146 North-East Boundary of America. [FEB. 



and actual. She granted lands, she issued writs, she trained militia, she 

 gave licenses to cut timber, &c., exactly as at Elalifax or Quebec. Of 

 late, however, and on the very account of the pending negociation, 

 licenses for cutting timber have been discontinued and recalled. The 

 English government complied with the request of the American govern- 

 ment, and actually suspended the exercise of this right of sovereignty. 



What is the consequence? The states of Maine and Massachusetts, 

 regardless of the pending negociation, regardless of the common customs 

 of national intercourse, regardless of the authority of the general govern- 

 ment of which they are federalists, these states have themselves taken 

 actual possession, sovereign possession of the disputed territory. They 

 unite to establish the extent of our assertion they unite in a resolution 

 of the legislature of each state, " to ascertain the extent of the depredations 

 committed on the lands of Massachusetts and Maine, by whom committed, 

 and under what authority, and to bring the offenders to justice." They 

 unite in giving directions " to execute good and sufficient deeds, conveying 

 to the settlers in actual possession of the undivided public lands on the 

 St. John's and Madawasca rivers their heirs and assigns, 100 acres 

 each of the land by them possessed they paying for the use of the said 

 states (of Maine and Massachusetts) five dollars each, and the expense of 

 surveying." They unite also, in directing their agents to sell the timber 

 on the lands contiguous, or near to the St. John's, whenever they deem it 

 expedient for the interests of the said states 



Now, observe, the " depredations" here spoken of are acts of cultivation 

 by British subjects. The persons, who " commit" them are the King's 

 grantees. The " authority," is that of the king's representative, who fixed 

 his great seal to the grants. These are the parties to be " brought to justice" 

 by the states of Maine and Massachusetts. The undivided public lands 

 on the St. John's and Madawasca rivers, are the private estates of British 

 subjects, of twenty or thirty years date, in lots of from five hundred to two 

 thousand acres, one hundred acres of which to include improvements 

 cultivated portions, that is are to be confirmed to the owners, by these 

 generous states, by " good and sufficient deeds, on the payment of five 

 dollars, and the expense of surveying.'' The timber, too, which is thus 

 to be sold, is either the property of private individuals theirs by purchase, 

 or is as much part and parcel of the king's demesnes, as the trees in 

 Windsor forest. 



These resolutions, which passed in February and June 1825, the public 

 land-agents of the two states were directed forthwith to enforce, and carry 

 into execution. The reports of their labours, dated November of the 

 same year, have been presented to the respective governments of Maine and 

 Massachusetts ; and conclude with recommending that justices of the 

 peace be commissioned, and a deputy sheriff, or constable be appointed ; 

 that one or more military districts be formed on the Madawasca ; and that 

 at a suitable time, the settlers should send a representative to the legislature 

 of Maine. These recommendations also, it seems, have met with the 

 entire approbation of messieurs the governors of the said states. 



From these reports, it appears, the land agents have surveyed several of 

 the settlers lots of 100 acres; made deeds in conformity with the resolu- 

 tions; and placarded the intentions of the states on the Mills, and at 

 Fredericton, on the Catholic church. They traversed the country between 

 the St. John's and the Madawasca making "domiciliary visits," as they 

 pleasantly call them explaining the objects of these visits and taking the 



