofficial note of the 26th of last January.The undersigned had already been made acquainted by thelieutenant-governor of New Brunswick with the circumstance of Mr.Wiggin's visit to the military post at Lake Temiscouata, where theofficer in command very properly furnished to Mr. Wiggin the requisiteinformation upon all matters connected with the British station which heappeared desirous to inquire about.The alleged points of variance, after deducting what is fanciful andconjectural in the reports now produced and after comparing what isthere stated in contradiction to other reports before produced from thesame quarters, do not appear to the undersigned to be by any means somaterial as they seem to have been considered by the Government ofthe United States. The British military detachment stationed at LakeTemiscouata, which the agents employed by the State of Maine had, inthe first instance with singular exaggeration represented as amountingto two regiments, is now discovered by the same parties to amount to175 men, which instead of two regiments is something less than twocompanies. It is indeed true, should such a point be considered worthdiscussing, that the undersigned might have used a more technicallycorrect expression in his note of the 26th of January if he had statedthe detachment in question to consist of from one to two companiesinstead of stating it to consist of one company. But a detachment of HerMajesty's troops has been stationed at the Lake Temiscouata from time totime ever since the winter of 1837 and 1838, when the necessity arosefrom marching reenforcements by that route from New Brunswick to Canada;and it will be remembered that a temporary right of using that route forthe same purpose was expressly reserved to Great Britain in theprovisional agreement entered into at the beginning of last year.It is not, therefore, true that the stationing a military force atthe Lake Temiscouata is a new measure on the part of Her Majesty'sauthorities; neither is it true that that measure has been adopted forother purposes than to maintain the security of the customary line ofcommunication and to protect the buildings, stores, and accommodationsprovided for the use of Her Majesty's troops when on march by thatroute; and it was with a view to correct misapprehensions which appearedto exist upon these points, and thus to do away with one needlessoccasion of dispute, that the undersigned conveyed to the United StatesGovernment the information contained in his note of the 26th of January.With regard again to the construction of barracks and other buildingsand the preserving them in an efficient state of repair and defense, asimilar degree of error and misapprehension appears still to prevail inthe minds of the American authorities.The erection of those buildings within the portion of the disputedterritory now referred to, for the shelter of Her Majesty's troops whileon their march and for the safe lodgment of the stores, is no new acton the part of Her Majesty's authorities. The buildings in question havebeen in the course of construction from a period antecedent to theprovisional agreements of last year, and they are now maintained andoccupied along the line of march with a view to the same objects abovespecified, for which the small detachments of troops also referred toare in like manner there stationed.The undersigned will not refrain from here remarking upon one pointof comparison exhibited in the present controversy. It is admitted bythe United States authorities that the armed bands stationed by thegovernment of Maine in the neighborhood of the Aroostook River havefortified those stations with artillery, and it is now objected asmatter of complaint against the British authorities with referenceto the buildings at Lake Temiscouata, not that those buildings arefurnished with artillery, but only that they are defended by palisadescapable of resisting artillery. It would be difficult to adduce strongerevidence of the acts on the one side being those of aggression and onthe other of defense.The fact, shortly, is (and this is the essential point of theargument) that Her Majesty's authorities have not as yet altered theirstate of preparation or strengthened their military means within thedisputed territory with a view to settling the question of the boundary,although the attitude assumed by the State of Maine with reference tothat question would be a clear justification of such measures, and it ismuch to be apprehended that the adoption of such measures will sooneror later become indispensable if the people of Maine be not compelledto desist from the extensive system of armed aggression which they arecontinuing to carry on in other parts of the same disputed territory.The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to theSecretary of State of the United States the assurance of hisdistinguished consideration.H.S. FOX.WASHINGTON, _March 9, 1840_._To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States_:I transmit to Congress, for their consideration, copies and translationsof a correspondence between the Secretary of State and the Spanishlegation, growing out of an application on the part of Spain for areduction of tonnage duty on her vessels in certain cases.By a royal order issued on the 29th of April, 1832, by the King ofSpain, in consequence of a representation made to his Government bythe minister of the United States against the discriminating tonnageduty then levied in the ports of Spain upon American vessels, said dutywas reduced to 1 real de vellon, equal to 5 cents, per ton, withoutreference to the place from whence the vessel came, being the same rateas paid by those of all other nations, including Spain.By the act approved on the 13th of July, 1832, a corresponding reductionof tonnage duty upon Spanish vessels in ports of the United States wasauthorized, but confined to vessels coming from ports in Spain; inconsequence of which said reduction has been applied to such Spanishvessels only as came directly from ports in the Spanish Peninsula.The application of the Spanish Government is for the extension of theprovisions of the act to vessels coming from other places, and I submitfor the consideration of Congress whether the principle of reciprocitywould not justify it in regard to all vessels owned in the Peninsula andits dependencies of the Balearic and Canary islands, and coming from allplaces other than the islands of Cuba, Porto Rico, and the Philippine,and the repayment of such duties as may have been levied upon Spanishvessels of that class which have entered our ports since the act of 1832went into operation.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON, _March 10, 1840_._To the House of Representatives of the United States_:In compliance with a resolution of the House of Representatives ofthe 2d of March, 1839, I communicate reports[66] from the severalDepartments, containing the information requested by the resolution.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 66: Transmitting lists of removals from office since March 3,1789.]WASHINGTON, _March 11, 1840_._To the Senate_:In compliance with the resolution of the Senate dated the 4th ofFebruary, 1840, I have the honor to transmit herewith copies of thecorrespondence between the Department of War and Governor Callconcerning the war in Florida.Very respectfully, your obedient servant,M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON CITY, _March, 1840_._To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States_:I lay before you for your consideration a communication of the Secretaryof War, accompanied by a report of the Surgeon-General of the Army, inrelation to sites for marine hospitals selected in conformity with theprovisions of the act of March 3, 1837, from which it will be seen thatsome action on the subject by Congress seems to be necessary.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON, D.C., _March 12, 1840_._To the House of Representatives of the United States_:I transmit to the House of Representatives, in answer to resolution ofthat body dated on the 9th instant, the inclosed report of the Secretaryof State.M. VAN BUREN.DEPARTMENT OF STATE,_Washington, March 12, 1840_.The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES:The Secretary of State, to whom has been referred a resolution of theHouse of Representatives dated the 9th instant, requesting the Presidentto communicate to that body "whether any, and, if any, what, measureshave been taken since the rejection of the recommendation of the Kingof Holland of a new line of boundary between the United States andthe Province of New Brunswick to obtain information in respect to thetopography of the territory in dispute by a survey or exploration ofthe same on the part of the United States alone, and also whether anymeasures have been adopted whereby the accuracy of the survey latelymade under the authority of the British Government, when communicated,may be tested or examined," has the honor to report to the Presidentthat no steps have been thought necessary by this Government since thedate above referred to to obtain topographical information regarding thedisputed territory, either by exploration or survey on its part alone,nor has it thought proper to adopt any measures to test the accuracy ofthe topographical examination recently made by a British commission, theresult of which has not been made public or communicated to the UnitedStates.Respectfully submitted,JOHN FORSYTH.WASHINGTON CITY, _March 19, 1840_._To the Senate of the United States_:I submit herewith for your consideration and constitutional action thetreaty accompanying the inclosed communication of the Secretary of War,made with the Shawnee Indians west of the Mississippi River, for thepurchase of a portion of their lands, with the view of procuring forthe Wyandot Indians of Ohio a satisfactory residence west.M. VAN BUREN.WAR DEPARTMENT, _March, 1840_.The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.SIR: I have the honor to submit for your consideration, and, if it meetsyour approbation, for transmission to the Senate, a treaty concludedon the 18th December last with the Shawnee Indians by their chiefs,headmen, and counselors, and an explanatory communication of the 17thinstant from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.Very respectfully, your obedient servant,J.R. POINSETT.WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE INDIAN AFFAIRS,_March 17, 1840_.Hon. J.R. POINSETT,_Secretary of War_.SIR: Negotiations with the Wyandots for a cession of their lands inOhio and removal to the country west of the Mississippi have beenpending for some years. During the past season two exploring partiesfrom that tribe have visited the West and were tolerably well pleasedwith the district to which it was proposed to remove them, but expresseda strong preference for a tract which the Shawnees and Delawares offeredto sell to the United States for them. The commissioner charged with thebusiness of treating with the Wyandots was of opinion that if this tractcould be procured there would be little difficulty in concluding atreaty. He was therefore under these circumstances instructed to makethe purchase, subject to the ratification of the President and Senateand dependent on the condition that the Wyandots will accept it, and onthe 18th of December last effected a treaty with the Shawnees by whichthey ceded a tract of about 58,000 acres on those conditions at theprice of $1.50 per acre. No purchase has been made from the Delawares,as they refuse to sell at a less price than $5 per acre, and it isthought that the land ceded by the Shawnees will be amply sufficientfor the present.I have the honor herewith to submit the treaty with the Shawnees,to be laid, if you think proper, before the President and Senate forratification.Very respectfully, your obedient servant,T. HARTLEY CRAWFORD.WASHINGTON, _March 24, 1840_._To the House of Representatives of the United States_:I transmit herewith a report from the Secretaries of State, Treasury,and Navy and the Postmaster-General, with the documents whichaccompanied it, in compliance with the resolution of the House ofRepresentatives of the 5th instant, relative to the General Post-Officebuilding and the responsibilities of the architect and Commissioner ofthe Public Buildings, etc.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON, _March 26, 1840_._To the Senate of the United States_:I transmit to the Senate herewith copies of official notes which havepassed between the Secretary of State and the British minister since mylast message on the subject of the resolutions of the 17th of January.M. VAN BUREN._Mr. Fox to Mr. Forsyth_.WASHINGTON, _March 13, 1840_.Hon. JOHN FORSYTH, etc.:The undersigned, Her Britannic Majesty's envoy extraordinary andminister plenipotentiary, has been instructed by his Government to makethe following communication to the Secretary of State of the UnitedStates in reference to the boundary negotiation and the affairs of thedisputed territory.Her Majesty's Government have had under their consideration the officialnote addressed to the undersigned by the Secretary of State of theUnited States on the 24th of last December in reply to a note from theundersigned of the 2d of November preceding, in which the undersignedprotested in the name of his Government against the extensive systemof aggression pursued by the people of the State of Maine within thedisputed territory, to the prejudice of the rights of Great Britain andin manifest violation of the provisional agreements entered into betweenthe authorities of the two countries at the beginning of the last year.Her Majesty's Government have also had their attention directed to thepublic message transmitted by the governor of Maine to the legislatureof the State on the 3d of January of the present year.Upon a consideration of the statements contained in these two officialdocuments, Her Majesty's Government regret to find that the principalacts of encroachment which were denounced and complained of on the partof Great Britain, so far from being either disproved or discontinued orsatisfactorily explained by the authorities of the State of Maine, are,on the contrary, persisted in and publicly avowed.Her Majesty's Government have consequently instructed the undersignedonce more formally to protest against those acts of encroachment andaggression.Her Majesty's Government claim and expect, from the good faith of theGovernment of the United States, that the people of Maine shall replacethemselves in the situation in which they stood before the agreementsof last year were signed; that they shall, therefore, retire from thevalley of the St. John and confine themselves to the valley of theAroostook; that they shall occupy that valley in a temporary manneronly, for the purpose, as agreed upon, of preventing depredations; andthat they shall not construct fortifications nor make roads or permanentsettlements.Until this be done by the people of the State of Maine, and so longas that people shall persist in the present system of aggression, HerMajesty's Government will feel it their duty to make such militaryarrangements as may be required for the protection of Her Majesty'srights. And Her Majesty's Government deem it right to declare that ifthe result of the unjustifiable proceedings of the State of Maine shouldbe collision between Her Majesty's troops and the people of that Statethe responsibility of all the consequences that may ensue therefrom,be they what they may, will rest with the people and Government of theUnited States.The undersigned has been instructed to add to this communication thatHer Majesty's Government are only waiting for the detailed report ofthe British commissioners recently employed to survey the disputedterritory, which report it was believed would be completed and deliveredto Her Majesty's Government by the end of the present month, in order totransmit to the Government of the United States a reply to their lastproposal upon the subject of the boundary negotiation.The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to theSecretary of State of the United States the assurance of hisdistinguished consideration.H.S. FOX._Mr. Forsyth to Mr. Fox_.DEPARTMENT OF STATE,_Washington, March 25, 1840_.HENRY S. FOX, Esq., etc.:The undersigned, Secretary of State of the United States, acknowledgesto have received Mr. Fox's communication of the 13th instant, inreference to the boundary negotiation and the affairs of the disputedterritory. The information given in the closing part of it--that a replyto the last proposition of the United States upon the subject of theboundary may be expected in a short time--is highly gratifying to thePresident, who has, however, given directions to the undersigned, inmaking this acknowledgment, to accompany it with the expression of hisprofound regret that Mr. Fox's note is in no other respect satisfactory.After the arrangements which in the beginning of last year wereentered into on the part of the two Governments with regard to theoccupation of the disputed territory, the President had indulged thehope that the causes of irritation which had grown out of this branchof the subject could have been removed. Relying on the disposition ofMaine to cooperate with the Federal Government in all that could leadto a pacific adjustment of the principal question, the President feltconfident that his determination to maintain order and peace on theborder would be fully carried out. He looked upon all apprehensions ofdesigns by the people of Maine to take possession of the territory aswithout adequate foundation, deeming it improbable that on the eve ofan amicable adjustment of the question any portion of the Americanpeople would without cause and without object jeopard the success ofthe negotiation and endanger the peace of the country. A troublesome,irritating, and comparatively unimportant, because subordinate, subjectbeing thus disposed of, the President hoped that the parties would beleft free at once to discuss and finally adjust the principal question.In this he has been disappointed. While the proceedings of Her Majesty'sGovernment at home have been attended with unlooked-for delays, itsattention has been diverted from the great subject in controversy byrepeated complaints imputing to a portion of the people of the UnitedStates designs to violate the engagements of their Government--designswhich have never been entertained, and which Mr. Fox knows would receiveno countenance from this Government.It is to be regretted that at this late hour so much misapprehensionstill exists on the side of the British Government as to the object andobvious meaning of the existing arrangements respecting the disputedterritory. The ill success which appears to have attended the effortsmade by the undersigned to convey through Mr. Fox to Her Majesty'sGovernment more correct impressions respecting them calls for arecurrence to the subject, and a brief review of the correspondencewhich has grown out of it may tend to remove the erroneous views whichprevail as to the manner in which the terms of the arrangements referredto have been observed.As Mr. Fox had no authority to make any agreement respecting theexercise of jurisdiction over the disputed territory, that between himand the undersigned of the 27th of February, 1839. had for its objectsome provisional arrangement for the restoration and preservation ofpeace in the territory. To accomplish this object it provided that HerMajesty's officers should not seek to expel by military force the armedparty which had been sent by Maine into the district bordering on theRestook River, and that, on the other hand, the government of Mainewould voluntarily and without needless delay withdraw beyond the boundsof the disputed territory any armed force then within them. Besidesthis, the arrangement had other objects--the dispersion of notorioustrespassers and the protection of public property from depredation.In case future necessity should arise for this, the operation was tobe conducted by concert, jointly or separately, according to agreementbetween the governments of Maine and New Brunswick.In this last-mentioned respect the agreement looked to some furtherarrangement between Maine and New Brunswick. Through the agency ofGeneral Scott one was agreed to on the 23d and 25th of March following,by which Sir John Harvey bound himself not to seek, without renewedinstructions to that effect from his Government, to take militarypossession of the territory or to expel from it by military forcethe armed civil posse or the troops of Maine. On the part of Maineit was agreed by her governor that no attempt should be made, withoutrenewed instructions from the legislature, to disturb by arms theProvince of New Brunswick in the possession of the Madawaska settlementsor interrupt the usual communications between that and the upperProvinces. As to possession and jurisdiction, they were to remainunchanged--each party holding, in fact, possession of part of thedisputed territory, but each denying the right of the other to do so.With that understanding Maine was without unnecessary delay to withdrawher military force, leaving only, under a land agent, a small civilposse, armed or unarmed, to protect the timber recently cut and toprevent further depredations.In the complaints of infractions of the agreements by the State of Maineaddressed to the undersigned Mr. Fox has assumed two positions which arenot authorized by the terms of those agreements: First. Admitting theright of Maine to maintain a civil posse in the disputed territory forthe purposes stated in the agreement, he does so with the restrictionthat the action of the posse was to be confined within certain limits;and, second, by making the advance of the Maine posse into the valley ofthe Upper St. John the ground of his complaint of encroachment upon theMadawaska settlement, he assumes to extend the limits of that settlementbeyond those it occupied at the date of the agreement.The United States can not acquiesce in either of these positions.In the first place, nothing is found in the agreement subscribed toby Governor Fairfield and Sir John Harvey defining any limits in thedisputed territory within which the operations of the civil posse ofMaine were to be circumscribed. The task of preserving the timberrecently cut and of preventing further depredations _within the disputedterritory_ was assigned to the State of Maine after her military forceshould have been withdrawn from it, and it was to be accomplished by acivil posse, armed or unarmed, which was to continue in the territoryand to operate in every part of it where its agency might be requiredto protect the timber already cut and prevent further depredations,without any limitation whatever or any restrictions except such asmight be construed into an attempt to disturb by arms the Provinceof New Brunswick in her possession of the Madawaska settlement orinterrupt the usual communication between the Provinces.It is thus, in the exercise of a legitimate right and in theconscientious discharge of an obligation imposed upon her by asolemn compact, that the State of Maine has done those acts which havegiven rise to complaints for which no adequate cause is perceived.The undersigned feels confident that when those acts shall have beenconsidered by Her Majesty's Government at home as explained in his noteto Mr. Fox of the 24th of December last and in connection with theforegoing remarks they will no longer be viewed as calculated to excitethe apprehensions of Her Majesty's Government that the faith of existingarrangements is to be broken on the part of the United States.With regard to the second position assumed by Mr. Fox--that the advanceof the Maine posse along the valley of the Restook to the mouth of FishRiver and into the valley of the Upper St. John is at variance with theterms and spirit of the agreements--the undersigned must observe that ifat variance with any of their provisions it could only be with thosewhich secure Her Majesty's Province of New Brunswick against any attemptto disturb the possession of the Madawaska settlements and to interruptthe usual communications between New Brunswick and the upper Provinces.The agreement could only have reference to the Madawaska settlements asconfined within their actual limits at the time it was subscribed. Theundersigned in his note of the 24th of December last stated the reasonswhy the mouth of Fish River and the portion of the valley of the St.John through which it passes could in no proper sense be considered asembraced in the Madawaska settlements. Were the United States to admitthe pretension set up on the part of Great Britain to give to theMadawaska settlements a degree of constructive extension that might atthis time suit the purposes of Her Majesty's colonial authorities, thosesettlements might soon be made with like justice to embrace any portionsof the disputed territory, and the right given to the Province of NewBrunswick to occupy them temporarily and for a special purpose mightby inference quite as plausible give the jurisdiction exercised by HerMajesty's authorities an extent which would render the present stateof the question, so long as it could be maintained, equivalent to adecision on the merits of the whole controversy in favor of GreatBritain. If the small settlement at Madawaska on the north side of theSt. John means the whole valley of that river, if a boom across the FishRiver and a station of a small posse on the south side of the St. Johnat the mouth of Fish River is a disturbance of that settlement, whichis 25 miles below, within the meaning of the agreement, it is difficultto conceive that there are any limitations to the pretensions of HerMajesty's Government under it or how the State of Maine could exercisethe preventive power with regard to trespassers, which was on her partthe great object of the temporary arrangement. The movements of Britishtroops lately witnessed in the disputed territory and the erectionof military works for their protection and accommodation, of whichauthentic information recently received at the Department of State hasbeen communicated to Mr. Fox, impart a still graver aspect to the matterimmediately under consideration. The fact of those military operations,established beyond a doubt, left unexplained or unsatisfactorilyaccounted for by Mr. Fox's note of the 7th instant, continues anabiding cause of complaint on the part of the United States againstHer Majesty's colonial agents as inconsistent with arrangements whosemain object was to divest a question already sufficiently perplexedand complicated from such embarrassments as those with which theproceedings of the British authorities can not fail to surround it.If, as Mr. Fox must admit, the objects of the late agreements were theremoval of all military force and the preservation of the property fromfurther spoliations, leaving the possession and jurisdiction as theystood before the State of Maine found itself compelled to act againstthe trespassers, the President can not but consider that the conduct ofthe American local authorities strongly and most favorably contrastswith that of the colonial authorities of Her Majesty's Government. Whilethe one, promptly withdrawing its military force, has confined itself tothe use of the small posse, armed as agreed upon, and has done no actnot necessary to the accomplishment of the conventional objects, everymeasure taken or indicated by the other party is essentially military inits character, and can be justified only by a well-founded apprehensionthat hostilities must ensue.With such feelings and convictions the President could not see withoutpainful surprise the attempt of Mr. Fox, under instructions from hisGovernment, to give to the existing state of things a character notwarranted by the friendly disposition of the United States or theconduct of the authorities and people of Maine; much more is hesurprised to find it alleged as a ground for strengthening a militaryforce and preparing for a hostile collision with the unarmed inhabitantsof a friendly State, pursuing within their own borders their peacefuloccupations or exerting themselves in compliance with their agreementsto protect the property in dispute from unauthorized spoliation.The President wishes that he could dispel the fear that these darkforebodings can be realized. Unless Her Majesty's Government shallforthwith arrest all military interference in the question, unless itshall apply to the subject more determined efforts than have hithertobeen made to bring the dispute to a certain and pacific adjustment, themisfortunes predicted by Mr. Fox in the name of his Government may mostunfortunately happen.But no apprehension of the consequences alluded to by Mr. Fox canbe permitted to divert the Government and people of the United Statesfrom the performance of their duty to the State of Maine. That duty isas simple as it is imperative. The construction which is given by herto the treaty of 1783 has been again and again, and in the most solemnmanner, asserted also by the Federal Government, and must be maintainedunless Maine freely consents to a new boundary or unless thatconstruction of the treaty is found to be erroneous by the decision ofa disinterested and independent tribunal selected by the parties for itsfinal adjustment. The President on assuming the duties of his stationavowed his determination, all other means of negotiation failing, tosubmit a proposition to the Government of Great Britain to refer thedecision of the question once more to a third party.In all the subsequent steps which have been taken upon the subject byhis direction he has been actuated by the same spirit. Neither hisdispositions in the matter nor his opinion as to the propriety of thatcourse has undergone any change. Should the fulfillment of his wishesbe defeated, either by an unwillingness on the part of Her Majesty'sGovernment to meet the offer of the United States in the spirit inwhich it is made or from adverse circumstances of any description,the President will in any event derive great satisfaction from theconsciousness that no effort on his part has been spared to bring thequestion to an amicable conclusion, and that there has been nothing inthe conduct either of the Governments and people of the United States orof the State of Maine to justify the employment of Her Majesty's forcesas indicated by Mr. Fox's letter. The President can not under suchcircumstances apprehend that the responsibility for any consequenceswhich may unhappily ensue will by the just judgment of an impartialworld be imputed to the United States.The undersigned avails himself, etc.JOHN FORSYTH._Mr. Fox to Mr. Forsyth_.WASHINGTON, _March 26, 1840_.Hon. JOHN FORSYTH, etc.:The undersigned, Her Britannic Majesty's envoy extraordinary andminister plenipotentiary, has had the honor to receive the official noteof yesterday's date addressed to him by Mr. Forsyth, Secretary of Stateof the United States, in reply to a note dated the 13th instant, whereinthe undersigned, in conformity with instructions received from hisGovernment, had anew formally protested against the acts of encroachmentand aggression which are still persisted in by armed bands in theemployment of the State of Maine within certain portions of the disputedterritory.It will be the duty of the undersigned immediately to transmit Mr.Forsyth's note to Her Majesty's Government in England, and until thestatements and propositions which it contains shall have received thedue consideration of Her Majesty's Government the undersigned will notdeem it right to add any further reply thereto excepting to refer to andrepeat, as he now formally and distinctly does, the several declarationswhich it has from time to time been his duty to make to the Governmentof the United States with reference to the existing posture of affairsin the disputed territory, and to record his opinion that an inflexibleadherence to the resolutions that have been announced by Her Majesty'sGovernment for the defense of Her Majesty's rights pending thenegotiation of the boundary question offers to Her Majesty's Governmentthe only means of protecting those rights from being in a continuallyaggravated manner encroached upon and violated.The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to theSecretary of State of the United States the assurance of hisdistinguished consideration.H.S. FOX.WASHINGTON, _March 28, 1840_._To the Senate_:I communicate to the Senate, in compliance with their resolution of the12th instant, a report from the Secretary of War, containing informationon the subject of that resolution.M. VAN BUREN.WAR DEPARTMENT, _March 27, 1840_.The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.SIR: The resolution of the Senate of the 12th instant, "that thePresident of the United States be requested to communicate to theSenate, if in his judgment compatible with the public interest, anyinformation which may be in the possession of the Government, or whichcan be conveniently obtained, of the military and naval preparations ofthe British authorities on the northern frontier of the United Statesfrom Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean, designating the permanentfrom the temporary and field works, and particularly by noting thosewhich are within the claimed limits of the United States," having beenreferred by you to this Department, it was immediately referred toMajor-General Scott and other officers who have been stationed on thefrontier referred to for such information on the subjects as theypossessed and could readily procure, and an examination is now inprogress for such as may be contained in the files of this Department.General Scott is the only officer yet heard from, and a copy of hisreport is herewith submitted, together with a copy of that to which herefers, made upon the resolution of the House of Representatives of the9th instant. As soon as the other officers who have been called uponare heard from and the examination of the files of the Department iscompleted, any further information which may be thus acquired will beimmediately laid before you.Very respectfully, your most obedient servant,J.R. POINSETT.HEADQUARTERS, EASTERN DIVISION,_Elizabethtown, N.J., March 23, 1840_.Brigadier-General R. JONES,_Adjutant-General United States Army_.SIR: I have received from your office copies of two resolutions, passed,respectively, the 12th and 9th instant, one by the Senate and the otherby the House of Representatives, and I am asked for "any information onthe subject of both or either of the resolutions that may be in [my]possession."In respect to the naval force recently maintained upon the Americanlakes by Great Britain, I have just had the honor to report to theSecretary of War, by whom the resolution of the House of Representatives(of the 9th instant) was directly referred to me.I now confine myself to the Senate's resolution, respecting "military[I omit _naval_] preparations of the British authorities on the northernfrontiers of the United States from Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean,distinguishing the permanent from the temporary and field works, andparticularly noting those which are within the claimed limits of theUnited States."I will here remark that however well my duties have made me acquaintedwith the greater part of the line in question, I have paid but slightattention to the forts and barracks erected by the British authoritiesnear the borders of Maine _above_ Frederickton, in New Brunswick, or inUpper Canada _above_ Cornwall, being of the fixed opinion (which neednot here be developed) that all such structures would be of little orno military value to either of the parties in the event of a new warbetween the United States and Great Britain.I was last summer at the foot of Lake Superior, and neither saw norheard of any British fort or barrack on the St. Marys River, the outletof that lake.Between Lakes Huron and Erie the British have three sets ofbarracks--one at Windsor, opposite to Detroit; one at Sandwich, a littlelower down; and the third at Maiden, 18 miles from the first--all builtof sawed logs, strengthened by blockhouses, loopholes, etc. Maidenhas long been a military post, with slight defenses. These have beenrecently strengthened. The works at Sandwich and Windsor have also,I think, been erected within the last six or eight months.Near the mouth of the Niagara the British have two small forts--Georgeand Mississauga; both existed during the last war. The latter may betermed a permanent work. Slight barracks have been erected within thelast two years on the same side near the Falls and at Chippewa, withbreastworks at the latter place, but nothing, I believe, above theworks first named on the Niagara which can be termed a fort.Since the commencement of recent troubles in the Canadas and (consequentthereupon) within our limits Fort William Henry, at Kingston, and FortWellington, opposite to Ogdensburg (old works), have both beenstrengthened within themselves, besides the addition of dependencies.These forts may be called permanent.On the St. Lawrence below Prescott, and confronting our territory,I know of no other military post. Twelve miles above, at Brockville,there may be temporary barracks and breastworks. I know that of lateBrockville has been a military station.In the system of defenses on the approaches to Montreal the Isle auxNoix, a few miles below our line, and in the outlet of Lake Champlain,stands at the head. This island contains within itself a system ofpermanent works of great strength. On them the British Government hasfrom time to time since the peace of 1815 expended much skill and labor.Odletown, near our line, on the western side of Lake Champlain, has beena station for a body of Canadian militia for two years, to guard theneighborhood from refugee incendiaries from our side. I think thatbarracks have been erected there for the accommodation of those troops,and also at a station, with the like object, near Alburgh, in Vermont.It is believed that there are no important British forts or extensiveBritish barracks on our borders from Vermont to Maine.In respect to such structures on _the disputed territory_, GovernorFairfield's published letters contain fuller information than hasreached me through any other channel. I have heard of no new militarypreparations by the British authorities on the St. Croix orPassamaquoddy Bay.Among such preparations, perhaps I ought not to omit the fact that GreatBritain, besides numerous corps of well-organized and well-instructedmilitia, has at this time within her North American Provinces more than20,000 of her best regular troops. The whole of those forces might bebrought to the verge of our territory in a few days. Two-thirds of thatregular force has arrived out since the spring of 1838.I remain, sir, with great respect, your most obedient servant,WINFIELD SCOTT.WASHINGTON, _March 28, 1840_._To the House of Representatives of the United States_:I communicate to the House of Representatives, in compliance with theirresolution of the 9th instant, reports[67] from the Secretaries of Stateand War, with documents, which contain information on the subject ofthat resolution.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 67: Relating to the British naval armament on the Americanlakes, etc.]WASHINGTON, _March 31, 1840_._To the House of Representatives of the United States_:I communicate to the House of Representatives a report[68] from theSecretary of State, with documents, containing the information calledfor by their resolution of the 23d instant.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 68: Relating to the demand of the minister of Spain for thesurrender of the schooner _Amistad_, with Africans on board, detained bythe American brig of war _Washington_, etc.]WASHINGTON CITY, _April 3, 1840_.Hon. R.M.T. HUNTER,_Speaker of the House of Representatives_.SIR: In compliance with a resolution of the House of Representatives ofthe 9th ultimo, I communicate herewith, accompanied by a report fromthe Secretary of War, "copies of the arrangement entered into betweenthe governor of Maine and Sir John Harvey, lieutenant-governor of NewBrunswick, through the mediation of Major-General Scott, in the monthof March last (1839), together with copies of the instructions given toGeneral Scott and of all correspondence with him relating to the subjectof controversy between the State of Maine and the Province of NewBrunswick."M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON, _April 10, 1840_._To the House of Representatives of the United States_:In compliance with the resolution of the House of Representatives ofthe 23d March last, I transmit a report[69] from the Secretary of State,which, with the documents accompanying it, contains the information inpossession of the Department in relation to the subject of the resolution.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 69: Relating to the seizure and condemnation by Britishauthorities of American vessels engaged in the fisheries.]WASHINGTON, _April, 1840_._To the House of Representatives of the United States_:I transmit herewith communications from the Secretary of War andCommissioner of Indian Affairs, giving the information "in possession ofthe Government respecting the assemblage of Indians on the northwesternfrontier, and especially as to the interference of the officers oragents of any foreign power with the Indians of the United States in thevicinity of the Great Lakes," which I was requested to communicate bythe resolution of the House of Representatives of the 9th ultimo.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON, _April 14, 1840_._To the House of Representatives of the United States_:I transmit to the House of Representatives a report[70] from theSecretary of State, with documents, containing the information requiredby their resolution of the 9th March last.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 70: Relating to the tobacco trade between the United Statesand foreign countries.]APRIL 15, 1840._To the Senate of the United States_:In further compliance with a resolution of the Senate passed December30, 1839, I herewith submit reports[71] from the Secretary of the Navyand the Postmaster-General, together with a supplemental statementfrom the Secretary of the Treasury, and the correspondence annexed.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 71: Relating to the sale or exchange of Government draftsfor bank notes and the payment of Government creditors in depreciatedcurrency.]WASHINGTON, _April 15, 1840_._To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States_:I transmit a copy of a convention for the adjustment of claims ofcitizens of the United States upon the Government of the MexicanRepublic, for such legislative action on the part of Congress as maybe necessary to carry the engagements of the United States under theconvention into full effect.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON CITY, _April 18, 1840_._To the House of Representatives of the United States_:I transmit herewith a communication from the Secretary of War,accompanied by a letter from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs,indicating the importance of an extension of the authority given bythe sixteenth clause of the first section of the act entitled "An actproviding for the salaries of certain officers therein named, and forother purposes," approved 9th May, 1836.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON CITY, _April 24, 1840_._To the Senate of the United States_:I transmit herewith a report and accompanying documents from theSecretary of War, which furnish the information in relation to thatportion of the defenses[72] of the country intrusted to the charge anddirection of the Department of War, called for by the resolution of theSenate of the 2d of March, 1839.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 72: Military and naval.]WASHINGTON, _April 27, 1840_._To the Senate of the United States_:I lay before the Senate a report[73] of the Postmaster-General,in further compliance with a resolution of the Senate of the 30thDecember, 1839.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 73: Relating to the sale or exchange of Government drafts,etc.]WASHINGTON, _May 2, 1840_._To the Senate of the United States_:I transmit to the Senate a report[74] from the Secretary of State, which,with the papers accompanying it, contains in part the informationrequested by a resolution of the Senate of the 30th December last.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 74: Relating to bonds of the Territory of Florida.]WASHINGTON, _May 9, 1840_._To the House of Representatives of the United States_:I communicate to the House of Representatives a report[75] from theSecretary of State, which, with the documents accompanying it, furnishesthe information requested by their resolution of the 23d of March last.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 75: Transmitting correspondence with France, Sweden, Denmark,and Prussia relating to the surrender to the United States of personscharged with piracy and murder on board the United States schooner_Plattsburg_ in 1817; correspondence relating to the demand by thecharge d'affaires of Great Britain for the surrender of a mutineer inthe British armed ship _Lee_ in 1819; opinion of the Attorney-Generalwith regard to the right of the President of the United States or thegovernor of a State to deliver up, on the demand of any foreigngovernment, persons charged with crimes committed without thejurisdiction of the United States.]MAY 11, 1840._To the Senate of the United States_:In part compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the 29th ofDecember last, I herewith submit a report[76] from the Secretary of theTreasury, with the documents therein referred to.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 76: Relating to the sale or exchange of Government drafts,etc.]WASHINGTON, _May 12, 1840_._To the Senate of the United States_:I communicate to the Senate a copy of a letter[77] from the secretaryof the Territory of Florida, with documents accompanying it, receivedat the Department of State since my message of the 2d instant andcontaining additional information on the subject of the resolutionof the Senate of the 30th of December last.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON, _May 16, 1840_._To the House of Representatives of the United States_:I transmit the report of the Secretary of War furnishing a statement ofthe amounts paid to persons concerned in negotiating Indian treatiessince 1829, etc., which completes the information called for by theresolution of the House of Representatives dated the 28th January, 1839,upon that subject and the disbursing officers in the War Department.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON, _May 18, 1840_._To the Senate of the United States_:I communicate to the Senate a copy of a letter[77] from the governor ofFlorida to the Secretary of State, containing, with the documentsaccompanying it, further information on the subject of the resolution ofthe Senate of the 30th of December last.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 77: Relating to bonds of the Territory of Florida.]WASHINGTON, _May 21, 1840_._To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States_:I communicate to Congress sundry papers, from which it will be perceivedthat the Imaum of Muscat has transmitted to this country and, throughthe agency of the commander of one of his vessels, offered for myacceptance a present, consisting of horses, pearls, and other articlesof value. The answer of the Secretary of State to a letter from theagents of the vessel communicating the offer of the present, and myown letter to the Imaum in reply to one which he addressed to me, wereintended to make known in the proper quarter the reasons which hadprecluded my acceptance of the proffered gift. Inasmuch, however, as thecommander of the vessel, with the view, as he alleges, of carrying outthe wishes of his Sovereign, now offers the presents to the Governmentof the United States, I deem it my duty to lay the proposition beforeCongress for such disposition as they may think fit to make of it; andI take the opportunity to suggest for their consideration the adoptionof legislative provisions pointing out the course which they may deemproper for the Executive to pursue in any future instances where offersof presents by foreign states, either to the Government, its legislativeor executive branches, or its agents abroad, may be made undercircumstances precluding a refusal without the risk of giving offense.The correspondence between the Department of State and our consul atTangier will acquaint Congress with such an instance, in which everyproper exertion on the part of the consul to refrain from taking chargeof an intended present proved unavailing. The animals constituting itmay consequently, under the instructions from the Secretary of State,be expected soon to arrive in the United States, when the authority ofCongress as to the disposition to be made of them will be necessary.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON, _May 23, 1840_._To the Senate of the United States_:I transmit a communication from the Secretary of War, together with thepapers therein referred to, relative to the proceedings instituted undera resolution of Congress to try the title to the Pea Patch Island,in the Delaware River, and recommend that Congress pass a special actgiving to the circuit court of the district of Maryland jurisdictionto try the cause.M. VAN BUREN.JUNE 4, 1840._To the House of Representatives_:I herewith submit a report from the Secretary of the Treasury, showingthe progress made in complying with the requirements of a resolutionpassed February 6, 1839, concerning mineral lands of the United States.The documents he communicates contain much important information on thesubject of those lands, and a plan for the sale of them is in a courseof preparation and will be presented as soon as completed.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON, _June 5, 1840_._To the Senate of the United States_:In compliance with the resolution of the Senate dated the 30th December,1839, I transmit herewith the report[78] of the Secretary of War,furnishing so much of the information called for by said resolutionas relates to the Executive Department under his charge.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 78: Relating to the refusal of banks to pay the Governmentdemands in specie since the general resumption in 1838, and the paymentof Government creditors in depreciated currency.]WASHINGTON, _June 5, 1840_._To the Senate of the United States_:In compliance with the resolution of the Senate of the 30th December,1839, I communicate the report[79] of the Secretary of War, containingthe information called for by that resolution as far as it relates tothe Department under his charge.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 79: Relating to the manner in which the public funds have beenpaid out by disbursing officers and agents during 1838 and 1839.]WASHINGTON, _June 6, 1840_._To the House of Representatives_:I herewith submit a report from the Secretary of the Treasury, inrelation to certain lands falling within the Chickasaw cession whichhave been sold at Chocchuma and Columbus, in Mississippi, and invite theattention of Congress to the subject of further legislation in relationto them.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON, _June 13, 1840_._To the House of Representatives_:I communicate to the House of Representatives a report[80] from theSecretary of State, with documents, containing the information requestedby their resolution of the 26th of May last.M. VAN BUREN.[Footnote 80: Relating to charges preferred by Dr. John Baldwin, ofLouisiana, against Marmaduke Burroughs, consul at Vera Cruz.]WASHINGTON, _June 19, 1840_.The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES.SIR: I transmit a communication from the Secretary of the Navy,suggesting that an appropriation of $50,000 be made by Congress to meetclaims of navy pensioners, payable on the 1st of July next, reimbursableby a transfer of stocks belonging to the fund at their nominal value tothe amount so appropriated, and respectfully recommend the measure tothe consideration and action of Congress.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON, _June 22, 1840_._To the Senate of the United States_:I lay before you, for your consideration, a treaty of commerce andnavigation between the United States of America and His Majesty the Kingof Hanover, signed by their ministers on the 20th day of May last.M. VAN BUREN.WASHINGTON, _June 27, 1840_._To the Senate_:The importance of the subject to the tranquillity of our country makesit proper that I should communicate to the Senate, in addition to theinformation heretofore transmitted in reply to their resolution of the17th of January last, the copy of a letter just received from Mr. Fox,announcing the determination of the British Government to consent to theprinciples of our last proposition for the settlement of the question ofthe northeastern boundary, with a copy of the answer made to it by theSecretary of State. I can not doubt that, with the sincere dispositionwhich actuates both Governments to prevent any other than an amicabletermination of the controversy, it will be found practicable so toarrange the details of a conventional agreement on the principlesalluded to as to effect that object.The British commissioners, in their report communicated by Mr. Fox,express an opinion that the true line of the treaty of 1783 ismaterially different from that so long contended for by Great Britain.The report is altogether _ex parte_ in its character, and has not yet,as far as we are informed, been adopted by the British Government. Ithas, however, assumed a form sufficiently authentic and important tojustify the belief that it is to be used hereafter by the BritishGovernment in the discussion of the question of boundary; and asit differs essentially from the line claimed by the United States,an immediate preparatory exploration and survey on our part, bycommissioners appointed for that purpose, of the portions of theterritory therein more particularly brought into view would, in myopinion, be proper. If Congress concur with me in this view of thesubject, a provision by them to enable the Executive to carry it intoeffect will be necessary.M. VAN BUREN._Mr. Fox to Mr. Forsyth_.WASHINGTON, _June 22, 1840_.Hon. JOHN FORSYTH, etc.:The undersigned, Her Britannic Majesty's envoy extraordinary andminister plenipotentiary, has the honor to transmit to the Secretary ofState of the United States, by order of his Government, the accompanyingprinted copies of a report and map which have been presented to HerMajesty's Government by Colonel Mudge and Mr. Featherstonhaugh, thecommissioners employed during the last season to survey the disputedterritory.The undersigned is instructed to say that it will of course have becomethe duty of Her Majesty's Government to lay the said report and mapbefore Parliament; but Her Majesty's Government have been desirous, as amark of courtesy and consideration toward the Government of the UnitedStates, that documents bearing upon a question of so much interestand importance to the two countries should in the first instance becommunicated to the President. The documents had been officially placedin the hands of Her Majesty's Government only a few days previouslyto the date of the instruction addressed to the undersigned.Her Majesty's Government feel an unabated desire to bring thelong-pending questions connected with the boundary between the UnitedStates and the British possessions in North America to a final andsatisfactory settlement, being well aware that questions of this nature,as long as they remain open between two countries, must be the source offrequent irritation on both sides and are liable at any moment to leadto events that may endanger the existence of friendly relations.It is obvious that the questions at issue between Great Britain andthe United States must be beset with various and really existingdifficulties, or else those questions would not have remained open eversince the year 1783, notwithstanding the frequent and earnest endeavorsmade by each Government to bring them to an adjustment; but HerMajesty's Government do not relinquish the hope that the sincere desirewhich is felt by both parties to arrive at an amicable settlement willat length be attended with success.The best clew to guide the two Governments in their future proceedingsmay perhaps be obtained by an examination of the causes of past failure;and the most prominent amongst these causes has certainly been a want ofcorrect information as to the topographical features and physicalcharacter of the district in dispute.This want of adequate information may be traced as one of thedifficulties which embarrassed the Netherlands Government in itsendeavors to decide the points submitted to its arbitration in 1830.The same has been felt by the Government in England; it has been feltand admitted by the Government of the United States, and even by thelocal government of the contiguous State of Maine.The British Government and the Government of the United States agreed,therefore, two years ago that a survey of the disputed territory by ajoint commission would be the measure best calculated to elucidate andsolve the questions at issue. The President proposed such a commissionand Her Majesty's Government consented to it, and it was believed byHer Majesty's Government that the general principles upon which thecommission was to be guided in its local operations had been settled bymutual agreement, arrived at by means of a correspondence which tookplace between the two Governments in 1837 and 1838. Her Majesty'sGovernment accordingly transmitted in April of last year, for theconsideration of the President, the draft of a convention to regulatethe proceedings of the proposed commission. The preamble of that draftrecited textually the agreement that had been come to by means of noteswhich had been exchanged between the two Governments, and the articlesof the draft were framed, as Her Majesty's Government considered, instrict conformity with that agreement.But the Government of the United States did not think proper to assentto the convention so proposed.The United States Government did not, indeed, allege that theproposed convention was at variance with the result of the previouscorrespondence between the two Governments, but it thought that theconvention would establish a commission of "mere exploration andsurvey," and the President was of opinion that the step next to be takenby the two Governments should be to contract stipulations bearing uponthe face of them the promise of a final settlement under some form orother and within a reasonable time.The United States Government accordingly transmitted to the undersigned,for communication to Her Majesty's Government, in the month of July lasta counter draft of convention varying considerably in some parts (as theSecretary of State of the United States admitted in his letter to theundersigned of the 29th of July last) from the draft proposed by GreatBritain, but the Secretary of State added that the United StatesGovernment did not deem it necessary to comment upon the alterationsso made, as the text itself of the counter draft would be foundsufficiently perspicuous.Her Majesty's Government might certainly well have expected thatsome reasons would have been given to explain why the United StatesGovernment declined to confirm an arrangement which was founded uponpropositions made by that Government itself and upon modifications towhich that Government had agreed, or that if the American Governmentthought the draft of convention thus proposed was not in conformity withthe previous agreement it would have pointed out in what respect the twowere considered to differ.Her Majesty's Government, considering the present state of the boundaryquestion, concur with the Government of the United States in thinkingthat it is on every account expedient that the next measure to beadopted by the two Governments should contain arrangements which willnecessarily lead to a final settlement, and they think that theconvention which they proposed last year to the President, instead ofbeing framed so as to constitute a mere commission of exploration andsurvey, did, on the contrary, contain stipulations calculated to leadto the final ascertainment of the boundary between the two countries.There was, however, undoubtedly one essential difference betweenthe British draft and the American counter draft. The British draftcontained no provision embodying the principle of arbitration; theAmerican counter draft did contain such a provision.The British draft contained no provision for arbitration, because theprinciple of arbitration had not been proposed on either side during thenegotiations upon which that draft was founded, and because, moreover,it was understood at that time that the principle of arbitration wouldbe decidedly objected to by the United States.But as the United States Government have now expressed a wish to embodythe principle of arbitration in the proposed convention, Her Majesty'sGovernment are perfectly willing to accede to that wish.The undersigned is accordingly instructed to state officially to Mr.Forsyth that Her Majesty's Government consent to the two principleswhich form the main foundation of the American counter draft, namely:First, that the commission to be appointed shall be so constituted asnecessarily to lead to a final settlement of the questions of boundaryat issue between the two countries, and, secondly, that in order tosecure such a result the convention by which the commission is to becreated shall contain a provision for arbitration upon points as towhich the British and American commissioners may not be able to agree.The undersigned is, however, instructed to add that there are manymatters of detail in the American counter draft which Her Majesty'sGovernment can not adopt. The undersigned will be furnished from hisGovernment, by an early opportunity, with an amended draft in conformitywith the principles above stated, to be submitted to the considerationof the President. And the undersigned expects to be at the same timefurnished with instructions to propose to the Government of theUnited States a fresh, local, and temporary convention for the betterprevention of incidental border collisions within the disputed territoryduring the time that may be occupied in carrying through the operationsof survey or arbitration.The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to theSecretary of State the assurance of his distinguished consideration.H.S. FOX._Mr. Forsyth to Mr. Fox_.DEPARTMENT OF STATE,_Washington, June 26, 1840_.H.S. FOX, Esq., etc.:The undersigned, Secretary of State of the United States, has had thehonor to receive a note addressed to him on the 22d instant by Mr. Fox,envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of Great Britain,inclosing printed copies of the report and map laid before the BritishGovernment by the commissioners employed during the last seasonto survey the territory in dispute between the two countries, andcommunicating the consent of Her Britannic Majesty's Government to thetwo principles which form the main foundation of the counter propositionof the United States for the adjustment of the question.The undersigned, having laid Mr. Fox's note before the President, isinstructed to say in answer that the President duly appreciates themotives of courtesy which prompted the British Government to communicateto that of the United States the documents referred to, and that hederives great satisfaction from the announcement that Her Majesty'sGovernment do not relinquish the hope that the sincere desire which isfelt by both parties to arrive at an amicable settlement will at lengthbe attended with success, and from the prospect held out by Mr. Fox ofhis being accordingly furnished by an early opportunity with the draftof a proposition amended in conformity with the principles to which HerMajesty's Government has acceded, to be submitted to the considerationof this Government.Mr. Fox states that his Government might have expected that when theAmerican counter draft was communicated to him some reasons would havebeen given to explain why the United States Government declinedaccepting the British draft of convention, or that if it thought thedraft was not in conformity with previous agreement it would havepointed out in what respect the two were considered to differ.In the note which the undersigned addressed to Mr. Fox on the 29th Julyof last year, transmitting the American counter draft, he stated that inconsequence of the then recent events on the frontier and the danger ofcollision between the citizens and subjects of the two Governments amere commission of exploration and survey would be inadequate to theexigencies of the occasion and fall behind the just expectations of thepeople of both countries, and referred to the importance of having themeasure next adopted bear upon its face stipulations which must resultin a final settlement under some form and in a reasonable time. Thesewere the reasons which induced the President to introduce in the newproject the provisions which he thought calculated for the attainmentof so desirable an object, and which in his opinion rendered obviouslyunnecessary any allusion to the previous agreements referred to by Mr.Fox. The President is gratified to find that a concurrence in thoseviews has brought the minds of Her Majesty's Government to a similarconclusion, and from this fresh indication of harmony in the wishes ofthe two cabinets he permits himself to anticipate the most satisfactoryresult from the measure under consideration.The undersigned avails himself of the opportunity to offer to Mr. Foxrenewed assurances of his distinguished consideration.JOHN FORSYTH.WASHINGTON, _June 29, 1840_._To the Senate of the United States_:I transmit, in answer to a resolution of the Senate of the 12th of Marchlast, a communication of the Secretary of War, accompanied by suchinformation as could be obtained in relation to the military and navalpreparations of the British authorities on the northern frontier of theUnited States from Lake Superior to the Atlantic Ocean.HomeIndex of A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the PresidentsPrevious part (8)Next part (10) Book of the day: Book of the Day