_Mr. Fox to Mr. Forsyth_.
WASHINGTON, _March 13, 1840_.
Hon. JOHN FORSYTH, etc.:
The undersigned, Her Britannic Majesty's envoy extraordinary and
minister plenipotentiary, has been instructed by his Government to make
the following communication to the Secretary of State of the United
States in reference to the boundary negotiation and the affairs of the
disputed territory.
Her Majesty's Government have had under their consideration the official
note addressed to the undersigned by the Secretary of State of the
United States on the 24th of last December in reply to a note from the
undersigned of the 2d of November preceding, in which the undersigned
protested in the name of his Government against the extensive system
of aggression pursued by the people of the State of Maine within the
disputed territory, to the prejudice of the rights of Great Britain and
in manifest violation of the provisional agreements entered into between
the authorities of the two countries at the beginning of the last year.
Her Majesty's Government have also had their attention directed to the
public message transmitted by the governor of Maine to the legislature
of the State on the 3d of January of the present year.
Upon a consideration of the statements contained in these two official
documents, Her Majesty's Government regret to find that the principal
acts of encroachment which were denounced and complained of on the part
of Great Britain, so far from being either disproved or discontinued or
satisfactorily explained by the authorities of the State of Maine, are,
on the contrary, persisted in and publicly avowed.
Her Majesty's Government have consequently instructed the undersigned
once more formally to protest against those acts of encroachment and
aggression.
Her Majesty's Government claim and expect, from the good faith of the
Government of the United States, that the people of Maine shall replace
themselves in the situation in which they stood before the agreements
of last year were signed; that they shall, therefore, retire from the
valley of the St. John and confine themselves to the valley of the
Aroostook; that they shall occupy that valley in a temporary manner
only, for the purpose, as agreed upon, of preventing depredations; and
that they shall not construct fortifications nor make roads or permanent
settlements.
Until this be done by the people of the State of Maine, and so long
as that people shall persist in the present system of aggression, Her
Majesty's Government will feel it their duty to make such military
arrangements as may be required for the protection of Her Majesty's
rights. And Her Majesty's Government deem it right to declare that if
the result of the unjustifiable proceedings of the State of Maine should
be collision between Her Majesty's troops and the people of that State
the responsibility of all the consequences that may ensue therefrom,
be they what they may, will rest with the people and Government of the
United States.
The undersigned has been instructed to add to this communication that
Her Majesty's Government are only waiting for the detailed report of
the British commissioners recently employed to survey the disputed
territory, which report it was believed would be completed and delivered
to Her Majesty's Government by the end of the present month, in order to
transmit to the Government of the United States a reply to their last
proposal upon the subject of the boundary negotiation.
The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to the
Secretary of State of the United States the assurance of his
distinguished consideration.