1827 John Quincy Adams - Maine Boundary Disputes with New Brunswick

On July 4, 1827, an American named John Baker organized an Independence Day in on his property along the north shore of the St. John River in upper Maine. As part of the celebration, he raised an American flag which was viewed as a challenge to British authority, and was arrested on charges of rebellion and sentenced to three months prison in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Events made it clear that the border disputes with British Canada needed to be resolved leading Great Britain and the U.S. to agree to a convention naming the King of Netherlands as arbitrator to settle the dispute. The negotiated convention was not ratified leading up to what became the bloodless 'Aroostook War' in 1838.

After the War of 1812, United States and British Commissioners failed to come to agreement on the Northeast border with British Canada which had been at issue since the peace treaty of 1783, On October 4, 1821 the US and British commissioners issued separate opinions.  Because of terms of article V of the Treaty of Ghent, the issue now had to go to arbitration with "a friendly sovereign or State, to be named for that purpose."   For six years, the United States and Great Britain could not reach an agreement to submit the question to an arbitrator.   Finally, in 1827 Albert Galatin, the U.S. minster in London was authorized to negotiate a convention or treaty for settlement over the dispute.   On September 29, 1827 the United States and Great Britain signed a convention that agreed to submit the border question to arbitration.   The convention was ratified in April of 1828 and received in January of 1829 naming William II, the King of Netherlands as the arbitrator.  In President John Quincy Adam's 1827 State of the Union Address, he shared the details of this convention with Congress and announced that it would be submitted for their ratification.

"At the close of the last war with Great Britain four of these questions pressed themselves upon the consideration of the negotiators of the treaty of Ghent, but without the means of concluding a definitive arrangement concerning them. They were referred to three separate commissions consisting, of two commissioners, one appointed by each party, to examine and decide upon their respective claims. In the event of a disagreement between the commissioners, one appointed by each party, to examine and decide upon their respective claims. In the event of a disagreement between the commissioners it was provided that they should make reports to their several Governments, and that the reports should finally be referred to the decision of a sovereign the common friend of both.

Of these commissions two have already terminated their sessions and investigations, one by entire and the other by partial agreement. The commissioners of the 5th article of the treaty of Ghent have finally disagreed, and made their conflicting reports to their own Governments. But from these reports a great difficulty has occurred in making up a question to be decided by the arbitrator. This purpose has, however, been effected by a 4th convention, concluded at London by the plenipotentiaries of the two Governments on 1827-09-29. It will be submitted, together with the others, to the consideration of the Senate."

Then in Adams 1828, State of the Union Address he announced that the King of Norway had accepted the request to be arbitrator of the negotiations.

"The last friendly expedient has been resorted to for the decision of the controversy with Great Britain relating to the north-eastern boundary of the United States. By an agreement with the British Government, carrying into effect the provisions of the 5th article of the treaty of Ghent, and the convention of 1827-09-29, His Majesty the King of the Netherlands has by common consent been selected as the umpire between the parties. The proposal to him to accept the designation for the performance of this friendly office will be made at an early day, and the United States, relying upon the justice of their cause, will cheerfully commit the arbitrament of it to a prince equally distinguished for the independence of his spirit, his indefatigable assiduity to the duties of his station, and his inflexible personal probity." 

There were two points of contention between the United States and Great Britain.  First was the border along what was known as "the Northwest Angle of Nova Scotia" and second was a question on "which is the Northwestmost head of Connecticut river".  The Northeastern border had been disputed for years and was specifically mentioned in the 1783 Treaty of Paris, but was the wording proved to be too vague.   In 1820, when Maine first gained it's statehood, the land in this area was very rich with lumber and coveted by both sides.   The state of Maine sent out surveyors to mark out their territory and reported back a surprise that there were living on the banks of the St. John River, thriving communities of French speaking Acadians who were British subjects.  This added to the heated debate, because Maine had already granted that land to American settlers.  During this time, a number of diplomatic disputes arose.   One example was John Baker, an American who moved into the Upper St. John Valley in 1817.   On July 4, 1827, John Baker an American organized an Independence Day celebration on his property along the north shore of the St. John River.  As part of the celebration he raised an American flag which was viewed as a challenge to British authority.  Three months later, Baker who was an American citizen was arrested on charges of rebellion and sentenced to three months prison in Fredericton, New Brunswick.  The governor of Maine reached out to President Adams for assistance.  In Adams State of the Union Address, he did not make a specific reference to this event, but he did write about his administration's plans to to "visit the spot where the alleged outrages have occurred".

"While these questions have been pending incidents have occurred of conflicting pretensions and of dangerous character upon the territory itself in dispute between the two nations. By a common understanding between the Governments it was agreed that no exercise of exclusive jurisdiction by either party while the negotiation was pending should change the state of the question of right to be definitively settled. Such collision has, never the less, recently taken place by occurrences the precise character of which has not yet been ascertained. A communication from the governor of the State of Maine, with accompanying documents, and a correspondence between the Secretary of State and the minister of Great Britain on this subject are now communicated. Measures have been taken to ascertain the state of the facts more correctly by the employment of a special agent to visit the spot where the alleged outrages have occurred, the result of those inquiries, when received, will be transmitted to Congress."

On January 10, 1831, William II presented it's award, but in 1832 under President Andrew Jackson, the U.S. senate rejected it by a vote of 35 to 8.   The Senate rejected it on account of it's boundary line being unsatisfactory to the United States and especially to the states of Maine and Massachusetts.  President Andrew Jackson  shared this update with Congress in his 1832 State of the Union Address.

 "The question of our North-East boundary still remains unsettled. In my last annual message I explained to you the situation in which I found that business on my coming into office, and the measures I thought it my duty to pursue for asserting the rights of the United States before the sovereign who had been chosen by my predecessor to determine the question, and also the manner in which he had disposed of it. A special message to the Senate in their executive capacity afterwards brought before them to the question whether they would advise a submission to the opinion of the sovereign arbiter. That body having considered the award as not obligatory and advised me to open a further negotiation, the proposition was immediately made to the British Government, but the circumstances to which I have alluded have hitherto prevented any answer being given to the overture. Early attention, however, has been promised to the subject, and every effort on my part will be made for a satisfactory settlement of this question, interesting to the Union generally, and particularly so to one of its members"

Again in 1833 and again in 1835, Andrew Jackson briefly addressed the issue of the North-East boundary. It was still undecided.

(1833) "With Great Britain the interesting question of our North East boundary remains still undecided. A negotiation, however, upon that subject has been renewed since the close of the last Congress, and a proposition has been submitted to the British Government with the view of establishing, in conformity with the resolution of the Senate, the line designated by the treaty of 1783. Though no definitive answer has been received, it may be daily looked for, and I entertain a hope that the overture may ultimately lead to a satisfactory adjustment of this important matter."

(1835) "In the settlement of the question of the northeastern boundary little progress has been made. Great Britain has declined acceding to the proposition of the United States, presented in accordance with the resolution of the Senate, unless certain preliminary conditions were admitted, which I deemed incompatible with a satisfactory and rightful adjustment of the controversy. Waiting for some distinct proposal from the Government of Great Britain, which has been invited, I can only repeat the expression of my confidence that, with the strong mutual disposition which I believe exists to make a just arrangement, this perplexing question can be settled with a due regard to the well-founded pretensions and pacific policy of all the parties to it. Events are frequently occurring on the northeastern frontier of a character to impress upon all the necessity of a speedy and definitive termination of the dispute. This consideration, added to the desire common to both to relieve the liberal and friendly relations so happily existing between the two countries from all embarrassment, will no doubt have its just influence upon both." 

Five years later, a Maine official conducting a census in the areas still under dispute was arrested by British officials in New Brunswick, and Maine retaliated by assembling a force of 200 'red shirts' to confront the New Brunswick 'blue noses' leading into what became known as the 'Aroostook War' that lasted from 1838 to 1839.  No blood was ever shed, and no actual fighting ever took place.  I will report on more of this, at later date.

References

Presidency.ucsb.edu. (2018). John Quincy Adams: Third Annual Message. [online] Available at: http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=29469 [Accessed 13 Apr. 2018].

Presidency.ucsb.edu. (2018). Andrew Jackson: Fourth Annual Message. [online] Available at: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/fourth-annual-message-3 [Accessed 5 Apr. 2019].

Presidency.ucsb.edu. (2019). Andrew Jackson: Fifth Annual Message. [online] Available at: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/fifth-annual-message-2 [Accessed Dec. 19 2019].

Presidency.ucsb.edu. (2019). Andrew Jackson: Seventh Annual Message. [online] Available at: https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/seventh-annual-message-2 [Accessed Dec. 19 2019].

Acim.umfk.maine.edu. (2018). American-Canadian Boundary - Acadian Culture in Maine. [online] Available at: http://acim.umfk.maine.edu/canadian_boundary.html [Accessed 16 Apr. 2018].

Catalog.archives.gov. (2018). Arbitration by the King of the Netherlands under Terms of the Convention of September 29, 1827, between the United States and Great Britain. [online] Available at: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/10472247 [Accessed 16 Apr. 2018].

Jacobs, F. (2018). When Maine Went to War over its Northern Border. [online] Big Think. Available at: http://bigthink.com/strange-maps/106-the-bloodless-aroostook-war-and-maines-northern-border [Accessed 16 Apr. 2018].