ruary;
my message to the legislature of the 21st instant.

These papers will give Your Excellency all the additional information
of any importance not heretofore communicated that has been received
in relation to the state of affairs upon our eastern frontier. I can
not but persuade myself that Your Excellency will see that an attack
upon the citizens of this State by a British armed force is in all
human probability inevitable, and that the interposition of the General
Government at this momentous crisis should be promptly afforded.

I have the honor to be, with high respect, Your Excellency's obedient
servant,

JOHN FAIRFIELD,

_Governor of Maine_.

GOVERNMENT HOUSE,

_Frederickton, New Brunswick, February 18, 1839_.

His Excellency the GOVERNOR OF MAINE.

SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt, by the hands of
Hon. Mr. Rogers, of your excellency's letter of the 15th instant.
Mr. McIntire and the gentlemen with him have been subjected to an
examination before Her Majesty's attorney-general of this Province, who
has reported to me that the offense of which they stand charged is one
rather against the law of nations and of treaties than against those of
this Province. They must accordingly be regarded as "state offenders."
In this view, their disposal rests exclusively with Her Majesty's
Government, to which I shall accordingly report the case. In the
meantime I have had pleasure in directing that they shall immediately be
allowed to return to the State of Maine upon pledging their parole of
honor to present themselves to the Government of this Province whenever
Her Majesty's decision may be received, or when required to do so. The
high respectability of their characters and situations and my desire to
act in all matters relating to the disputed territory in such a manner
as may evince the utmost forbearance consistent with the fulfillment of
my instructions have influenced me in my conduct toward these gentlemen;
but it is necessary that I should upon this occasion distinctly state
to your excellency--

First. That if it be the desire of the State of Maine that the
friendly relations subsisting between Great Britain and the United
States should not be disturbed, it is indispensable that the armed force
from that State now understood to be within the territory in dispute
be immediately withdrawn, as otherwise I have no alternative but to
take military occupation of that territory, with a view t