Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1882-01-31
MIS ELLAREeUs,
THE SOUTHWESTERN ANDWEsT
ERN BOUNDARIES OF
MARYLAND,

hhh DANUI
There is between Maryla1d aud West yir.
ginia question of disputed boundary d..ipp
back TO the grant nladc by Charles III in
May, 1869, to the Earl of ST Alhaps. Lord
berkeley, Sir Wm. Morton and John n
IrethSWsy or lands lying 6etwaen the Ran.
pahsnnock and P0tGnae rivers This yrsut
was subsequently vested by King james II
IN ThmrnaH. Lord Gulpeper. and from HIM
BY the nsrTIHgo of his daughter to Lord
Fairfax, passed into the Fairfax family. The
geography of this country was no, well up
deTstood at tbs tine, aud the northern and
western limits of the Fairfax 9omaia were
rather ind fnitely defined rs following the
south side IF ire Potcri0c to its head There
are tw" hesd7 "t this river. however. one thu,
of the North Branch. and the other, and the
mo-t He'tern, that of the Seurh Branch. in.
ctuiIng hetween thom haif n mil!ina acres Of
fertile land, constituting Mineral. Grant and
parts OF Iendietoo, Hardy sBd H4espahire
counties. If the South Branch Of the P,to-
mae be taken tho boundary at the Gull
pepper cIaRl, ii ia evident that West Virpipi.
Will lose valuable alice Of territory aud Eni
her access to tho counties of Merga1, Berk.
eIey aud Jefferson reduced to s eounn.r,,iv-.
~ narrow strip having z very strs ggiire out
line. Maryland claims this territory rodar
the terms of Lord Baltimore's charter. which
called tor All the iagd to the frat fnun.aio
OF the Potorlsc." Assuming it to be fsir To
olSIm the WcsternE EInst head of tho river -
IT. ''hrSt fountain, Lord Baltimore earIy laid
claim tc sli the land extending to the herd
OF the South BrRach o! tae Potomac ,pJ
protested against the action Of the Vir.ipi.
clslD.nts who hsd undertaken to defo. hi.
limits By grsE;iug land. 60 the North Branch
There was nothing practical done 70 throw
iIght upon the matter cnGer dispute until
lri, when an e=aniH alton xHd survey of
both 6rea chos of the Potomac Eas made bv
Col IhoD1 Greasy, under tho direction RI
tns proprietary, aud he decided thst The
South Branch had the Einat vr5tern source
aod was therefore "the fy.t fountain" " This
point being sEeerteined the western baurdarv
OF Maryland visa Of Course to be run upon
meridian passing through it The French
wars, the revolution and other causes intnr-
vened to Prevco; Ga early settlement of the
question, and the southwestern and copgs>
quently the Western limit of tho S,ste re.
NAMED undetermined Up to 1878. when
Maryland wezTicd out wIth her eEort+ .rrecd
to adopt the source Of the North BrsBch as
the initial point of the western lice, and pro
Posed to Virginia q commission empowered
TO settle the dispute On tho basic Of such cons
cession. Virginia responded TO the pronosi.
ton in form but not ia fact, &c her instYue-
tiQns to her commissioners left nothinp oman
to negotiation They we're directed "a COM
mehce the Western boundary at eertEin s,oua
planted by Lord Fsirf,z, instead of at q ro,pt
to be determined by fair examination. The
JOINT commission met on tho hssd>vatsrs of
the South Branch in the suE1s1er of 1924
when the contradictory nature Of the ins,ruc
ha
either State setca being Uncovered, thei- IA.
bors were discoutiared Fairfex's Stone wss
not in fact at the extreme wesrsrn source Of
the North Branch The negotiation re.uI,od
10 nothing hsry'and's offer to reIiDuuish
her claIns t. the territory under disuute on
certain conditions Was not accepted. and the
whole matter was loft where it uas before. to
be settled upnn It's merits. Nothing further
has been done TO define properly M.ryIand's
chartered lfmits. Col ScLsrF. in his for,h-
Coming History of Western Marylsrd. in
treating on this subject, qun,es tho opinion
Q: the !ate distinguished lEwyer and kistnrisn
John Mcmahon zho though, tkers
were two ways Of proceeding by which Marz-
land might recaVer- from a sovereign sister
State the large territory in question One Of
thsso-a direct one-Would be by bill rr.y>
log question as to boundary to be gois,ed
''0 ''S''S'' H@OiC lbNEectg NoU!G De Cg
issue in q suit for land granted hy MARYLAND
within the disputed territory lit boipp
then case Of conflicting claims under grants
OF different States. it might be ct once tr.p,.
ierred TO the propsr Circuit Court Of the
United States. and thence to the Supreme
Court for final determinations Yves; Vir,
einIa, If her OVID title to existence be mn.
Questioned: inighs. perhaps, rest her claim to
the half'niilion of acres involved upon the
nature OF the act of her creation. bzt if sbe
hoidS oy trsnsn i'SiOn from Virgins, her
title can be no bette. thas ,hs. If w..
was-by prior occupancy .sd long eopt;nnsd
possession. At al events the question ia ,
very interesting one.
baltimore Sna. Jan l3.
Young men take care. The N. Gam.
merc'nt A6Uerfiser says there are so 600
ihlots IN the United States, and they all stand
al church doors waiting for the Young ladies'