Sidebilder
PDF
ePub

distinct information.

[ocr errors]

There has been some inquiry

respecting some pecuniary arrangements, which were extremely trifling, yet he was somewhat to blame; and it is said that his wife, who was a most amiable woman, has died of the vexation it has caused her. I find it is perfectly true that the poor woman died of a broken heart. She said that the mortification she experienced from the Court of Inquiry was more than she could bear. I was told ** was a most pitiable object. It was, I believe, proved that he had made about thirty or forty pounds a year by selling the boys' clothes and trifling things.

"With my best love to your ladies, I am, my dear friend, yours very affectionately,

"MARY HARCOURT."

The opinions of Lord Sidmouth may be omitted, as they coincide with Earl Harcourt's; but one of his letters contains a reference to two illustrious characters who were highly esteemed by Sir Howard, and the passage may be introduced here as bearing on the complications in which we were continually involved with the United States, one of the most serious of which forms the subject of our next chapter:-"It is probable that before you receive this letter you will have seen Lord Stowell's recent judgment on the slave case. On no occasion has he been more powerful and convincing.

This judgment, I sincerely hope, will close his splendid and eminently useful judicial career. He met his daughter and Mary Anne and myself yesterday at

Lord Powis's, and was well and cheerful; but he becomes very naturally more and more restless, and impatient for the society of his daughter, as his disposition and powers to engage as formerly in social intercourse diminish. Lord Eldon gives a very good account of himself."

CHAPTER XXVIII.

DISPERSES THE AMERICAN FILIBUSTERS.

SIR HOWARD's embroilment with the United States arose out of the Treaty of 1783, which left the colony with an uncertain boundary. The interior of the country was then unknown, and England and America had divided their territories somewhat in the manner of Abraham and Lot; one power taking all that lay to the right of a point on the coast, and the other what spread to the left. The interior boundary was to be marked by the highlands which should be found to divide the sources of the Connecticut and the St. Croix from the sources of the rivers which emptied themselves into the St. Lawrence; an arrangement which gave to America all the lands on the banks of her own rivers, and left to the British colonies the banks of the rivers known to reach the sea from their shores. The point of departure from the coast was the Bay of Passumaquaddy.

It might be imagined that such an arrangement left no ground for misunderstanding; but it afforded room and verge enough to the Americans, who made it a standing dispute. Their pretensions grew in proportion as they were temperately met till they advanced their line 140 miles, and claimed the free navigation of the St. Lawrence, while they left the British colonies without a frontier. The question became

more and more serious, and a party in the States resolved to put it to the arbitrament of the sword if it were not adjusted in their own way.

Their design was known to Sir Howard, and he kept a watch on their proceedings, particularly in the State of Maine, where they were most active. Indeed, the mob there were for occupying the territory without waiting for its surrender; and the same feeling animated the Legislature, and even the head of the State. Governor Lincoln declared that Maine was entitled to fix her own boundary, and that she neither recognised the right of England to the disputed lands, nor the authority of the Federal Government to bind her by negotiations. Such an announcement increased the excitement of the population, for every one felt that he had a personal interest in the acquisition of a tract equal in extent to a kingdom, with a rich soil, watered by rivers, and possessing a harbour on the coast. They looked about for some pretext for occupation; and this was nearly afforded by some New Brunswickers, who made a dash down the St. John's River, and felled some timber in the disputed limits. But the same mail which reported their irruption brought news of their arrest, and the 'Gazette' announced that steps were taken for their prosecution. Sir Howard had declared that he would preserve the territory as it stood, and now showed that he intended it to be respected by the colonists no less than the Americans.

Such impartiality might satisfy the colonists, but found no favour with the people of Maine. They saw the land open before them, and knew no right so strong as possession, by which they could make it their own. The clamour became more furious; and

speeches were made in the Legislature pledging the State to action, and teeming with abuse of England, as if the meditated spoliation had been accomplished by her in Maine, instead of being contemplated by Maine at the expense of England. Governor Lincoln called out the militia, and marched it to the frontier, to show that he was in earnest; and the leaders of the movement arranged to take possession of the territory by filibusters, while the militia stood by. It was thought that Sir Howard would be too frightened to act; but they rather hoped that he might be provoked to march up the troops, in which case they would contrive to bring on a conflict, and so give their proceedings a cover. This design was intrusted to a ruffian named Baker, worthy of his employers; and he did not content himself with violating the territory, but burst into a British settlement, which he declared to be a part of the United States, and hoisted the American flag in token of sovereignty. Such an irruption struck the settlers with amazement, but they knew where to seek protection, and sent a report of the occurrence to Sir Howard, judging it better to remain passive themselves, that they might not fetter his action.

The despatch of a messenger caused no alarm to Baker, who warned his friends on the frontier, and watched for the appearance of the English troops, whom he expected to be hurried to the spot. But Sir Howard was not to be taken in a trap, and he followed his own course without allowing for American magnificence. He made such arrangements that he could bring up all his force at a moment if the militia crossed the border; but everything was done

« ForrigeFortsett »