derive great satisfaction from the consciousness that no effort on his part has been spared to bring the question to an amicable conclusion, and that there has been nothing in the conduct either of the Governments and people of the United States or of the State of Maine to justify the employment of Her Majesty’s forces as indicated by Mr. Fox’s letter.  The President can not under such circumstances apprehend that the responsibility for any consequences which may unhappily ensue will by the just judgment of an impartial world be imputed to the United States.

The undersigned avails himself, etc.

JOHN FORSYTH.

Mr. Fox to Mr. Forsyth.

WASHINGTON, March 26, 1840.

Hon. JOHN FORSYTH, etc.: 

The undersigned, Her Britannic Majesty’s envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary, has had the honor to receive the official note of yesterday’s date addressed to him by Mr. Forsyth, Secretary of State of the United States, in reply to a note dated the 13th instant, wherein the undersigned, in conformity with instructions received from his Government, had anew formally protested against the acts of encroachment and aggression which are still persisted in by armed bands in the employment of the State of Maine within certain portions of the disputed territory.

It will be the duty of the undersigned immediately to transmit Mr. Forsyth’s note to Her Majesty’s Government in England, and until the statements and propositions which it contains shall have received the due consideration of Her Majesty’s Government the undersigned will not deem it right to add any further reply thereto excepting to refer to and repeat, as he now formally and distinctly does, the several declarations which it has from time to time been his duty to make to the Government of the United States with reference to the existing posture of affairs in the disputed territory, and to record his opinion that an inflexible adherence to the resolutions that have been announced by Her Majesty’s Government for the defense of Her Majesty’s rights pending the negotiation of the boundary question offers to Her Majesty’s Government the only means of protecting those rights from being in a continually aggravated manner encroached upon and violated.

The undersigned avails himself of this occasion to renew to the Secretary of State of the United States the assurance of his distinguished consideration.

H.S.  FOX.

WASHINGTON, March 28, 1840.

To the Senate: 

I communicate to the Senate, in compliance with their resolution of the 12th instant, a report from the Secretary of War, containing information on the subject of that resolution.

M. VAN BUREN.

WAR DEPARTMENT, March 27, 1840.

The PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.