onsult their own discretion in adopting the measures of defense that
may be rendered necessary by the threats of a violent interruption to
the negotiation which have been used by all parties in Maine and which
the undersigned regrets to find confirmed by the language (as above
referred to) employed by the highest official authority in that State.

The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to the
Secretary of State of the United States the assurance of his
distinguished consideration.

H.S. FOX.

_Mr. Forsyth to Mr. Fox_.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

_Washington, January 28, 1840_.

HENRY S. FOX, Esq., etc.:

The undersigned, Secretary of State of the United States, has the
honor to reply, by direction of the President, to the note addressed
to him on the 26th instant by Mr. Fox, envoy extraordinary and minister
plenipotentiary of Great Britain.

The President derives great satisfaction from the information conveyed
by Mr. Fox's note that, with reference to the reported movements of
British troops within the territory in dispute, no actual change
has taken place in the attitude of Her Majesty's authorities in the
territory since the arrangements entered into by the two Governments
at the commencement of last year for the preservation of tranquillity
within its limits, and from his assurances that there exists no
intention on the part of Her Majesty's authorities to infringe the terms
of those arrangements so long as they are faithfully observed on the
side of the United States. The President, however, can not repress a
feeling of regret that the British colonial authorities, without graver
motives than the possibility of a departure from the arrangements
referred to by the State of Maine, should take upon themselves the
discretion, and along with it the fearful responsibility of probable
consequences, of being guided by circumstances liable, as these are,
to be misapprehended and misjudged in the adoption within the disputed
territory of measures of defense and precaution in manifest violation
of the understanding between the two countries whenever they may
imagine that acts of hostile aggression over the disputed territory are
meditated or threatened on the part of the State of Maine. The President
can not but hope that when Her Majesty's Government at home shall be
apprised of the position assumed in this regard by its colonial agents
proper steps will be taken to place the performance of express