fore;st commissioner's report. yj 



One-half of which is $180,840 



2-3 of notes and securities to be assigned to Massa- 

 chusetts, estimated to be worth $12,124 8,082 



$188,922 



The Maine representatives urged that this agreement be rati- 

 fied by the State for the reason if Maine purchased the lands 

 there would at once be "destroyed a perpetual source of collision 

 and difficulty between the respective states." The committee 

 called attention to the price and said that "it is much larger than 

 was generally anticipated." The committee stated that: "It is 

 readily admitted, that to incumber our infant State with a public 

 debt, is an evil that ought, unless in cases of necessity, to be 

 avoided. But the committee are also fully convinced, that 

 greater and more serious evils would necessarily result to this 

 State, should not the proposed agreement be carried into effect." 



Neither of the state legislatures would ratify the agreement 

 and so the board of joint commissioners proceeded to divide the 

 lands between Maine and Massachusetts. 



The price for which this magnificent domain was offered to 

 the State of Maine was, looking upon it from this distance, a 

 mere bagatelle. If the lands could have then been bought it 

 would have saved endless disputes and misunderstandings, and 

 been of priceless value to Maine. 



THE EANDS, MATTER OF IMPORTANCE. 



The public lands continued to be a subject of great import- 

 ance. In 1828 Gov. Enoch Lincoln in his annual message to the 

 legislature called attention to the matter, referring to the lands 

 as "a wild and fertile territory, embracing about six millions of 

 acres. At that time (1828) according to the statement made 

 by Gov. Lincoln, the State had disposed of soil and its produce 

 amounting to more than $70,000. The proceeds of 160,000 

 acres, sold under the sole authority of Maine, amounting to 

 $63,000. In addition to this 56,000 acres had been granted to 

 academies. Gov. Lincoln appreciated the value of the public 

 domain and endeavored to impress upon the people the import- 

 ance of preserving them and wisely managing them, saying : "It 

 is to pronounce the State unfit for self government to say mil- 



