Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1870-06-30

SoN-Acr1os OF GOVERNOR SALISBURY.


NoN-AcTIoN OF GOVERNOR SALISBURY
PHILADELPHIA, June ~, 1870.
MEssRs. EpIToRs ton looking over the col
tiinns of your paper my eye occasionally meets
stray notice of the famed "Mason and Dixon's
Iine.n This reminds me Of some curious old
maps in my possession, but In excellent preser-
vation, issued with especial reference to this
once vexatious and protracted question. They
not only give the well known curve of the Nor
thern boundary, but likewise the Western line,
stretching far toward the western terminus of
Pennsylvania. Here the Indian paths are
marked, as well as the principal streams, and
where forests then stood, they are designated
accordingly. These maps are not dated, but
were doubtless published in London, phorty Of
Ter the decision of Lord Chancellor Hardwick,
about 1882. From appearances they seem to
have been accurately drawn, noting, as before
stated, the streams and forests, as well as the
Ilihic roads.
In our day we have little idea OF the bitterness,
aciimony, and tangled litigations, and even
bloodshed produced by this aforesaid bound
airy. Whoever examines tile Colonial Records
and Pennsylvania Archives cannot fail to be
struck with the border warfare, depositions
statements, and counter-statements there mar
rated, and which engendered such bad blood be-
tween my Lords Baltimore and the degene-
rate scions of the illustrious Penn.
And, In candor, it must be stated, that II the
settlement of the boundaries between Maryland
and Pennsylvania had been left till now, il is
doubtful whether Lord Baltimore would not have
been confirmed in his title to the territory ex-
tending to the 10th parallel of north latitude,
instead of giving it to Penn.
In a recently published map of Delaware the
long, narrow strip of land some three miles in
length running southwark between Maryland
and Delaware, and belonging to Pennsylvania, IL
claimed AZ part of and belonging to Delaware.
This Is wrong. This strip is still a portion of
Pennsylvania. The boundary there however has
become 80 troublesome to the inhabitants that
often it il difficult to tell whether which State
| they actually reside in. To remedy this the Leg
| islature OF Pennsylvania, in 1869, appointed a
commission to act with a similar commission to
be appointed by Delaware to close this part of
| Mason u Dixon's Line by running the parallel
due east to Delaware thus cutting off the strip
| now belonging to Pennsylvania and ceding it to
Delaware. The latter State would then be
| tanked along it's entire western boundary by
Maryland alone and not by both Maryland and
| Pennsylvania, as is now the case.
| Governor Geary has appointed Col James
| Worrell and Strickland Kneass, Esq, to act for
| Pennsylvania, but to this date, Delaware has
taken no lioice whatever of the matter, and thus
| still remains the long narrow strip of Pennsyl-
yania, tlrusting itself Southwark, between Mary
| land and Delaware, Why do your authorities
act 30! Must maps be published claiming this
strip of Delaware, before the cession has been
made which is manifestly wrong, and does your
Governor refuse to appoint Commissioners to
act with ours, because his political preiudices are
30 strong that he does not wish Northern soil
added to his own, or, has the State of Delaware
already 80 much territory that she wishes no
more! How lis it, Governor salisbury!
have many interesting documents relative to
this ancient and well known boundary line, but
enough for the present.
ANCIENT JANn,Apy