I objected to the presentation of this claim and said that we
should only ask that the true line should be run agreeably to that
decree. Soon after the Revolution the State of Rhode Island ran the
line _ex parte_ and encroached upon the territory of Massachusetts
one-fourth to three-fourths of a mile.
From that time both parties had asserted and exercised jurisdiction
which had resulted in a number of controversies in the local courts.
The Attorney-General lived at New Bedford near the line. The people
were constantly excited, and Mr. Clifford was unwilling to accept my
proposed amendment. After some delay he suggested an interview with
Mr. Choate, who had been counsel for the Town of Fall River in some one
or more of the controversies involving the boundary. I assented to the
suggestion, and an evening was fixed for a call upon Mr. Choate by Mr.
Ames and myself. The evening was a stormy one, but we made our way to
Mr. Choate's house. He was in his library in the second story. It
consisted of two rooms that had been connected by making an arch in the
partition. The shelves were filled, and the floor was covered with
books. Ames said:
"Why, Mr. Choate, what a quantity of books you have!"
"Yes," said Mr. Choate, "I have a good many books, more than I have
paid for, but that is the book-seller's business, not mine.
Pages:
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317