_Washington, January 28, 1840_.
HENRY S. FOX, Esq., etc.:
The undersigned, Secretary of State of the United States, has the
honor to reply, by direction of the President, to the note addressed
to him on the 26th instant by Mr. Fox, envoy extraordinary and minister
plenipotentiary of Great Britain.
The President derives great satisfaction from the information conveyed
by Mr. Fox's note that, with reference to the reported movements of
British troops within the territory in dispute, no actual change
has taken place in the attitude of Her Majesty's authorities in the
territory since the arrangements entered into by the two Governments
at the commencement of last year for the preservation of tranquillity
within its limits, and from his assurances that there exists no
intention on the part of Her Majesty's authorities to infringe the terms
of those arrangements so long as they are faithfully observed on the
side of the United States. The President, however, can not repress a
feeling of regret that the British colonial authorities, without graver
motives than the possibility of a departure from the arrangements
referred to by the State of Maine, should take upon themselves the
discretion, and along with it the fearful responsibility of probable
consequences, of being guided by circumstances liable, as these are,
to be misapprehended and misjudged in the adoption within the disputed
territory of measures of defense and precaution in manifest violation
of the understanding between the two countries whenever they may
imagine that acts of hostile aggression over the disputed territory are
meditated or threatened on the part of the State of Maine. The President
can not but hope that when Her Majesty's Government at home shall be
apprised of the position assumed in this regard by its colonial agents
proper steps will be taken to place the performance of express and
solemn agreements upon a more secure basis than colonial discretion,
to be exercised on apprehended disregard of such agreements on the part
of the State of Maine.
It is gratifying to the President to perceive that Mr. Fox entertains
the firm belief that the difficulty of conducting to an amicable issue
the pending negotiation for the adjustment of the question of boundary
is not so great as has by many persons been apprehended. As, under a
corresponding conviction, the United States have, with a view to the
final settlement of that exciting question, submitted a proposition
for the consideration of Her Majesty's Government, the President hopes
that the sentiments expressed by Mr. Fox have their foundation in an
expectation of his having it in his power at an early day to communicate
to this Government a result of the deliberations had by that of Her
Britannic Majesty upon the proposition alluded to which will present the
prospect of a prompt and satisfactory settlement, and which, when known
by the State of Maine, will put an end to all grounds of apprehensions
of intentions or disposition on her part to adopt any measures
calculated to embarrass the negotiation or to involve a departure from
the provisional arrangements. In the existence of those arrangements
the United States behold an earnest of the mutual desire of the two
Governments to divest a question abounding in causes of deep and growing
excitement of as much as possible of the asperity and hostile feeling it
is calculated to engender; but unless attended with the most scrupulous
observance of the spirit and letter of their provisions, it would prove
but one more cause added to the many already prevailing of enmity and
discord. Mr. Fox has already been made the channel of conveyance to his
Government of the desire and determination of the President that the
obligations of the country shall be faithfully discharged; that desire
is prompted by a sense of expediency as well as of justice, and by an
anxious wish to preserve the amicable relations now, so manifestly for
the advantage of both, subsisting between the United States and Great
Britain.
The undersigned avails himself of the occasion to renew to Mr. Fox
assurances of his distinguished consideration.