_November 1, 1833_.
Hon. LOUIS McLANE,
_Secretary of State of the United States_.
SIR: I have to acknowledge the honor of the receipt of your letter of
the 23d of October, covering a copy of a note addressed to you by Sir
Charles R. Vaughan, envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary of
His Britannic Majesty, accompanied also by copies of certain documents
conveying complaints on the part of the authorities of His Majesty's
Province of New Brunswick "of the conduct of certain land agents of the
States of Maine and Massachusetts on the territory in dispute between
the United States and Great Britain."
Permit me to assure you that I shall lose no time in making inquiry of
the land agent of this Commonwealth into the supposed occasion of the
complaints of His Majesty's provincial officers, and in transmitting to
the Department of State such information as I may receive in reply.
Prejudicial as the delay in the settlement of this long-vexed subject
of boundary is to the rights of property which Massachusetts claims
in the disputed territory, and impatient as both the government and
the people have become at the unreasonableness and pertinacity of the
adversary pretensions and with the present state of the question, yet
the executive of this Commonwealth will not cease to respect the
understanding which has been had between the Governments of the two
countries, _that no act of wrong to the property of either_ shall be
committed during the pending of measures to produce an amicable
adjustment of the controversy.
In the meantime, I can not but earnestly protest against the authority
of any appointment on the behalf of His Majesty's Government which may
be regarded as a claim to the executive protection of this property
or be deemed an acquiescence on the part of the United States in an
interference, _under color_ of a "wardenship of the disputed territory,"
with the direction to its improvement which the governments of
Massachusetts and Maine, respectively, may see fit to give to their
agents. The rights of soil and jurisdiction over it are in the States,
and forbearance to the exercise of these rights for a season, from mere
prudential considerations, a respectful regard to the wishes of the
General Government, or amity toward a foreign nation is not to be
construed into a readiness to surrender them upon the issue of any
proposed negotiation.
I have the honor to be, sir, with sentiments of the highest respect,
your obedient servant,