The governor was requested by the Legislature to transmit a copy of this report to the president of the United States, also to the governors of the several states comprising the United States.

Mr. Van Buren, the secretary of state, informed Governor Smith March 18th, that Mr. Preble, American minister to The Hague, had asked for a leave of absence in order that he might be heard upon the decision of the king of the Netherlands "before any measures in regard to it are adopted by the President." This request, the secretary said, would be granted. The only letter from Judge Preble to Governor Smith in the archives of the State of Maine, having reference to the decision of the king of the Netherlands, is dated "The Hague, May 3, 1831." After mention of certain papers transmitted with the letter, including a copy of the award, Judge Preble's letter to the king's minister of foreign affairs, his letter to the British ambassador to The Hague and his letter to the American ambassador in London, the writer added: "At no time was the selection of the King of the Netherlands as arbiter a favorable one, either as respects the personal character of the man, or his political position. In Europe, not excepting England, it was matter of astonishment that the United States should ever have consented to it. At the same time it should be remembered that between the time of his selection and that of his acting, the position of the arbiter underwent a great change. The revolution in France and the troubles in Belgium left to the government not even the show of independence, but, drawing aside the veil of form, exhibited King and Court as the humble, entreating, subservient dependents of Great Britain. Strong as this language may well appear to you, there is no decent language which could convey to you too vivid an impression of the fact. So much, however, had been said by courtiers and others of the King's integrity and sense of justice, that, contrary to my own internal conviction, I suffered myself to hope even

Deane's services were of very great value. He had been not only a diligent, careful student of the various problems of boundary concerns and could give forceful expression to the opinions he had formed, but in 1830, he had visited the boundary country with Judge Preble by order of the government.

against hope. I was unwilling to believe that a man occupying so elevated a situation would make that his shame which he and his people had estimated so highly. In the meantime events continued to transpire and the instances of quibbling, evasion and petty cunning which came to my knowledge exhibiting a mind mistaking puerile subterfuge for great sagacity and bad faith for policy taught me how little the United States, under existing circumstances, had to expect from his Majesty's integrity and sense of justice."1

February 9, 1831, Lord Palmerston, the British premier, in forwarding to the British minister in Washington a copy of the award of the king of the Netherlands, informed him that whatever might be the sentiments or wishes of the king of Great Britain upon some of the points embraced in the decision, his Majesty had not hesitated to acquiesce in that decision, and he was persuaded that such would be the course of the president of the United States. If, however, the American government should determine upon any such step as that taken by Mr. Preble in his protest, he was not to enter into any discussion of the subject, but say that he could only transmit any communication the government of the United States had to offer for consideration.2 April 12th, the British minister informed Lord Palmerston that at length he was in possession of the manner in which the governor and Legislature of Maine had received the award of the king of the Netherlands, a newspaper in Portland having commenced, April 5th, the publication of documents that had been officially communicated by the president when the award was transmitted to the governor, and the minister inclosed the first of these publications. "I have endeavored," he added, "to procure from the secretary of state a copy of the proceedings of the Legislature of Maine, which will in time appear in the newspapers; but the government has not yet received any account of them."

3

1Manuscript State Correspondence and Documents, Northeastern Boundary, II, 130, 131.

2 Urquhart, Exposition of the Boundary Differences, 22.

3 The Eastern Argus.

After his return to this country, Judge Preble published anonymously a pamphlet1 in which, appealing to thoughtful citizens of the United States generally, he argued that the award of the king of the Netherlands did not decide which is the boundary of the treaty as required, but merely recommended one. The whole pamphlet was a plea for Maine's widest support in her contention against any such loss of territory as was made possible by the award of the king of the Netherlands. She was unwilling that her ancient boundaries should be removed. She was resisting a system of encroachment which was as unjust as it was persistent, and there was need that the people of the United States should understand the critical situation which the boundary controversy had reached because of the award made by the king of the Netherlands.

1 It was printed in Portland in 1831, and was entitled "The Decision of the King of the Netherlands.''

M

CHAPTER VIII.

OTHER BOUNDARY DISTURBANCES AT MADAWASKA. EANWHILE the Legislature of Maine had passed an act1 incorporating the Madawaska settlement into a town to be known as Madawaska,' the inhabitants of the town to have the same duties and liabilities, and also the same privileges and immunities, as other incorporated towns in the state. Any justice of the peace within the county of Penobscot, or any justice whose commission extended to all parts of the state, was empowered to call a meeting of the inhabitants for the election of town officers. In accordance with this legislative action, Mr. William D. Williamson' issued a warrant July 11, 1831, requiring Walter Powers of Madawaska to summon the inhabitants of the town to meet at the house of Peter Ligott, August 20, 1831, for the purpose of town organization in accordance with the provisions of the legislative act. When the inhabitants had assembled at the appointed time and place and had been called to order, Leonard R. Coombs, a captain in the militia at Madawaska acting under New Brunswick authority, protested against any further proceedings in connection with the purpose for which they

1 March 15, 1831.

2 It derived its name from the Madawaska River, which enters the St. John from the north at the point where the latter, coming from its sources in a northeast direction, makes a right angle, and flows southeast into New Brunswick.

This was the author of the well known History of the State of Maine, published in two volumes in 1832. A second impression, containing an appendix and a general index, appeared in 1839.

* John Baker, in his deposition of October 12, 1831, mentions him as "Peter Lezart, a resident on the southern side of the river St. John." Resolves of Maine, II, 479.

Executive Documents, 25th Congress, Second Session, VI, 24.

had come together, and threatened those present with arrest and imprisonment if they should attempt to take the action contemplated in the warrant. Francis Rice, a resident of Madawaska, and a New Brunswick justice of the peace, also protested against the proposed action, "and used many opprobrious and threatening terms against the government,' and the authorities of the government of the State of Maine, and against all persons who were taking part or participating in the organization of the town.” Notwithstanding these protests, and the excitement occasioned by them, order was at length restored. Barnabas Hunnewell was chosen moderator, Jesse Wheelock, clerk, and Daniel Savage, John Harford and Amos Maddocks, selectmen. About fifty or sixty persons were present, but a large number of them did not vote because of the threats made by the New Brunswick officials. The meeting then adjourned without day."

As the Legislature of Maine had empowered the inhabitants of Madawaska to elect a representative in that body, in accordance with the provisions of the constitution of the state, another meeting, at which about eighty of the inhabitants of the town were present, was held at the house of Raphael Martin on the second Monday in September, 1831, the day of the state election. Mr. Rice was present at this meeting also and protested against the right of the inhabitants to hold such a meeting, noting "in writing the proceedings and the names of all persons who voted, using as before menacing words towards those who refused to recognize his authority." The selectmen called him to order, however, and in the business that followed, Peter Ligott was elected representative.

Of course information concerning these proceedings soon reached Sir Archibald Campbell, the newly appointed lieutenant governor of New Brunswick. Early in September he had notified Governor Smith of his "surprise and regret" that some citizens of Maine had crossed the boundary and taken possession of a

1 The government of the United States.

2 Resolves of Maine, II, 478.