Definitive Statement to the King of the Netherlands as arbitrator under the convention of 1827.1

Adjournment of
Commission.

After exchanging their reports the commissioners certified to the correctness of the secretary's journal, and adjourned "subject to the pleasure of the two governments, whether in any event to hold any further meetings or perform any further services."2

See Adams's Writings of Gallatin, II. 406, 408. Mr. Gallatin, who was very firmly convinced of the justice of the claim of the United States as to the Maine boundary, pronounced Mr. Van Ness's report "conclusive and remarkably well drawn." On the other hand, he censures the argument of Mr. Chipman as "a tissue of unfounded assertions and glaring sophistry," and the report of the British commissioner as "scandalous." (Id. 357.) Mr. Van Ness wholly rejected the notion of Mr. Sullivan that the term "highlands" meant, necessarily, a peculiarly elevated or a mountainous

tract.

A list of the very voluminous documents in the Department of State belonging to this commission may be found in Am. State Papers, For. Rel. VI. 926-927. They comprise, among other things, the following volumes: (1) Journal of the Commission; (2) Claims of the Agents; (3) Answers of Agents; (4) Replies of Agents; (5) General Appendix; (6) Appendix to British Reply; (7) Report of Commissioner Van Ness; (8) Report of His Britannic Majesty's Commissioner.

CHAPTER IV.

THE NORTHEASTERN BOUNDARY: ARBITRATION UNDER THE CONVENTION OF SEPTEMBER 29, 1827.

Admission of Maine as a State.

The failure of the commissioners under Article V. of the Treaty of Ghent to render a decision on the northeastern boundary question imposed upon the two governments the duty of referring the "reports of the said commissioners to some friendly sovereign or state to be then named for that purpose." The indefiniteness of this provision bred delay, which served only to complicate the difficulties of a settlement. By acts of June 19, 1819, and February 25, 1820, the commonwealth of Massachusetts consented that the District of Maine should be erected into a State; and by an act of Congress of March 3, 1820, Maine was admitted as a member of the Union from the 15th of the same month.

Brunswick.

Soon afterwards disputes began to multiply Disputes between in regard to the contested territory, and the auMaine and New thorities of Maine and New Brunswick were often involved in controversy. In January 1825 a committee of the senate of Maine made a report in which it was alleged that persons from New Brunswick had been guilty of encroaching and cutting timber on the territory of that State. When the matter was brought to its attention the British Government promised that encroachments on the acknowledged territory of the United States should cease; but it claimed that the Aroostook and Madawaska settlements, which were treated by the committee of the Maine senate as lying within that State, were within the British jurisdiction. It declared

Aroostook and Mad

awaska Settlements.

1Treaty of December 24, 1814, Article IV.

Br. and For. State Papers, XV. 469.