Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1886-02-19

counted for upon the supposltlon
that they knew it to be hopeless.
If Maryland ever asserted the clalrn
seriously asserted it | mean it
must have been before the reyolu-
ton, or at least during it, when we
all know, she was jealous enough
of the extended territory of Viz
gina. The claim must have had its
origin before the compact between
the two states, of March. l7Sj, Il
Rev. Code, ch. 49, We then held
by the same boundary by which
we now hold /; we held to what zee
called and now call the Potomac :
she then held to what nee call the
Potomac. Is it possible to doubt
that this is the Potomac IecOgnis
ed by the compact That COM
pact is now forty-seven years old.
have diligently inquired wheth-
er, as the Potomac above the con-
luence Of the Shenandoah was
called the Cohongoroota, the stream
now called tue South branch of
the Potomac ever had any peculiar
name, known to and established
among the English settlers-for It
is we'll known it bore the Indian
name of WappacomO. | never
could learn that it was known by
any other name, but that which it
yet bears, the South branch of the
Potomac. Now that very name
of itself sufficiently evinces, that
it was regarded as a tributary
stream Of another river, and that
river the Potomac; and that the
river of which the South branch
was tributary, was regarded as the
main stream.
But let us for a moment concede
that the decision OF the king in
council was not absolutely conclu-
sive of the present question let us
concede that the long acquiescence
of Maryland in that adjustment has
not precluded a further discussion
of its merits let us even suppose
the compact Of 1885 thrown out of
view, with all the subsequent rec
ognitions of the present boundary
by the legislative acts of that state,
and the question between the two
streams now for the first time pre-
sented as an original question OF
preference what are the facts
/
upon which Maryland would rely
to show that any other stream,
than the one bearing the name, is
entitled to be regarded as the main
branch of the Potomac 1t were
idle to say that the South branch
is the Potomac, because the South
branch is a longer or even larger
stream than the North branch
which Virginia claims to hold by
According to that sort of reason
ing. the Missouri, above its con.
nuence with the Mississippi, is the
Mississippi, being beyond comparl-
son the longer and larger stream
The claim of the South branch,
then, would rest solely upon It's
great length. In opposition to this
| il might be said that the Cohon
goroota is more frequently naviga
ble-that it has a large volume o
water-that the valley OF the South
branch is, in the grand scale o.
conformation, secondary to that o.
the Potomac-that the South
branch has not the general direc
ton of that river, which it joins
nearly at right angles-that the
valley of the Potomac IS wider
than that of the South branch, aE
i, also the river broader than the
other. And lastly that the course
of the river and the direction Of
the valley are the same above and
below the junction of the South
branch. (See letters accompany
ing this report, No. 26.) These
considerations have been deemed
sufficient to establish the title tC
the "father Of waters" to the name
which he has so long borne. (Set
History and Geography OF Wes
tern States, vol. ., Missouri) Anc
as they exist in an equal extent
so should they equally confirm the
pre commence which the Cohongo
, roota has now for near century
{ so proudly and peacefully enjoyed
The claim Of Maryland to the ter
ritory in question, is by no means 81
reasonable as the claim of the grea
Frederick of Prussia to Sllesla
: which thatprince asserted and main
tanned, but which he tells us him
self he never would have though
of asserting, if his father had no
= left him an overhowing treasury
and powerful army.
With this brief historical retro
, spect, presented as explanatory o
the accompanying testimony, l will
now lay before your excellency, il
chronological order, a list OF th'
. documents and papers referred t
in my preceding observations.
No. /. Is the original grant from
) king James IL. to Thomas lord Cul
4 peper, made on the 9th Septem
+ Der, in the fourth year of his reign
No. 2. Copy of a letter from Maj
] Gooch, lieutenant governor OF Vlr
( ginia, to the lords commissioner