"STATE OF MAINE.

"Resolves in relation to the North-Eastern Boundary.

"Resolved-That it is not expedient to give the assent of this State to the Federal Government, to treat with that of Great Britain for a conventional line for our North-Eastern Boundary, but that this State will insist on the line established by the Treaty of 1783.

"Resolved-That as this State has never heretofore given her consent to the appointment of an Umpire under the Treaty of Ghent, in 1814, but has protested against the same, and as she believes it to be a grave question whether the provision in the Treaty for this purpose has not done its office, and is therefore no longer in force, she is not now prepared to give her assent to the appointment of a new Arbiter.

"Resolved-That our Senators and Representatives in Congress be requested to urge the passage of a Bill for the survey of the North-Eastern Boundary of the United States, &c., now pending in Congress; and that if said bill shall not become a law during the present session of Congress, and if the Government of the United States, either alone or in conjunction with Great Britain, or the State of Maine, shall not, on or before the first day of September next, establish and appoint a Commissioner for a survey of said Boundary line, it shall then be the imperative duty of the Governor, without further delay, to appoint forthwith suitable Commis

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sioners and Surveyors for ascertaining, running, and locating the North-Eastern Boundary line of this State, and to cause the same to be carried into operation.

"Resolved-That the Governor be requested to transmit to the President of the United States one copy of his Message to the Legislature on the subject of the North-Eastern Boundary, and these Resolutions, and one copy of the same to each of the Heads of Departments at Washington; one copy to each of our Senators and Representatives in Congress, and one copy to the Governor of Massachusetts.

"In the House of Representatives, March 23, 1828. Read and passed.

“E. H. ALLEN, Speaker.

"In Senate, March 23, 1838.-Read and passed. "N. S. LITTLEFIELD, President.

"March 23, 1838.-Approved.

"EDWARD KENT."

On the 22nd of the same month of March, the Governor of Maine sent the following other Message to the Senate and House of Representatives of that State :

Message to the Senate and House of Representatives,

"I feel it my duty respectfully to call your attention to the propriety and expediency of taking some measures before you separate, to express and urge the claims and rights of this State in relation to the

fortifications and defences upon our coasts and rivers. Former Legislatures have called the attention of the General Government to this subject; but the works have not yet been commenced, and no recent movement has been made. It is unnecessary for me to enter into a detail of reasons which, at this moment particularly, justify and require a strong and urgent representation addressed to the General Government on this subject. Maine ought not to be left defenceless or exposed in so many points any longer. If her claims are presented by you, as Representatives of the people, in respectful but strong language, we may confidently trust that they will not be neglected or postponed, at this important crisis.

"EDWARD KENT.

"Council Chamber, March 22, 1838."

Upon this last Message, the following Resolutions were, on the 23rd day of the same month, adopted by both branches of the Legislature of Maine :

State of Maine.-Resolves relating to Fortifications on our Frontier.

Resolved-That the maritime frontier, and the extensive interior position of this State, are in a defenceless and exposed situation, and we rely with confidence that the Federal Government will cause suitable fortifications to be erected for the defence of the same.

"Resolved-That the erection of a strong fortification in some eligible position in the Eastern Section of this State, is imperatively and loudly called for by increasing necessity of extending the protection of our laws to the citizens living in that vicinity.

"Resolved-That our Senators in Congress be instructed, and our Representatives requested, to use their influence to procure suitable appropriations for the objects contemplated in the foregoing Resolves.

"Resolved-That the Governor be requested to send one copy of his Message to the Legislature, in relation to fortifications, and one copy of these Resolves to the President and Vice-President of the United States, to each of the Heads of Department at Washington, and to each of our Senators and Representatives in Congress.

"In the House of Representatives, March 23, 1838. Read and passed.

"ELISHA H. ALLEN, Speaker.

"In Senate, March 23, 1838.-Read and passed. "N. S. LITTLEFIELD, President.

"March 23, 1838.-Approved.

"EDWARD KENT.”

Thus the negociation for establishing a conventional line of Boundary failed; but it had been proposed by Mr. Livingston, in his Letter of the 21st

July, 1832, that a recurrence should be had to commissions of boundary, either consisting of an equal number of Commissioners, attended by an umpire, to be selected by a friendly Sovereign, with a power to decide finally all disputed points; or a commission of the most skilful persons in Europe, to be selected by a friendly Sovereign, and to be attended by agents appointed by both parties in their view and survey of the country, to decide their claims peremptorily.

And it is to this important head of the present inquiry that I next proceed.