Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1853-03-30
Tim BOUsDAky BK1 wEEs maRrLaND
EAAD VIRGINIA.

i This matter. which has never yet been set I
tied BY these Two States has recently been
introduced into The Legislature Of Virginia,
ard resolution has passed the House Of
Delegates for having the boundary line la
yestigated and established. Maryland has
been ready for this but Virginia never before
eyinced desire to meet the question and
have it settled. 1he subject is Of General
importance. and thefollowing statement Vi is.
furnished by correspondents Vi the Pitt.
burg Gazette, will be read with interest
| Virginia was beid under an early charter,
lbUJt which might be construed ~ embrace
tue whole oi tue present State Of Marylaud
In 1862 Charles the 4 granted TO Lord Bal
timore territory which was bounded on the
North by q rather vague aud indefinite line,
which has since been settled aud become ia
nous as Mason and Dixon line, "e1tcadiag
into the true meridian Of The trst fountain
| Of the riuer Potamdc, aud from thence tend
ling toward the south unto the further bank
OF said river, and following the west aud south
side thereof uuto certain place called CiE-
quack, near the mouth OF said river sc.
The difficulty between the two states afi-
SEES out OF the words which have placed IN
Italics.
In tue year To- gran. was made by
Charles Linz ii 81 Lotd a a.tiaA % the eoan
try called lhe Aorliieln Neck VI Virginia, "
Ing between the iiappahaaiiock apa otOiIiac
river. embracing about onesiJaith OF tile
state 0: Nnginia as she Ut present stands.
now containing twenty odd Counties Ia
October, lo4u, Loud tairlax proceeded to
fix the extreme western limit oi tins grant
a, d Ut course tie Southwest corner OF Mary
land " neither be did this BY himself Or in
company With Commissioners representing
Mary land, hive not. with the means just
now IN my reach, been able to ascertain aud
this il certainly i very important point III the
decision OF the question at issue. The ques
ton which would hrst present Itself. would
be- which is the first fountain OF that river
as we 60 westward IRON the Delaware, that
is the must eastern fountain. his would
throw Baltimore aud Annapolis both in Nir
GINA Ihis, however, has never been con
tended for, and the construction placed OH
the words first fountain seems to have been
the most remote from the mouth OF the river.
or the nearest to the mountains
lord Fairlaxs agent, probably perceviDg
that the North Branch OF tho PsAmac seem
ed to have more western direction, selected
it aud followed it up to its fountain, which is
at the extreme western point Oh Hardy coun-
ty, in Virginia, and there planted a stone
known and laid down on the maps as Fair
faI's Stone. 4 his stone marks the South
west corner Of MARY land as now recognized
ibis State has however, long denied the
correctness Of that location, aud contended
that the South Branch OF the Potomac is her
trne boundary. and that the real '.jirSt toun.
tain" must be found. by following that branch
to its most dis,aut fountain. Should she
succeed in this claim. she will increase her
territory considerably. taking from Virginia
nearly one half Of Hampshire county more
than half Of Hardy, Randolph AID Preston
II would place the South west corner of Ma
ryaud about itv miles further south, aud
little further west than Fairtaxs stone. and
would place the Baltimore aud Ohio Rail
road from the South Fork of the Potomac to
point seven or eight miles west of the
Ycughiogany river. entirely in Maryland
something like the Virginia Pan Handle along
the Ohio. between North Eastern Virginia
and the Ohio River The Southwest corner
Of Alsryland would be south of Alexandria
on the Potomac and Of Poiut- Peasant on
the Obio. Wcmay readily suppose. that the
Old Dominion will not be very prompt in
submitting to such dsfguremcut Of her do
main.