The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-03-19
THE BOUNDARY LINE QUESTION.
RECEPTION OF THE MARYLAND
COMMISSIONERS BY THE GEN.
ERAL ASSEMBLY.
Conference Relating 10 the Proposes
ArbiGrat&on-Tha Lime Claimed
by Maryland.

The two houses OF the General Assembly
met in joint session in the hall Of the House
of Delegates yesterday afternoon at O'Clock
to receive the Maryland commissioners. The
same rules observed when the two houses
met to eject United States Senator were
adopted. Lieutenant-GoVernor Robert T..
Withers, President Of the Senate, occupied
the chair, and on his LEFT sat Hon. Marshall
Hanger, Speaker of the House. John Bell
Bigger, clerk OF the uouSe, acteo as cierk
of the Joint session.
The MARYLAND commissioners, Messrs.
Isaac d. Jones, James w. Dennis and John
w. Davis, were escorted into the House by
members Of the Special Joint Committee,
appointed TO confer with them. Standing in
front OF the chairman the visitors were in.
troduced by Hon. L. C.. IL. Finney, senator
from the Accomac district, chairman OF the
committee. and were then escorted to seats
of honor to the right Of the clerks desk.
Lieutenant. Governor Withsrs welcomed
the commissioners in short speech. Hon.
Isaac ID. Jones, speaking in behalf Of the
Naryiand commissioners, responded, saying
| that he had scarcely words at his command
| to express the grateful emotions they felt ut
the DISTINGUISHED and cordial reception with
| which they had been met by the General
Assembly. the Safe officials, and the people.
| lie alluded to the cordial relations that had
80 long existed between the states OF Mary
land and Virginia, and hoped that the ques-
| tions at issue concerning the boundary lne
| would be so satisfactorily settled as TO draw
closer the ties OF friendship that bound to-
| ncther the two States. lie Drlely reviewed
The history of the bouudary-lne troubles
| and the legislation OF both States upon the
subject. and in conclusion stated the posi-
|
presented the resolutions recently passed by
Them embodying their views. The resolu-
tions (which were published in full in this
paper several days ago] were then read by
the clerk. On motion Of Mr.. Doolcy, they
were ordered to be printed, and the joint
session then adjourned sine de and the
Senate returned TO its chamber.
| During these proceedings, which were OF
q digutied and imposing character, the gale
ries of the halt were denSeiy crowded and
every privileged seat on the floor was occu-
pied by prominent citizens and State otfi-
| cialS.
subsequently, the Maryland commissioners
| paid a visit to the Senate chamber aud were
| assigned seats of honor, and remained wit
Messing the proceedings for about half an
hour.
Yesterday evening, at the Exchange
Hotel the Maryland commissioners met the
Committee on Federal Relations Of the Sen-
ate and the House Committee on Courts Of
Justice, to whom have been referred the
boundary line question. Mr.. Cogbill, of the
| House, occupied the chair. The Maryland
commissioners briefly presented their claims,
setting forth that a fair and true line would
be from "Smith Point to right line across
Chesapeake bay to the centre of Cedar
straits, upon Tangier sound, near the south
end OF Watkins Point; thence by right
| line in southeast direction 10 the channel
| of Pocomoke bay or river nearest to CEDAR
straits. therce up by and with the channel
of said Pocomoke bay and river to point
therein opposite to the place on the east
| shore of said river ascertained by De Ia
Camp in 1861, to 4 beginning on said shore
of the divisional line said to have been run
and marked BY Calvert and Scarborough in
-, thence by and with said divisional
| line as surveyed aud laid down on the map
by said De Ia Camp for the joint commission
OF Virginia and Mary !anu in 1868 to the At
lantic ocean the right of fishing and taking
oysters in Pocon,oke sound, or bay, or river,
and Tangier sound, and from southeast or
Tag.icr sound and Watts island to the
north end Of Deals island, and thence to the
Chesapeake bay, to be common to the citi-
zens Of both States and subject to concur
rent regulations by the two States" Mary
land claims to the south bank, Virginia to
the north bank, of the Potomac river.
In support of their claim the Maryland
commissioners laid before the committee yes
terday evening several maps, which they
brought with them, including Grifith's map
of 1894; also map without date dedicated
to the American Philosophical Society; also
H. g ,,,l ~ 5yx.ii inb hoe
q map showing the location Of Cynquack; !;
also a copy of the original Smiths History
of Virginia, of date 1927, being the only
map eXtant when the charter of Maryland
was granted TO Lord Baltimore, on which
Cynqt,ack and Watkins Point are definitely
la,d down, and which the Maryland
commissioners maintain must have been
he map used in defining the boundaries of
the land granted to the colonies settled by
Lord Baltimore. The commissioners also
presented "a description Of the West India
Islands and colonies of North America by
Richard Blome, 167S," from which they
quoted 90 sustain the claim OF Maryland to
the Potomac river the following from q
chapter describing the colony of Mary land :
..It huth for its bounds on the south Vlrgi-
,, MIA, from which it is parted by the river Pa.
toWmock, whose southery bank divides the
province Of Virginia"
The commissioners also presented, as bear
ING upon the matter, "ArticleS Of Agree
ment made and concluded upon between the
right Honorable Lord Propretarys OF Mary
land and the Honorable the Proprietarys Of
PENNSYLVANIA touching the boundaries o
the two provinces with the commission con
3 stituted OF certain persons to execute the
| same Philadelphia: printed by B. Frank
5 lin at the new printing Office near to the
f market, MDCCXXXII1.
: The Maryland commissioners having
r briefly presented the main Joints Of their
case, in an informal way, the conference be.
tween them and the legislative committees
ended.
The proposition to submit the questions al
i issue to arbitration meets with considerable
favor, and it was suggested at the committee
meeting yesterday evening that it would be
we'll to allow Maryland TO name one arbitra.
tor, Virginia another, and the two to choose
: third. Maryland has named Hon. Jere'
Black, of Pennsylvania. The names of Hon.
Horatio Seymour, of New York, and Judge
Campbell. of Alabama, formerly of the
United States Supreme Court, and later
Confederate Secretary of War, are mentioned
on our part--either Of whom, 1t is thought,
, would make suitable arbitrator. However,
on these points no definite action has been
taken. and the committees will not meei
= again until tomorrow.
Il The Narya0d commissioners Will leave
: the city this afternoon at 3 O'Clock. They
el speak in the highest terms OF the hospitaii-
y L <Sra1xa