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that a number of the inhabitants of Madawaska had organized themselves into a corporation, chosen municipal officers, and subsequently a representative; and that in consequence of these acts, the lieutenant Governor and other authorities of New Brunswick, accompanied with a military force, had proceeded to Madawaska, and arrested a number of American citizens, who were carried to Fredericton and there imprisoned.

Though the measures adopted by the inhabitants, voluntarily organizing themselves into a corporation at that place, then claimed to be under the actual jurisdiction of the province of New Brunswick, were unexpected by me and undertaken without my knowledge; yet as they acted in territory known to be within the limits of Maine and in obedience to to the laws and constitution, I considered that they were entitled to the aid and protection of their government.

Immediately, therefore, on receiving evidence of these transactions, they were communicated together with all the circumstances in relation to them within my knowledge to the department of State of the United States, with a request that proper measures might be adopted by the General Government to procure the release of our Citizens and to protect the territory of our State from invasion. Upon the receipt of this communication, - though the proceedings of the inhabitants of Madawaska were considered to be a breach of the arrangement made with the British Minister, for preserving the state of things as it then existed on both sides, till a final disposition of the question, - those measures were promptly adopted by the President, which resulted in the release of our citizens from imprisonment, and rendered further proceedings on the part of this State, in reference to that object, unnecessary.

I was also advised, that the President had received from the representative of the British Government, the strongest