Smyrna times., 1877-08-22

The PENINSULA UNDER One STATE Gov.
ERNMENT.-We have always thought this
ought to be, but We see no very encoura.
Ging circumstance that leads us to think
1t may be accomplished very soon. The
Peninsula papers have been hammering at
1t again the past few weeks, but of all the
Eastern Shore journals that have discussed
the subject, only three look upon it with
favor, viz: the Denton Union, the Salisbury
Eastern Sh0reman and the Crisfeld Leader.
All the rest, so far as we know, are oppos.
ed to it, while those of the Western Shore
are aunt againsti it. Even Virginia will not
think OF parting with her little isolated
patch; and yet it would seem about as con-
sistent for her to own the Island of Nassau.
just out there in the Atlantic, as to have
jurisdiction over the sea-girt territory that
the broad Chesapeake separates from her.
1t was an arbitrary survey that thus ignor.
cd natural boundary lines, and it is high
time the adsurdity were wiped ont, it seems
to us.
tlXed as the Peninsula is now, with three
seperate State governments within its mar
row, water-lined limits, this absurd geo
graphical dividing up defeats tho ends of
justice. Bad men escape the just punish
mcnt they so often merit, many and many
a time, by merely stepping across the ina.
glnary line between the States; line that
exists in law but not in fact; line that
constitutes the legal bubble so frequently
resorted to to shirk the administration of
Justice.
Some Of our Eastern Shore journals think
that the people of the different sections
ought to become better acquainted before
consolidation is talked of. They insist that
we cannot harmonic successfully until this
acquaintance is effected. But this cannot
be accomplished while "thc line" is there
for US to stumble over. 1t really antaroni.
zes us; it is the great barrier to the very
object our neighbors desire. For in.
stances, in the matter of the collection of
debts between the residents of the several
divisions Of the tcrritory-this lino has
thwarted more just claims of this kind
than all other circumstances combined.
and mainly from this reason it has proved
to be the stumbling block to both social
and commercial harmony. It has also in.
terferred with the tranquility of the oyster
men of Maryland and Virginia. For sew.
eral years commission has been at work
to determine just were Somerset county.
Nd, ended and Accomac county, Va. be.
gan, and during the time, if we mistake
not, the oystermen Of the two sections have
had two or three pitched battles, and even
shed each others blood. If, however, the |
commission had determined to abolish
the line instead of more definitely estab. |
fishing it it would have forever ended the |
cause of contention.
low can we become better acquainted |
while out lives are apart. The politicians
never convene, the one with the other
the line IS between. Neither do our law. |
makers; the Chesapeake is between them. |
And nature and common sense saws the |
Chesapeake ought to be the line, and there |
should be none other to arbitrarily divide n |
section which nature has so closely knit to. |
gether. New Jersey is almost exactly like |
the Peninsula in its geographical outline
yet imagine it lined off into three or four
state governments. Docs any one suppose
That such an arrangement would be as con.
venlent to its people as the present uni.
form system of laws?
Every religious denomination on the Pc.
nlnsula but one has had to ignore the State
lines and consolidate its organization
under one head. The Presbyterians, Cath
oiics, MethOdists and Baptists all found
this absolutely necessary to their strength
and progress. The Episcopal Church still
follows State lines. but whether this State
could support Bishopric under ordinary
circumstances is a question. The Bishops
iund IS merely nominal, and the present
devoted head of the denomination is per.
forming labor OF love. lie does not ask
the Diocese for an adequate supnort wo
arc informed 'ao ,"o bshoprics would
be as much aIvutDcncd as the other sects
have been by consolidation, surely. And
the advantages that have accrued To these
religious bodies would accrue to the BODY
polite by consolidation, it seems to us.
The cause that hampered the Churches in.
terferes in matters of public welfare.
The two Congressman of the Peninsula
ought to be yoked together by common
interest; they could command more infu.
ence for the good of the section they rep.
resent. But as now fixed they seldom feel
an interest in common. The territory is
one naturally and ought to be one in fact.
The Russian soldiers are said to live and
light almost wholly upon tea. The Cos.
sacks often carry it about in the shape of
bricks. or rather. tilaa ,,,L;oI. |