of much knowledge and experience in public affairs, but with a true desire to signalize his mission by assisting to place the peace of the two countries on a permanent basis. He will be received with the respect due to his own character, the character of the government which sends him, and the high importance to both countries of the subjects intrusted to his negotiation.

The President approves your conduct in not pursuing in England the discussion of questions which are now to become the subjects of negotiation here.

DANIEL WEbster.

Lord Ashburton arrived in Washington on the 4th of April, 1842; and shortly after, Mr. Webster addressed the following letter to the Governor of the State of Maine:

Mr. Webster to Governor Fairfield.

Department of State, Washington, April 11, 1842. Your Excellency is aware that, previous to March, 1841, a negotiation had been going on for some time between the Secretary of State of the United States, under the direction of the President, and the British minister accredited to this government, having for its object the creation of a joint commission for settling the controversy respecting the northeastern boundary of the United States, with a provision for an ultimate reference to arbitrators, to be appointed by some one of the sovereigns of Europe, in case an arbitration should become necessary. On the leading features of a convention for this purpose the two governments had become agreed; but on several matters of detail the parties differed, and appear to have been interchanging their respective views and opinions, projects and counter-projects, without coming to any final arrangement, down to August, 1840. Various causes, not now necessary to be explained, arrested the progress of the negotiation at that time, and no considerable advance has since been made in it.

It seems to have been understood on both sides, that, one arbitration having failed, it was the duty of the two parties to proceed to institute another, according to the spirit of the treaty of Ghent and other treaties; and the President has felt

it to be his duty, unless some new course should be proposed, to cause the negotiation to be resumed, and pressed to its conclusion. But I have now to inform your Excellency that Lord Ashburton, a minister plenipotentiary and special, has arrived at the seat of the government of the United States, charged with full powers from his sovereign to negotiate and settle the different matters in discussion between the two governments. I have further to state to you, that he has officially announced to this department, that, in regard to the boundary question, he has authority to treat for a conventional line, or line by agreement, on such terms and conditions, and with such mutual considerations and equivalents, as may be thought just and equitable, and that he is ready to enter upon a negotiation for such conventional line so soon as this government shall say it is authorized and ready, on its part, to commence such negotiation.

Under these circumstances, the President has felt it to be his duty to call the serious attention of the governments of Maine and Massachusetts to the subject, and to submit to those governments the propriety of their coöperation, to a certain extent, and in a certain form, in an endeavor to terminate a controversy already of so long duration, and which seems very likely to be still considerably further protracted before the desired end of a final adjustment shall be attained, unless a shorter course of arriving at that end be adopted than such as has heretofore been pursued, and as the two governments are still pursuing.

Yet, without the concurrence of the two States whose rights are more immediately concerned, both having an interest in the soil, and one of them in the jurisdiction and government, the duty of this government will be to adopt no new course, but, in compliance with treaty stipulations, and in furtherance of what has already been done, to hasten the pending negotiations as fast as possible, in the course hitherto adopted.

But the President thinks it a highly desirable object to prevent the delays necessarily incident to any settlement of the question by these means. Such delays are great and unavoidable. It has been found that an exploration and examination of the several lines constitute a work of three years. The existing commission for making such exploration, under the au

thority of the United States, has been occupied two summers, and a very considerable portion of the work remains still to be done. If a joint commission should be appointed, and should go through the same work, and the commissioners should disagree, as is very possible, and an arbitration on that account become indispensable, the arbitrators might find it necessary to make an exploration and survey themselves, or cause the same to be done by others, of their own appointment. If to these causes, operating to postpone the final decision, be added the time necessary to appoint arbitrators, and for their preparation to leave Europe for the service, and the various retarding incidents always attending such operations, seven or eight years constitute, perhaps, the shortest period within which we can look for a final result. In the mean time, great expenses have been incurred, and further expenses cannot be avoided. It is well known that the controversy has brought heavy charges upon Maine herself, to the remuneration or proper settlement of which she cannot be expected to be indifferent. The exploration by the government of the United States has already cost a hundred thousand dollars, and the charge of another summer's work is in prospect. These facts may be sufficient to enable us to form a probable estimate of the whole expense likely to be incurred before the controversy can be settled by arbitration; and our experience admonishes us that even another arbitration might possibly fail.

The opinion of this government upon the justice and validity of the American claim has been expressed at so many times, and in so many forms, that a repetition of that opinion is not necessary. But the subject is a subject in dispute. The government has agreed to make it matter of reference and arbitration; and it must fulfil that agreement, unless another mode for settling the controversy should be resorted to, with the hope of producing a speedier decision. The President proposes, then, that the governments of Maine and Massachusetts should severally appoint a commissioner or commissioners, empowered to confer with the authorities of this government upon a conventional line, or line by agreement, with its terms, conditions, considerations, and equivalents; with an understanding, that no such line will be agreed upon without the assent of such commissioners.

This mode of proceeding, or some other which shall express assent beforehand, seems indispensable, if any negotiation for a conventional line is to be attempted; since, if happily a treaty should be the result of the negotiation, it can only be submitted to the Senate of the United States for ratification.

It is a subject of deep and sincere regret to the President, that the British plenipotentiary did not arrive in the country and make known his powers in time to have made this communicacation before the annual session of the legislatures of the two States had been brought to a close. He perceives and laments the inconvenience which may be experienced from reassembling those legislatures. But the British mission is a special one; it does not supersede the resident mission of the British government at Washington, and its stay in the United States is not expected to be long. In addition to these considerations, it is to be suggested that more than four months of the session of Congress have already passed, and it is highly desirable, if any treaty for a conventional line should be agreed on, that it should be concluded before the session shall terminate, not only because of the necessity of the ratification of the Senate, but also because it is not impossible that measures may be thought advisable, or become important, which can only be accomplished by the authority of both houses.

These considerations, in addition to the importance of the subject, and a firm conviction in the mind of the President that the interests of both countries, as well as the interests of the two States more immediately concerned, require a prompt effort to bring this dispute to an end, constrain him to express an earnest hope that your Excellency will convene the legislature of Maine, and submit the subject to its grave and candid deliberations.

I am, &c.

DANIEL WEBSTER.

HIS EXCELLENCY JOHN FAIRFIELD, Governor of Maine.

In pursuance of this invitation and a similar one addressed to the Governor of Massachusetts, commissioners on the part of those two States repaired to Washington, where they arrived in the early part of June.

After some preliminary correspondence, the following letter was addressed by Mr. Webster to the Maine commissioners:—

Mr. Webster to the Maine Commissioners.

Department of State, Washington, July 15, 1842.

GENTLEMEN,- You have had an opportunity of reading Lord Ashburton's note to me of the 11th of July. Since that date I have had full and frequent conferences with him respecting the eastern boundary, and believe I understand what is practicable to be done on that subject, so far as he is concerned. In these conferences he has made no positive or binding proposition, thinking, perhaps, it would be more desirable, under present circumstances, that such proposition should proceed from the side of the United States. I have reason to believe, however, that he would agree to a line of boundary between the United States and the British Provinces of Canada and New Brunswick, such as is described in a paper accompanying this (marked B), and identified by my signature.

In establishing the line between the monument and the St. John, it is thought necessary to adhere to that run and marked by the surveyors of the two governments in 1817 and 1818. There is no doubt that the line recently run by Major Graham is more entirely accurate; but, being an ex parte line, there would be objections to agreeing to it without examination, and thus another survey would become necessary. Grants and settlements, also, have been made in conformity with the former line, and its errors are so inconsiderable that it is not thought that their correction is a sufficient object to disturb these settlements. Similar considerations have had great weight in adjusting the line in other parts of it.

The territory in dispute between the two countries contains twelve thousand and twenty-seven square miles, equal to seven million six hundred ninety-seven thousand two hundred eighty

acres.

By the line prescribed in the accompanying paper, there will be assigned to the United States seven thousand and fifteen square miles, equal to four million four hundred eighty-nine thousand six hundred acres; and to England five thousand and twelve square miles, equal to three million two hundred seven thousand six hundred eighty acres.

By the award of the King of the Netherlands, there was assigned to the United States seven thousand nine hundred eight