Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1860-04-23
From the Guernsey (ohio) Timcs.l
THE mPAN.HANDLE.n

The tenure by which Virginia holds that
part of her territory North of the South
Western boundary of the line of Pennsyl-
vania, is an extremely precarious one. The
character of the grants made by the King
to Virginia evidences the unjustness of her
claims. Five different charters were made
to the London Company that negotiated
for the territory ofthe "Old Dominion" but
one issued by the King "f England in lCO9 is
generally adduccd as proof of her right
That charter, while it cvinced n wo-begone
ignorance ofgcography, was superseded by
another in 1915. At the time the charter
of 1909 was given, the impression was uni
vcrsal in England. that America was mar
row tract oflnnd in many respects similar TO
the IsthmuS ofDarien, at which locality Bal
boa had already discovered the Pacific Ocean
after crossing n few miles, comparatively.
The charter wos issued investing the
company procuring it with the title to all
the lands from certain parallel on the
North to n certain parallel on the South,
substantially the same present Southern
and Northern boundaries of Virginin, while
in longitude it was to extend from sea to
sea- Circumstances which transpirGd nt
its granting, and which have since been
developed, prove that the impression ofthe
grantorS was that the Continent cX-
tended Westwadr only about two hundred
miles.
Eleven, of the original thirteen of the
States laid claim at one time to what was
designated rs the "North West Territory ~
but the vchcmcnce of Virginia assertion
and her wonderful flourish of charters for
time completely dampened the nrdor OF
her remote rivals, and her contiguity ever
since has been a superficial argument in
afIirmance of her otherwise nnwarrantable
claims. But Virginia has no more right
to the counties of Hancock, Brooke, ONO
and Marshall, from any original grant
given her, than the State of Massachusetts
or New York. We might cite in attesta-
tion of this, the universally OF the opln-
ion in Virginia that the Mississippi River
was, at farthest, her most distant bounda-
ry line. Whut authority had or have
Tirginians to assert their territory extends
no farther than the Mississippi? If the
charter of 1909 fixes the boundary upon
which they claim the "IE'dder's Tract" or
Indiana, or the Tdnddlid Tract" or llli-
nois, what right does that document or
any other give them to restrict it within
ssmctes and bounds" not specified in the
original papers?
These and many other reasons have in
duced us to believe that were the title by
which Virginia holds the "Psnhnndle"
investigated, in strict equity there would
be no more necessity on the part of Penn
sylvania or Ohio negotiating for its pur-
chase, but as long continued possession
has per Sc shadow of right, we hail with
pleasure the movement lately made for the
acquisition of that part of Virginia by the
Free States of Ohio and PENNSYLVANIA,
and in the language of the Ohio ReSolu-
tions offered by Mr.. Welsh of Belmont,
we believe, ''thnt the acquisition of tue
aforesaid territory by the State of Ohio
would be greatly conducive to the best in
terests of the State, and in accordance
with the feelings and interests of the cit-
zens of the counties sought to be acquired.