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4 that the settlement of the question belonged exclusively to the General Government; and the convention of 1827, for submitting the points in difference to the King of the Netherlands, was agreed to notwithstanding the remonstrance from the Executive of this State. In accordance with these views, the President has often recommended and enjoined upon the government of this state to abstain from all acts in relation to the disputed territory, that might be calculated to embarrass the pending negotiation or lead to collision with the British authorities. The United States having thus assumed the exclusive management of the controversy, they are bound, in definitely settling it, to regard the rights thus guaranteed to Maine; and have no power by the Federal Constitution to alienate by negotiation or otherwise any portion of the territory of the State, without its consent. As the grounds of our title to the territory have so often been under the consideration of previous legislatures, and of late have so frequently been the subject of able public discussion, it is believed unnecessary on the present occasion to make a detailed statement of the facts and arguments which conclusively demonstrate that territory to be within the limits of Maine, according to the boundaries of the United States, as defined in the treaty of 1783. The validity of our title has also been admitted by the General Government; and in a letter from Mr. Clay, former Secretary of State, it is declared "That the Government of the United States is fully convinced that the right to the territory is with us, and not with Great Britain. The convictions of Maine are not stronger in respect to the validity of our title, than are those which are entertained by the President." After the true St Croix River and its sources, intended by the treaty of 1773, were ascertained in pursuance of the provisions of a subsequent treaty, it would be supposed that the other boundaries were so clearly and definitely described as to preclude the possibility of a doubt respecting "the highlands which divide the rivers which fall into the Atlantic Ocean.