Chapter 19: Paris again.—March to April, 1839.—Age, 28.
Changing the plan of his journey, in which a visit to Germany was to follow his visit to England, Sumner turned towards Italy, and crossed the Channel, by way of Dover and Boulogne, on the night of March 22. During four weeks in Paris, he renewed his intercourse with friends1 from whom he parted the year before; and was kindly received by Lord Granville, then British ambassador, to whom he had been commended by Lord Morpeth. He also saw much of Lord Brougham,2 who was then making one of his frequent visits to that city.He undertook at this time a patriotic service, which interfered with the pursuit of the special objects of his journey,—the defence of the American title to territory included in the ‘Northeastern Boundary’ controversy between the United States and Great Britain. The friendly relations of the two countries were then disturbed, not only by the territorial dispute, but also by the affair of the ‘Caroline.’ Partisans on both sides were indulging in recriminations and threats of hostilities. The State of Maine had erected forts along its frontier, and armed a civil posse to maintain possession of the disputed district. The controversy grew out of the uncertain language by which the treaty of 1783 defined the line between the two countries, as running ‘from the North-west angle of Nova Scotia; namely, that angle which ’
