of time in which this has happened, shews how correct they were in their views; and leaves us no alternative, but to regret that our commissioners should have been so easily persuaded to extend the line of boundary in the manner they did.

The second article of the definitive treaty of peace runs thus:-" And that all disputes which might arise in future on the

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subject of the boundaries of the United "States may be prevented, it is hereby

agreed and declared that the following

are, and shall be, the boundaries, viz. "from the north-west angle of Nova Scotia, "viz. that angle which is formed by a line "drawn due north, from the source of St. "Croix river, to the highlands; along the “said highlands, which divide those rivers "which empty themselves into the river St. "Lawrence, from those which fall into the "Atlantic Ocean, to the northwesternmost "head of Connecticut river; thence down

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along the middle of that river to the 45th

degree of north latitude; from thence by "a line due west on said latitude, until it “ strikes the river Iroquois, or Cataraguy; "thence along the middle of the said river

" into lake Ontario, through the middle of "said lake, until it strikes the communi"cation by water between that lake and “lake Erie; thence along the middle of "said communication into lake Erie ;

through the middle of said lake, until it "arrives at the water communication be"tween that lake and lake Huron; thence along the middle of the said water com"munication into the lake Huron; thence through the middle of the said lake to "the water communication between that "lake and lake Superior; thence through "lake Superior northwards of the Isles

Royales and Philipeaux to the long lake; "thence through the middle of the said

long lake, and the water communication "between it and the lake of the Woods, "to the said lake of the Woods; thence

through the said lake to the most north"western point thereof, and from thence.

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on à due west course to the river Missis

sippi; thence by a line to be drawn along "the middle of the said river Mississippi, "until it shall intersect the northernmost

part of the 31st degree of north latitude;

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south, by a line to be drawn due east, "from the determination of the line last "mentioned, in the latitude of 31 degrees "north of the equator, to the middle of "the river Apalachicola, or Catahoutche; "thence along the middle thereof, to its "junction with the flint river; thence straight to the head of St. Mary's river, " and thence down along the middle of St. Mary's river to the Atlantic Ocean; east,

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by a line to be drawn along the middle "of the river St. Croix, from its mouth in "the Bay of Fundy, to its source, and from "its source directly north to the aforesaid highlands, which divide the rivers which "fall into the Atlantic Ocean, from those "which fall into the river St. Lawrence,

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comprehending all islands within twenty leagues of any part of the shore of the "United States, and lying between lines, "to be drawn due east from the points "where the aforesaid boundaries between "Nova Scotia on the one part, and East

Florida on the other, shall respectively "touch the Bay of Fundy and the Atlan"tic Ocean, excepting such islands as now

it are, or heretofore have been, within the "limits of the said province of Nova "Scotia."

Doubts arose as to the true river St. Croix, and commissioners were applied to by both governments to ascertain it, which was done accordingly. The report is dated 25th of October, 1798.

The river St. Croix discharges itself into Passamaquoddy bay, in the bay of Fundy, latitude 45 degrees, 5 minutes, 5 seconds, north-longitude 67 degrees, 12 minutes, 30 seconds, west.

There are several islands in the bay of Passamaquoddy, which have been claimed by the Americans, but to which they have no right, as they have ever been considered within the limits of the province of Nova Scotia; and it is to be hoped, that govern ment will not yield a point which seems to be thought of considerable importance to New Brunswick, frequent representations having been made from New Brunswick on the subject, to which we trust proper attention will now be paid *.

* See Appendix, in which some of these representations are inserted.

A A

In the late treaty with America (nego ciated with Lord Holland), which was rejected by the president, very little alteration was made in those articles of the former treaty, which were most found fault with. It appears very extraordinary, that the Americans should see cause to reject the treaty, and that we should see cause to rejoice that they had done so; yet, I will venture to affirm, that no one, who is acquainted with the commercial relations between the United States and our American provinces, will hesitate to say, that he conceives it fortunate that the late treaty was rejected.

On the termination of the American war, it appears to have been the intention of government to make the river Ponobscot, in the district of Main, the boundary line of the two countries. At that time, there were no settlements to the eastward of that river. Unfortunately, the English commissioners (probably from not being personally acquainted with the country, and not being sufficiently instructed on the point, or, from being over persuaded by the Americans), abandoned that line of