Alexandria Gazette

THE MADAWASKA TROUBLE.

The following is from the Herald, printed at Saco, the residence of Governor Fairfield, and may be regarded as substantially correct:—

TROOPS!—MORE TROOPS! A messenger arrived in this town on Monday evening last, from Fredericton, N. B. with despatches from Sir John Harvey to Governor Fairfield, the purport of which, as we have been informed, is as follows:—Lieutenant-Governor Harvey informs Governor Fairfield that the Governor General of the Canadas has ordered a detachment—(how large a detachment is not stated)—of her Majesty's troops on to the Madawaska territory, for the (ostensible) purpose of aiding the civil magistrates in those settlements in the execution of the laws of the Province and in protecting the rights of her Majesty's subjects. Sir John disclaims having anything to do with the matter, and states that, in a letter to the Governor-General, he has advised the withdrawal of the troops, and the substitution of an armed civil posse,—such as the State of Maine now employs on the Aroostook territory,—as amply sufficient for all the purposes for which the troops are intended.

It is understood that upon the receipt of Sir John Harvey's letter, Governor Fairfield wrote immediately to Washington, informing the President of this last infringement of the rights of Maine, of course demanding that the troops be removed, either by negociation or by force.

The character of our Governor's reply to Sir John Harvey, can be easily guessed at. It is known to all who have read his published correspondence on the subject, that he has looked upon the erection of British barracks, (forts they should be called) and the quartering of British troops, upon the Disputed Territory, heretofore, as an aggression upon our rights, and a direct and wilful violation of the agreement entered into by Maine and New-Brunswick, on the termination of their former difficulties. And it cannot be supposed that he views this last movement in any other light than as a continuation of the same hostile and insulting policy—entered into and protracted, undoubtedly for the purpose of making secure, by force, what they may fail to obtain by negociation. Be the excuse what it may for sending those troops on to our territory—for it is our territory, by right—we have no reason to doubt that Maine will insist upon their immediate removal.