eaning of the reference, but rather as postulates
or premises, by which he arrived at the opinion expressed in regard to
the point in dispute. By an acquiescence in them, therefore, as required
by Great Britain, the United States would reject as erroneous the
conclusion of the arbiter, whilst they would adopt the premises and
reasoning by which it was attained--that the seven postulates or
premises presented as necessary to be considered by the United States
are but part of those on which the arbiter was equally explicit in
the expression of his views, that on others his reasoning might be
considered as more favorable to the pretensions of this Government, and
that no reason was perceived why an acquiescence in his opinions upon
them should not equally apply to all the premises assumed by him and be
binding upon both parties. Mr. McLane was, however, persuaded that there
was no obligation on either Government to acquiesce in the opinion of
the arbiter on any of the matters involved in his premises; that such
acquiescence would defeat the end of the present negotiation, and that
as it appeared to be mutually conceded that the arbiter had not been
able to decide upon the first and most material point so as to make a
binding decision, there could certainly be no greater obligation to
yield to his opinions on subordinate matters merely. The Secretary
further observed that the most material point of the three submitted
to the arbiter was that of the highlands, to which the President's
proposition directly applies, and which are designated in the treaty of
peace as the northwest angle of Nova Scotia, formed by a line drawn due
north from the source of the St. Croix River to the highlands dividing
the rivers, etc.; that the arbiter found it impossible to decide this
point, and therefore recommended a new line, different from that called
for by the treaty of 1783, and which could only be established by
a conventional arrangement between the two Governments; that the
Government of the United States could not adopt this recommendation
nor agree upon a new and conventional line without the consent of the
State of Maine; that the present negotiation proposed to ascertain the
boundary according to the treaty of 1783, and for this purpose, however
attained, the authority of the Government of the United States was
complete; that the proposition offered by the Government of the United
States promised, in the opinion of the President, the