was, as
understood by the undersigned, so fundamentally important that it
entirely changed its nature, and that the supposition, therefore, that
it was rather for the Government of the United States than for that
of Great Britain to answer the inquiry referred to is founded in
misapprehension. Any decision made by a commission constituted in the
manner proposed by the United States and instructed to seek for the
highlands of the treaty of 1783 would be binding upon this Government
and could without unnecessary delay be carried into effect; but if the
substitute presented by Her Majesty's Government be insisted on and its
principles be adopted, a resort will then be necessary to the State of
Maine for her assent to all proceedings hereafter in relation to this
matter, since if any arrangement can be made under it it can only be
for a conventional line, to which she must of course be a party.

The undersigned, in conclusion, is instructed to inform Mr. Fox
that if a negotiation be entertained at all upon the inconclusive and
unsatisfactory basis afforded by the British counter proposition or
substitute, which possesses hardly a feature in common with the American
proposition, the President will not venture to invite it unless the
authorities of the State of Maine, to whom, as before stated, it will
be forthwith submitted, shall think it more likely to lead to a final
adjustment of the question of boundary than the General Government deems
it to be, though predisposed to see it in the most favorable light.

The undersigned avails himself of the occasion to renew to Mr. Fox the
assurance of his distinguished consideration.

JOHN FORSYTH.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

_Washington, March 1, 1838_.

His Excellency EDWARD KENT,

_Governor of the State of Maine_.

SIR: The discussions between the Federal Government and that of Great
Britain in respect to the northeastern boundary of the United States
have arrived at a stage in which the President thinks it due to the
State of Maine and necessary to the intelligent action of the General
Government to take the sense of that State in regard to the expediency
of opening a direct negotiation for the establishment of a conventional
line, and if it should deem an attempt to adjust the matter of
controversy in that form advisable, then to ask its assent to the same.
With this view and to place the government of Maine in full possession
of the present state of the negotiation and