sisted upon in the report first published by the Bristish commissioners differed materially from that claimed by the United States-it appeared to him that an immediate preparatory exploration and survey on the part of the American government of the portions of the territory more particularly brought to view in the report would be proper. If Congress agreed in this opinion, then a provision to enable the executive to carry the plan into effect would be necessary. The letter of Mr. Fox was dated June 22, and was accompanied by printed copies of a report and map which had been presented to the British government by colonel Mudge and Mr. Featherstonhaugh, the commissioners employed during the last Season to survey the disputed territory. It stated that the most prominent among the causes of failure in past negotiations on the subject, had been a want of correct information as to the topographical features and physical character of the district in dispute; and after detailing the history of previous attempts to settle the question, it went on to say. "Her majesty's government, considering the present state of the boundary question, concur with the government of the United States, in thinking that it is on every account expedient that the next measure to be adopted by the two governments should contain arrangements which will necessarily lead to a final settlement, and they think that the convention which they proposed last year to the president, instead of being framed so as to constitute a mere commission of exploration and survey, did, on the contrary, contain certain stipulations calculated to lead to the final ascertainment of the boundary between the two countries. There was, however, undoubtedly, one essential difference between the British draft and the American counter draft. The British draft contained no provision embodying the principle of arbitration; the American counter draft did contain such a provision. The British draft contained no provision for arbitration, because the principle of arbitration had not been proposed on either side during the negotiations upon which that draft was founded; and because, moreover, it was understood at that time that the principle of arbitration would be decidedly objected to by the United States. But as the United States government have now expressed a wish to embody the principle of arbitration in the proposed convention, her majesty's governinent are perfectly willing to accede to that wish. The undersigned is accordingly instructed to state officially to Mr. Forsyth, that her majesty's government consent to the two principles which form the main foundation of the American counterdraft; namely, first, that the commission to be appointed shall be so constituted as necessarily to lead to a final settlement of the questions of boundary at issue between the two countries; and secondly, that in order to secure such a result, the convention by which the commission is to be created shall contain a provision for arbitration upon points as to which the British and American commissioners may not be able to agree." The reply of Mr. Forsyth stated that the president permitted himself to anticipate the most satisfactory result from the measure under consideration. Congress was dissolved in the middle of July, and its last act of any interest to Great Britain was the passing of a bill, appropriating 25,000 dollars towards the expenses of the survey of the disputed territory between Maine and the British provinces. This passed unanimously. The great event of this year in America was the election of a new president, which absorbed the thoughts, and engrossed the attention of all parties. To use the words of a contemporary writer resident in the United States, "It is utterly impossible to convey an idea of the excitement throughout the country on the subject of the presidential election. There is an uprising among the people without a parallel, except in the midst of some mighty revolution, nor is it confined to one party. Both are in the field with their heaviest paper artillery, the only munitions of war publicly used being speeches and printed documents. From one extreme of the nation to the other all are in motion. The men in power are alarmed. The expectants, flushed with the hope of victory, are marching forward. Already may be heard shewn by Mr. Van Buren and his government towards the banking system throughout the states, which, by affording fictitious credit on an extensive scale, produced the most grievous mischiefs, had raised up many enemies to his reelection. General Harrison was supposed likely to act with more caution and forbearance in this important matter of the banks. He also had pledged himself to several acts which tended considerably to increase his popularity throughout the union. The first of these pledges was, to confine his presidency to a single term; the second, to disclaim all right of control over the public treasure, with the exception of such part of it as might be by law appropriated to carry on the public service; the third, never to attempt to influence the election, nor to suffer the federal officers under his control to take any part in them beyond giving their own votes: the fourth, to remove no person from office without stating, when requested, his motives for so doing. With regard to the exciting question of slavery, general Harrison was a decided anti-abolitionist. Indeed, had he not been, he would have stood no chance in the contest, as in the southern states no votes would have been given to a candidate who was known to incline to the side of the abolitionists. On the 31st of November the voting for president and vice-president took place in the several states. By the provisions of the constitution this is simultaneous on the same day throughout the union. The result of the balloting is sealed up and forwarded to the senate, which is then sitting, but the seals are not broken until February in the next year. They are then opened by the president of the senate, in the presence of the house of representatives, and the result of the voting in each state is announced. The election, therefore, of president belongs more properly to the events of the succeeding year, and in our next volume will appear a list of the new members of the American government, who form the ministry of the president, and fill the offices of secretaries of state, the treasury, the navy, and war; that of attorneygeneral, and also of postmastergeneral, six in all. But it was perfectly well known that the election had fallen upon general Harrison by a very large majority of votes. This terminated the reign of power which had been enjoyed for twelve years by the Jackson and Van Buren administrations. and that of whig (an anti-democratic party, as it is considered), commenced. For the office of vicepresident the choice fell upon Mr. Tyler. We subjoin, in a note, the official returns of the voting in the different states for the election of president. cated by a message, to the house of assembly of Upper Canada, the terms proposed by the British government as the basis of the union between the upper and lower provinces. These were chiefly the equal representation of both provinces in the united legislature, a sufficient civil list, and the charge of the principal part of the debt of Upper Canada on the revenue of the united province. Both the legislative council and the house of assembly of Upper Canada passed resolutions in favour of the union. The clergy reserves bill passed the house of assembly of Upper Canada at the beginning of this year by a majority of 28 to 20. By this measure it was originally proposed that the land should be sold, and the produce placed in the hands of a receiver-general for the discharge, in the first place, of all existing claims on the fund; secondly, for the division among the religious sects in the following manner-half to be divided between the members of the established churches of England and Scotland, in proportion to their numbers, and the other half to be divided among all other sects in proportion to the amount of their respective contributions for the purposes of religious instruction. But two alterations were made in the bill in its progress through the 3,263 32,670 house of assembly. In the first 25,282 place, the whole of the funds aris124,782 ing from the sale of the lands 18,018 were, by the amendments, to be in52,368 212,519 vested in the colony, instead of in 31,989 England, or where the receiver46,202 general might direct. Secondly, 4,872 the denominations of religious belief, other than those coming under the name of "established," were to receive their half of the funds in UPPER CANADA.-On the 7th of December, 1839, the governor, Mr. Poulett Thomson, communi Harrison. Van Buren. 33,529 144,006 • Maryland Pennsylvania: 757,040 32,616 proportion to their numbers, and not in the ratio of their voluntary contributions to religious instruction. The legislative council passed this bill, with the above amendments, by a large majority; and on the 10th of February the Upper Canada parliament was dissolved by the governor, who congratulated it on having passed the clergy reserves bill, and thereby set at rest a question which had for years past convulsed the province. MEXICO. In the early part of the month of July in this year, a revolution broke out in the city of Mexico, which was forcibly taken possession of by the federalists. General Urrea had been imprisoned by the government, but his adherents and followers among the troops released him by a coup de main, and having surprised the palace and overcome the guard there, they seized the president and incarcerated him. Urrea immediately raised the standard of revolt, and put himself at the head of the federalists. After twelve days fighting in the streets, during which about 300 were killed and wounded, the federalists were obliged to yield to governor-general Valencia, who arrived with a reinforcement of troops, and they evacuated the city on the 27th of July, after capitulating on honourable conditions, one of which was, that Valencia should employ his influence with the government in bringing about a reform of the constitution; and another, that all acts committed during the late attempt at revolution should be buried in oblivion. This outbreak was not attended with any excesses, and private property was respected on both sides. General Bustamente again assumed the direction of affairs; and Santa Anna, who on VOL LXXXII. first hearing of the revolution, had left Vera Cruz with a body of troops to support the government, when he reached the capital and found that the disturbance had terminated, returned at once with his forces to the castle of Perote. TEXAS. On the 16th of November a commercial treaty between Great Britain and the republic of Texas was signed in London by lord Palmerston and general James Hamilton, the envoy from the republic to England. By this treaty the independence of the infant state was recognized, and the basis of the commercial stipulations was perfect reciprocity. It was hoped that this would tend to bring about a reconciliation between Mexico and the Texas, and cause a settlement of the boundaries of the last-mentioned republic in which the former would acquiesce. BRAZIL.-On the 23d of July the emperor, although still legally a minor, was by a coup d' étal declared of age, and assumed the reins of government. The discussions on this question in the senate had been most violent and disorderly, but the declaration of the emperor's majority was carried. On the same day his imperial majesty arrived in state at the senate house and took the requisite oaths, after which he reviewed the troops. The city of Rio de Janeiro was illuminated at night, and rejoicings took place. A new ministry was immediately appointed. NOVA SCOTIA.-The house of assembly this year voted resolutions declaring the necessity of remodelling the executive council on the principle of lord John Russell's despatch of the 16th of October, 1839, so as to produce harmony between the colonial government and [Q] the house of assembly. Sir Colin Campbell, however, the governor, replied, that he had no reason to believe any alteration in the sentiments of the queen's ministers had occurred, and that he was in every way satisfied with the assistance he had received from his council. The assembly then remonstrated, and called upon the governor to carry into effect the principle laid down by the head of the colonial secretary in England. Sir Colin answered that he could not put the same construction on the despatch as the assembly, but promised to refer the resolutions of the house of assembly to the government at home. Upon which the house of assembly adopted a petition to the queen to remove sir Colin Campbell, and he immediately prorogued the parliament. NEW BRUNSWICK.-This year a colonial despatch was received from England regarding the selection of public functionaries and the tenure of offices; and after it had been published by governor Harvey, a resolution was moved in the house of assembly by the reform liberal party, expressing great satisfaction at the announcement of her majesty's intention "to infuse principles into the administration of colonial affairs strictly analogous to the principles of the British constitution." The government party moved as an amendment, stating that there was nothing in the despatch "to call forth any expression from the house on the subject of colonial government." This produced a still stronger amendment on the part of the reformers, which was negatived by 15 to 13. On the first amendment the numbers were equal, 14 to 14, when the chairman (the house being in committee) gave his casting vote in favour of it and the government. |