the United States to my having been placed

by Your Excellency in a responsible situation at a moment of considerable difficulty

'to

both countries, it is a matter of great satisfaction to me to be enabled to bring forward my remarks upon America under the sanction of a name so highly respected

as

yours is throughout the Union.

I have the honour to be,

My dear General,

Your most obedient and faithful Servant,

A. M. MAXWELL,

Lt. Col. 36th Regt.

PREFACE.

THERE are very few books presented to the Public which do not need some apology from their Authors, and I frankly admit that mine is not one of them.

My ramble in the United States was made at railroad speed, during a short relaxation from military duty; and afforded me little opportunity of deeply and accurately investigating the character of the people. But, among many things which surprised and pleased me, there was none which made a more favourable impression upon my mind than the strong feeling of attachment and respect towards the mother country, which I perceived to exist in America; and this not in one place, and in one particular society, but in every city which I visited, and in every circle to which I was admitted.

In the following Letters, hastily and carelessly written, and in a great measure occupied by the

trivial subjects of an every-day tour over a beaten track, there will, I conceive, be found ample evidence that these sentiments exist and it is the hope, perhaps arrogantly and unwisely taken. up, that these pages may tend to augment the reciprocity of good feeling between the two coun-. tries, which has been my chief inducement to publish them. It will, I trust, be also received as my excuse for their manifold imperfections.

By the kindness of His Excellency Sir John Harvey, then the Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick, I was furnished with a letter of introduction to one of the most eminent and influential individuals in the Union-General Scott, whose command extended throughout the whole of the eastern division of the United States, and embraced a vast extent of frontier.

To the kindness of this gallant soldier and most accomplished gentleman, and to the numerous letters of introduction which he gave me, I feel that I am indebted for the marked attentions which I received from many of his most distinguished countrymen; and the circunstance of my having, under the orders of Sir John Harvey,

commanded on the disputed frontier during a period of considerable excitement, and having been so fortunate as to prevent any hostile collision between the two nations, was probably also in my favour.* But the opinion which I have

* The British Colonial Governments of Lower Canada and New Brunswick had heretofore maintained some degree of possession and jurisdiction over the disputed country. But, in the beginning of the year 1838, the Mainites, either desirous of new settlements, or from a scarcity of timber nearer home, actually proceeded, with a Colonel M'Intire at their head, who was the accredited Land Agent of the State of Maine, to survey, and make allotments, and cut timber. Some of the New Brunswick Lumberers, as they are called, had also gone out into the disputed country to help themselves to whatever trees they thought fit to take; but under very different circumstances, as the latter were interdicted from so doing by the laws of the colony and the proclamation of its Governor.

Angry feelings arose, and the parties came into collision. The New Brunswickers broke open a store where government arms were kept; armed themselves, and made prisoners the American Land Agent, and others of the party, and brought them to Fredericton. The Mainites made reprisals; and Colonel Maclauchlan, who had been appointed by our Colonial Government as Warden over the disputed territory, was in turn seized, and marched prisoner to Bangor.

Previous to this, the Congress of Maine had held secret

formed of the American character has not, unless I greatly deceive myself, been biassed by the personal civilities which I received at their hands. .It has resulted from numberless circumstances, not in the remotest degree connected with myself individually.

It is a matter of first-rate importance that two

sittings, money had been voted, a large militia force embodied, and military posts established high up the Aristook River, with intent to cut off our communication with Canada, and also close to our line on the St. John's; and at the mouth of the former river Fort Fairfield was erected. The Federal Government had also voted a large sum in support of the State of Maine.

This was the state of affairs when, about the middle of February, 1839, I was suddenly ordered by His Excellency Sir John Harvey, then Lieut.-Governor of New Brunswick, to take command on the disputed frontier; with power to call out an additional militia force, to put the frontier in a state of defence, and at the same time to keep open our communications with Lower Canada: but to avoid, if possible, hostile collision.

Acting under these orders, I immediately proceeded northward, accompanied by the Solicitor-general of the Province as my legal adviser, with the intention of occupying the Madawaska Settlements; but the alarm was so great at Woodstock, opposite to which town the Americans were concentrating their forces, that it became