Litchfield enquirer., 1880-03-18
The Boundary Question,
MIR. HOLSTERS SPEECH.

L The Hartford Courant of March 9th publish
 es the following report of MrG H. Hollisters
 speech on the Boundary Question:
 Mir. Holister of Litch1eld considered this
 one of the most important questions to be de- termined by this general assembly, and he | felt that he ought to give his voice in support l of the majority of the judiciary committee It seemed to him that Connecticut could not now
 with good grace refuse to ratify this agree ment. What was the situation? The ques tion had long been in dispute, and the matter
 was in the courts for settlement. It was then
 thought best to submit the whole matter to ar-
 bitration, so as to get it out of the courts, and
 to that arbitration we consented, and it is up-
 on the result of that conference that we are
 now to act Mir. Hollister then proceeded to give very clear and most interesting histor-
 torical account of the treaties and grants which defined the state boundaries. Under the pat, ent of the Duke of York, New York not only claimed that all the islands of the sound be- longed to her, but claimed also that under Q fair construction all that part of Connecticut flying west of the Connecticut river was con- veyed under the patent even the land that
 this new capitol of the state now stands on.
 AS for Fishers island he asserted that Con-
 necticut never had valid claim to it. Touch
 O
 most effective argument, Illustrating it by the
 keenest sort of humor. The line as drawn is
 satisfactory to the people in the western part
 of the state. The true state of the case he
 thought was shown during the perambula-
 tions of the commission In the town of Kent.
 There man and woman were met and were
 asked about the matter. The man kept si-
 lence and the woman did the talking She
 sad she liked to be connected with New York
 because they had good preacher there,
 much better one than they had in Connecticut.
 After she went into the house the man was
 asked why he kept still. He said he didn't
 care much fdf religion, but he liked good rum
 and he could get much better quality in New York than In Connecticut and he pre- ferred to remain there. (great laughter Where the line runs makes very little differ ence, because as it runs on the hill tops no one can find it. There is nothing there. When he was young man he used to hear 8 minis- ter pray who prayed for everything. and when he had covered all that he could think of he would close by saying, And now bless the desert lands where the foot of man has never | trod and which the eye of God has never seen." (Great laughter) A line could never be found on top of the mountains except by send ing boys up In balloons to drop plunmets
 down. To draw what is called straight line on the western border would face some houses in Connecticut and have their rears ia New York. and a widow with her right ef dover would be placed in awkward circumstances as to her rights in both states. Passing from this point of the discussion the speaker de- voted considerable time to a history of Fishers ! island, and showed that under the Winthrops | there was allegiance to New York as there had
 been since. All the sovereignty that had been needed over the islanu had been exercised by | the state of New York. He did not consider that there was any force in the claim that Con- l necticut was to be cut of from. it's marine league by the running of the line north of Fishers island. The trouble is that there is ! no league there; The almighty didn't estab- ! fish it. New York owns Fishers island and \ there is not distance enough between the main | land and the island to afford a marine lea gue. He discussed the question of titles and ! charters in most entertaining way, in answer | to the claim that i've ought to. have Fishers l island" Wehad Long Island once, but tie ! charter like others was revocable. i'Our late friend Uncas" used to deed the same land to | friends over and over again and take the mon- ey and get drunk with. The charter of Con l necticut would have beenrevoked and destroy Ted, but sharp, Yankee did it. The whole | speech was one of great force, .mingling | strength of argument with a fine quality of ! humor, and the house listened with close at- tention and enjoyment. In closing he elo- l quently urged the approval of the boundary
 ine which will establish permanently. along
 the great water highway one thirtieth the dis
 tance from New York to Queenstown Con-
 necticuts line, along which great ships will
 Sail. and we may wave adieus to passengers on
 their decks from our own shores. (Great ap- | plause). s.,--,.-s,- .j.sI,aaf eag han sno 1g IA -|L9 t5E as T a4Eo!s 7 /! NATURES SLUIeE-wAY. The Kidneys are
 natures sluice-way to wash out the debris of
 our constantly changing bodies. If they, do