1827.]

MAINE.

Legislature. The legislature of Maine convened on the first Wednesday of January, in Portland. Robert P. Dunlap, Esq. was chosen president of the senate, and John Ruggles, Esq. speaker of the house of representatives.

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, February 13. Internal Improvement.-The com mittee to whom had been referred so much of the governor's message, at the commencement of the session, as related to the subject of internal improvement, made a report, accompanied with the following resolutions:

Resolved, That if it shall be the determination of the government of the United States, to appropriate a part of its revenue to the purposes of internal improvement, in the construction of roads and canals, and improving the navigation of rivers, and in promoting education, it is the opinion of this legislature, that the funds designed for these objects, ought to be distributed among the several states, in proportion to their population, to be expended under the authority of their respective legislatures.

Resolved, That the secretary of state be, and he hereby is directed to

transmit a copy of these resolves, with the preamble, to each of the senators and representatives in congress from this state.

Resolved. That the governor be, and he hereby is requested to transmit a copy of these resolves, with the preamble, to the executive of each of the other states in the Union.

The question, on passing the resolves to be engrossed, as reported by the committee, was, after a long debate, taken by yeas and nays, and decided in the affirmative-yeas 81,

nays 50. They were adopted in the senate, by the casting vote of the president.

Seat of Government.-The legislature of Maine adjourned without delay, on the 26th of February, having been in session nearly eight weeks, and passed 83 acts and 51 resolves. On the 24th, the bill fixing the seat of government at Augusta, after 1832, passed to be enacted, and the sum of $500 was appropriated to be expended in fencing and ornamenting the lot on which the state house will probably be built.

April-DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN AUGUSTA, (ME.)-On Monday night last, about 11 o'clock, the inhabitants of Augusta were alarmed by the ringing

of bells and the cries of Fire! It proved to be in Kennebec bridge, which, as many of our readers know, was framed and covered above the floor, resembling, externally, a large rope-walk. The fire was first disco vered in a closet or locker, built about midway of the bridge, for a deposit of tools, ropes, &c. necessary for workmen, in case of repairs. At the time of the discovery, it had made but little progress; but the rapidity with which the flames spread, aided by the air, circulating through the building on the inside, and above and beneath it on the outside, that in about five minutes from that time, the fire ranged the whole length of the bridge, pouring out with violence at each end, and bursting through different parts of the roof.

On either side of the river, at the opposite ends of the bridge, there is a cluster of buildings, principally stores. No sooner had the fire commanded the whole bridge, than the flames brought destruction into the opposite villages. In a few moments, a large store, owned by E. Craig, and occupied by the Messrs. Jones, on the western side, and a building improved as a dwelling house by Mr. Kincaid, the toll gatherer, on the eastern side, were wrapped in the destructive ele

ment.

In but little more than half an hour from the time the alarm was given, the bridge, with its now naked, but yet burning frame over it, fell in two divisions. The eastern arch first giving way, and the western following it in about fifteen minutes. The crash was terrible. The two divisions moved with the current down the river, each in a compact form, threatening destruction to wharves and other property on the shores below. One of these moving bodies of fire was stopped at Hallowell; the other passed this village, six miles from Augusta, about three o'clock in the morning.

July.-HARRISBURG CONVENTION. MAINE DELEGATES.-A meeting of

delegates from different parts of Maine, was held at Hallowell on the 19th inst, at which resolutions were adopted, approving of the proposition for a convention at Harrisburg, and favourable to the encouragement of the agricultural and manufacturing interests of the United States; and the following gentlemen were chosen to represent the state at Harrisburg on the 30th inst. viz John Holmes, Jedediah Herrick, Joshua Wingate, jr.; William Ladd, and Bryce M'Lellan. Hon. Jonathan Page was chairman of the meeting.

Snow.-A few days since, at New Gloucester, Me. (20 miles below Portland.) the atmosphere presented the appearance of being filled with snow, none of which, however, retain ed its form long enough to reach the earth.

August.-FIRE AT PORTLAND.— The fire commenced at about one o'clock, on Tuesday morning, in the store of Mr. G. W. Bartol, on the corner of the passage way leading to Ingraham's wharf. On Fore-street, the old market house, and all the buildings to Long wharf, and on the east side of the wharf as far as the store of E Greeley & Son, the buildings were consumed-comprising about twenty-five tenements.

September.-ELECTIONS-The annual election of state and county officers, was held on the 10th. Gov. Lincoln was re-elected.

October.-AROOSTOOK

SETTLE

MENT The following statement, made by George W. Coffin, Esq. land agent of the state of Massachu setts, is extracted from a volume of documents on the subject, published by authority, and presents a clear and accurate view of the difficulties on the frontier of Maine.

The French settlers at Madawaska, are many of them the descendants of the neutral French, that were formerly settled at Kennibacasius, near the city of St. Johns, and about the year '65, were driven from thence into the interior; they then fixed

themselves at what is now called Madawaska, being an extent of territory bordering upon St. John's river about 50 miles. These people, by marriage with the Canadian French, together with emigration from Canada, are now hardly distinguishable from the French citizens of Canada, using the same Creole language. They remained in that wilderness for a number of years, without being noticed by the provinces, and to the citizens of Maine, were entirely unknown. The first authority exercised over them by the British, commenced about twelve or fifteen years ago, when a hard contested election was expected, for a member of the assembly, for the county of York; to answer some political purposes, the Madawaskans were called upon to give in their votes, and from that time, they have been permitted, or refused the right of voting, as suited the views of interested persons. Since the dispute relative to the boundary line, which commenced about the time an attempt was made to adjust it, under the provisions of the treaty of Ghent, the British have pursued a more direct course of jurisdiction. Peter Fraser, major of the 4th battalion of the York county militia, thought it a good measure to have the Frenchmen enrolled, and they have for some four or five years been made to do military duty, but never have been intrusted with arms. They have also, when small demands have been brought against them, whether just or not, been under the necessity of paying, or be subjected to a journey of 150 or 200 miles, to Frederickton, to make their defence; a grievance which they complain of very much Within 10 or 12 years, several families have moved to Madawaska from Kennebeck, and others from New Brunswick. Pursuant to the resolves of 11th June, 1825, the land agents for Massachusetts and Maine, surveyed to John Baker, and made and executed a deed by metes and bounds, of one hundred acres of land, and another lot of same contents, to James

Bacon. Said Baker has on his lot a saw and grist mill, dwelling house, &c. very pleasantly situated at the confluence of a river (called Maryumticook) with St. John's river, about ten miles above the mouth of Madawaska river; 12 or 15 miles higher up, on the south side, Fish river empties into the St Johns. At this place is a large double saw mill, erected by Wilmot and Peters, of Frederickton, which is supplied from the forest surrounding it. When I was at St. John's two years ago, I was informed, that in consequence of the remonstrance made to the British minister at Washington, by our government, against the practice of granting permits for cutting timber from the public lands, a messenger from England had been sent to St. Johns, who passed up to the head of the river, and on his return, declared the Americans to be right, in the construction of the treaty, relative to the boundary line, and ordered a stop to be put to granting perinits; and all those issued for the winter of 1825-6, were recalled. I was much gratified at hearing this, and believing at that time an adjustment might take place, thought it best to proceed no further in making deeds. The excitement has progressed with the people on the frontiers regularly to the present time, and I believe the personal interest of major Fraser, (who has several farms on the banks of the river, within the disputed territory, and is a member of the province assembly,) as also of said Wilmot and Peters, have prevented, by their influence, an honourable adjustment, and kept the people in a ferment.

I was at Passadunky, on Penobscot river, about the middle of last month, when the mail carrier from Houlton to Bangor, came through; from him I obtained the following story, which he said was the rumour at Houlton, viz. "That said Baker some time the past season, sent some lumber down St. John's river, as usual, to market, which was seized at Frederickton; (whether for a violation of '

the revenue law, or for cutting from the crown lands, was not stated;) this irritated Baker very much; soon after the carrier of the province mail (which is carried in a boat) was passing by said Baker's residence, was hailed by him to know what boat that was, and was answered the province mail, to which Baker said, you may pass on now, but shall not pass many times more; this conversation was reported down river; a deputy sheriff, with an armed posse, were proceeding up river to take Baker; the attorney. general hearing of it, sent a dispatch after them, with orders not to go arm ed, but proceed without; they went to Baker's house, and took him out of his bed, and carried him to Frederickton; about the same time, a person residing on the Aroostook river, had a writ served on him for debt; the officer, to satisfy the demand, took possession of a cow, which was resented by the settlers generally; they rallied and rescued the cow from the officer; and destroyed the writ. Although the Aroostook settlement is 50 or 60 miles from Baker's, yet this transaction is made a part of the charge against him, viz. Attempt at stopping the mail, and exciting the people to rebellion against the government."

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November.--MAINE AND NEWBRUNSWICK.-Charles S. Davies, Esq. of Portland, has been appointed by the executive of Maine, an agent, with authority to act in behalf of the State, in obtaining information as to all objects relating to the rights of property and jurisdiction between the governments of the said state and the province of New-Brunswick; and further to inquire into the nature of the aggressions by inhabitants of said province, of which complaints have recently been made to the executive, by citizens of that state residing near the frontier.

In the mean time the governor of Maine has issued the following proclamation:

"Whereas it has been made known to the State that one of its citizens

has been conveyed from it, by a foreign power, to a gaol in the province of New-Brunswick; and that many trespasses have been committed by inhabitants of the same province on the Sovereignty of Maine, and the rights of those she is bound to protect.

"Be it also known that, relying on the government and people of the union, the proper exertions will be applied to obtain reparation and security.

"Those, therefore, suffering wrong, or threatened with it, and those interested by sympathy and principle on account of the violation of our territory and immunities, are exhorted to forbearance and peace, so that the preparations for preventing the removal of our landmarks, and guarding the sacred and inestimable rights of American citizens, may not be embarrassed by any unauthorized acts

"ENOCH LINCOLN.

"Nov. 9, 1827."

December-NORTH EAST BOUNDARY.-The Eastport Sentinel informs that the governor of NewBrunswick, considering the affair a national one, had declined receiving officially Mr. Davies, the agent appointed by the executive of Maine, to look into the disturbances on the frontier. He was received, however, by the inhabitants, with the greatest hospitality; and it was expected would obtain some information respecting the state of the case.

The National Journal contains the following article on this subject.

From some resolutions passed at various meetings in Lower Canada, which appeared in our daily paper of yesterday, and are to be found in our country journal of to-day, it will be seen, that our Canadian neighbours are about to petition the king, for the purpose of wresting from us the country on the borders of the river St. John, which our government claims under the provisions of the treaty of 1783. The resolutions pledge the petitioners to aid his Majesty in preserving that tract of country to the Canadas, at any sacrifice on their part. We re

gret to see this restlessness of disposition on the part of our neighbours, and cannot but attribute it, in some degree, to an ignorance of the treaty stipulation on which the American right of possession to this tract of country rests.

By the treaty of 1783, it was stipnlated that the boundary of the United States on that frontier should be as follows:

'From the northwest 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 that empty themselves into the river St. Lawrence from those which fall into the Atlantic ocean, to the northwesternmost head of Connecticut river; thence down along the middle of that river to the forty-fifth degree of north latitude; from thence by the line due west in said latitude, until it strikes the river Iroquois or Catauaquay, &c. (Vide Art. 2 of Treaty of Paris, of Sept. 3, 1783.)

Commencing at the source of St. Croix river, as we find it laid down in our most authentic maps, and running a line directly north to the highlands described in the above article, there is a very considerable abutment of territory which runs between New-Brunswick on its east side, and Lower Canada on the west, and in this tract of country is the area described by the petitioners as claimed by the United States, whose pretensions have arrested "the measures of the establishment of this part of the province."

In the infancy of our government, we were perhaps of necessity, so occupied in the establishment of our institutions upon a basis of permanence, and in adopting measures to extricate ourselves from the burdens which a long contest had thrown upon us, and to secure the full blessings of our newly gained independence, that the settlement of the boundary thus described by actual survey, was not made. Some disputes arose, however, which, in the progress of events, brought the

subject under the notice of our government, and an agreement for a joint commission for the purpose of removing the difficulty, was charged upon our commissioners who were sent to negotiate with Great Britain at Ghent. We accordingly find in the fifth article of the treaty of Glient, the following provisions :

"Art. 5. Whereas neither that point of the highlands lying due north from the source of the river St. Croix, and designated in the former treaty of peace between the two powers as the northwest angle of Nova-Scotia, nor the northwestern-most head of Connecticut river, has yet been ascertained, &c. &c. it is agreed that, for these several purposes, two commissioners shall be appointed, sworn and authorized to act," &c.

And again

"The said commissioners shall have power to ascertain and determine the points above mentioned, in conformity with the provisions of the said treaty of peace of 1783," &c.

Now, it appears to us perfectly obvious, that no subsequent claim set up by the British government, nor complaint of British occupants, can for a moment be permitted to interfere with the plain stipulation contained in the article of the treaty of 1783, which they have quoted, and which is confirmed in our second extract from the treaty of Ghent.

The effect which might result in time of war from the interposition of so large a tract of American territory between the Provinces of Lower Canada and New-Brunswick, if it is apprehended that they might be injurious to Great Britain, ought to have been weighed before the stipulation for the boundary line was introduced into, and made part of the definitive treaty. It is not now the time to correct the errors of that day. And if the occupants of that part of the country, which is justly claimed by the United States, shall derive injury from such claim, it is to their own government that they ought to look for remuneration for such injury, instead