Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1865-11-07
9 keIey and JcfferSOI1 Counties.
a sond Letter From Hon.. H. L. Dawes. Mem-
Der of Congress from Massachusetts.

Der of Congress from Massachusetts.
PIrrsFtEIps a1Ass.. Sept 16, 1855
tIio,s oitsss Iltelii igences
have been farnished With. conies al vo,,r.
sIA.er cohtaining replies from the Hon. Mr.
q! Van NfiHsiesand Hon. Benz Stanton IA INV
q flter Of tile 18th ult 4p0n tho Nsdisnnted
fais.'l aries between la two Nifeinias. I.
iAn reiuetant'to y er continue the Discus,
si'n. lest nag5f be cpnsideFed an antagonist
teyqar prfposest iine, voluntarily enterins,
3 W. lsts teotnsi you. Nothing cam however.
y Is. from the fact. have from the
tls' b oelleysa TIA the line ought to be
4 M as you .co1feiids It has been and
3 ~ Of yqdr representative in the
1 fsss IS aware that at the time it came
Ro ny notice IN. he cont stea election case
'4sensie IS Is Iteheh, / urged upon him
re ipI'rie ty of. having 1t So established by
ii2Asent q eoagress While q u parties were of
fess lnind aud YOU AIessfs Editors, know
~ come potnuinyit into this discussion.
" taNi9s no other DESIRE therefore. than to
~ % rug at the teaaE establishment of
yaaf hanndi line W. here you desire to have
J y 81 he'd venture once more upon YOUR
Ftt'sitee N = lew words Of reply, first to Mr.
"a NlaSie, and second to. Mr.. Stanton
hssar IN MUD that my communication was
S'stssN ont by your donbting whether | was
lasnHed IN saying. that .'no two States could
eiaaee OF alter their boundary line without.
lug con ssnt Of Congress !; y : that ssthe Supreme
Qourt had So sad. and that it had always
Been the rplesaeted upon. e And I eudeay-
eres = how n that Communication that for
g'ss.a ITO alter'the boundary line
pe9ween taelns was IN the nature of a COM
s pact lafeh by article Il section 10, of the
seQtStlt M tlOn :, they are expressly prohibited
from doing without thesasseut of Congress.
Ana tliss 1eh Was the opinion of the Su-
prelne goarts and such had been its precc-
deafs ested the opinion of the Chief JUS
tlce md 81 NJ y nstice Curtis, and two pre-
celenls te that effect Dir. Van. .Winkie ad-
: nlitst ttlaf two States cannot enter iuto any
ogffdet ors ggres meet without the consent of
GlnssF and that wnen they mutually
charge the boundary line between them, by
celnp;Ie cor agreement, then the consent of
Congress must5be had. But he holds that
s I've Iates can change the boundary line be-
zen, them without entering into any com
s1ast or agreement us to it, and thus can, by
the node of doing it,, avoid the constitutional
sc b CATION. Ressays:
me arsumeat of Mr.. Dawes and the de-
cisians of the Supreme Court quoted by him.
are founded on the clause of the constitution
me United States which forbids State to
el4er.. into any agreement sor compact with
anpther State without the consent of Con-
sress. If the proceedings of the two States
ltader cOnsid ideratiO1l are Engagement OF COM
pact 1s5Yeen them, or even in the nature
thereof II must besidmitted that the so-called
annexation will not be complete until the con-
siof G9neress is gIgen.ss But it is sub nit
ted that sue h. is not the ease"
md he says thatSuch is not the case be-
cause -
here was nothing in the nature of ne
gotlati0n betweenSthe two States ut any time;
here were no mutual, dependent, or condi-
tlonsL dertakings 0rpronlises nor was there
ytinns moving from either to the other in
he nature OF a consideration p
II there can be neither "cOmpact" nor ga
greenlent between the two States without
aa lneeature IN two parts, with consideration
espresso signed and sealed son the day and
year hrst above wrltten,9 preceded by such
"a - ls wsat to sI1recede n trade
between two brokeEs, he may he right. But
submit that rnteP eldent, Mates do not often,
sfcser,s act ln that mode. NO one man is
feessos that he seo0ld sign and scals
sacl an ,sassreement OF, compact, and if
ne ever d9es, 1t IS Py express authority of the
4e:slslstpres OF the respective States first had
{ ana ODtaIned do not suppose ltmakes one
p1rtiSle OF difference what Is the mode re-
sorted sort to, but what IS the Substance Can
nlrl,San 4, Nlnklesteli me how} 1t is possible
) foFtWe States to peaceabiy change the bound
ary llne between them, except by mutual
e0Isent5 consent Let US start the twol Virginias on
ms ses business anew Is 1t possible tor West
lrSenia, without war; to take berkeley coun-
y irgms9td v !rS'nla' except 1t be with her
consent Is ltany more possible for old vir-
gpIas 70 thrust Berkeley county over the line
,lnsos the elurlsdletlonsof West Virginia with
-pltEttle e5e2nsent Of the latter State Ii it
I s-caHs be d5ne, Alr. Van Wrinkle can show us