Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-04-30

| -""i i'siu OOheOHuipS tHaI 1'io oppression
in its charter, 'to the fortieth degree,
meant forty degrees complete'--the As
semby and proprietaries of Pennsylvania,
on their part, insisting that in the charter
of Pennsylvania, the expression to begin
at the beginning of the fortieth degree of
north latitude ought to be construed to be
where the thiry-ninth was completed
This dispute involved tract Of country
nearly 5000 miles in extent; and had it
been assigned to Lord Baltimore, the su-
perfice of Pennsylvania would have been
reduced nearly one fourth.
Thus matters went on until 1882, when
in August of that year compromise was
effected snd commissioners appointed to
determine, survey, and mark the respec-
tive boudaries in controversy The du
ties assigned to these commissioners wss
to trace the following lines:-
Beginning at Cape Henlopen, and
thence due west to the western side of the
peninsula, which lies upon Chesapeake
Bay. and as far westward as the exact
middle part of the peninsula, where the
said line is rum then north to the extreme
west paat of circle twelvs miles radius.
Newcastle on The De laware beini the CEN
tire. From the tangent thus obtained, a
line due north to the parallel fifteen sta.
tute miles south of Philadelphia, and
thence by the extension Of this parallel to
the western boundary of Pennsylvania.
The Commissioners met, but differing on
some important points, separated without
effccting anything. Difficulties created
delays, while the inhabitants who had
settled near the places where the lines
were supposed to run, were, in the mean
Iime, subjected to vexatious demands from
both colonies; the ordinary process of JUS
tice was Interrupted. and the tenure Of
property rendered insecure.
In 1923 the Penn family, desirous of
closing the controversy on tie terms of
the compromise Of 1882, instituted suit
in the Chancery of Great Britain In
l76U. the Lord Chancellor. Hardwick, de-
sired that 'the articles of May ID, 1892
should be carried into execution, and that
proper commissioners should be appoint
ed for the purpose These commission
ers also met pursuant to appointment, No
vember I6, 1859, but disagreed respecting
the mode of extending the area of circle
around Newcastle; and, like their prede
cessors, separated without performing any
part of their du.ies.
Twelve years again elapsed before eff
cient attempts were made to close this te-
dIous affair. Finally, IN 1862 the respec
i've proprie .ors agreed to employ Charles
Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, two eminent
maihemaicmns, who forthwith proceeded |
to he accomplishment of their task of
surveying and marking the boundaries
between Pennsylvania, Nary land and Del |
aware, and thus closed troublesome ce- /
lonial litigation of eighty years.
Although Mason and Dixon determined /
the boundaries between the States just
it is only that portion or the
line which constitutes the southeastern
boundary Of Pennsylvania that is now So
referred 10.
Mason & Dixon's line. proper, extends
to point about forty miles west of
the Susquehanna river. and not to the
western boundary of Pennsylvania. as
some .imagine--the prolongation of the
beyond that western termination
Of Mason d. Dixon's line having been
Traced several years subsequently.