tion to certain movements
of British troops in the disputed territory. The depositions have been
informally communicated to the British minister by direction of the
President, who desires me to apprise your excellency of his intention to
cause an official communication to be addressed to the minister on the
subject so soon as the report of the agent dispatched by your order to
Temiscouata and Madawaska for the purpose of procuring exact information
as to the present state of things there shall have been received.

I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant,

JOHN FORSYTH.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

_Augusta, February 27, 1840_.

His Excellency M. VAN BUREN,

_President United States_.

SIR: Having received the report of Benjamin Wiggin, esq., the agent
referred to in my last communication, dispatched by me to the disputed
territory to obtain exact information of British military movements in
that quarter and of the existing state of things, I hasten to lay the
same[65] before you, accompanied by his plan[65] of the British military
post at the head of Lake Temiscouata. It will be perceived that it goes
to confirm in every essential particular the evidence already forwarded
in the depositions of Messrs. Varnum, Bartlett, and Little, and is
directly opposed to the statement contained in the letter of Mr. Fox
to Mr. Forsyth under date of 26th of January last.

The course thus clearly proved to have been pursued by the British
Government upon the disputed territory is utterly inconsistent with
the arrangement heretofore subsisting, and evinces anything but a
disposition to submit to an _amicable_ termination of the question
relating to the boundary.

Permit me to add that the citizens of Maine are awaiting with deep
solicitude that action on the part of the General Government which shall
vindicate the national honor and be fulfilling in part a solemn
obligation to a member of the Union.

I have the honor to be, with high respect, your most obedient servant,

JOHN FAIRFIELD,

_Governor of Maine_.

_Mr. Forsyth to Mr. Fox_.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE,

_Washington, March 6, 1840_.

HENRY S. FOX, Esq., etc.:

By the directions of the President, the undersigned, Secretary of State
of the United States, communicates to Mr. Fox, envoy extraordinary and
minister plenipotentiary of Great Britain, the inclosed copy of a
report[65] made to the governor of the State of Maine by the agent
commissioned on