7.  As respects climate, the country would be considered unfit for habitation by those accustomed to the climates even of the southern parts of Maine and of New Hampshire.  Frosts continue on the St. John until late in May, and set in early in September.  In 1840 ice was found on the Grand River on the 12th of that month, and snow fell in the first week of October on Lake Temiscouata.  In the highland region during the last week of July, although the thermometer rose above 80 deg., and was once above 90 deg., white frost was formed every clear night.  Upon the whole, therefore, it may be concluded that there is little in this country calculated to attract either settlers or speculators in lumber.  The former were driven to it under circumstances of peculiar hardship and of almost paramount necessity.  Their industry and perseverance under adverse circumstances is remarkable, but they would have been hardly able to overcome them had not the very question of the disputed boundary led to an expenditure of considerable money among them.

VETO MESSAGE.[93]

[Footnote 93:  Pocket veto.]

WASHINGTON, December 14, 1842.

To the House of Representatives: 

Two bills were presented to me at the last session of Congress, which originated in the House of Representatives, neither of which was signed by me; and both having been presented within ten days of the close of the session, neither has become a law.

The first of these was a bill entitled “An act to repeal the proviso of the sixth section of the act entitled ’An act to appropriate the proceeds of the sales of the public lands and to grant preemption rights,’ approved September 4, 1841.”

This bill was presented to me on Tuesday, the 30th August, at twenty-four minutes after 4 o’clock in the afternoon.  For my opinions relative to the provisions contained in this bill it is only necessary that I should refer to previous communications made by me to the House of Representatives.

The other bill was entitled “An act regulating the taking of testimony in cases of contested elections, and for other purposes.”  This bill was presented to me at a quarter past 1 o’clock on Wednesday, the 31st day of August.  The two Houses, by concurrent vote, had already agreed to terminate the session by adjournment at 2 o’clock on that day—­that is to say, within three-quarters of an hour from the time the bill was placed in my hands.  It was a bill containing twenty-seven sections, and, I need not say, of an important nature.

On its presentment to me its reading was immediately commenced, but was interrupted by so many communications from the Senate and so many other causes operating at the last hour of the session that it was impossible to read the bill understandingly and with proper deliberation before the hour fixed for the adjournment of the two Houses; and this, I presume, is a sufficient reason for neither signing the bill nor returning it with my objections.