Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-15
THE TENNESSEE LINE
SUIT TO HAVE IT PROMPTLY AND
PROPERLY Determined.
virginia Goes to the 'nited states su-
premo Court wh "a nm
In ChRuory.

A bill in chancory vii be presented in
thc Supreme Court Of u United States at
Washington tomorrow + Attorney. Gene
raj Ayers against the Site Of Tennessee,
md The Court will loo nscd TO issue pro-
CO.'S thereon.
70 rccites tho early tdtlcmcnt Of the
colonies Of Virginia lnt Carolina and
sketches their history rom that time until
tfry became sovereign States and members
az ihc American Unio,. and further sets
f.'h tho various act. agreements. and
rampact. under whch the controversies
between the States 10 relation TO their
boundary limos hav been rom time to
;.mc settled and adjusted.
How TKSNTssE WAS c1pYD.
Tho territory whd aftorwards became
t.e Sfafe of Tennessee was coded 70 the
United states by Norh Carolina IN 1889. A
decd conveying the overcign'Y and terri
i0rv to the United Safes was executed by
Der senators -Samut Johnston and Benla-
r.u Hawkins in 10 and the state of Ten
l.,.co was aimittc, into the Union IN 1896.
ln 1921 the state Of lrcluia and the State
CD. N9r,h Carolina passed concurrent acts
establishing Wakes hne. "a run IN lati-
faa-a5 degrees AM 30 minutes north, IA
f.r true liue between the States, and the
Constitution of th State OF Tennessee also
fvei Ihe northern boundary line # that
s-ifca q line du' west IN latitude 36 de-
.icc- and 80 miuJ,cs north.
DISPUTE.
However,. soomftcr Tennessee became n
s..fo she disputed tho accuracy Of tho
Walker line. claiming that II was not run
noon "a line in altitude 36 degrees and 20
minutes north. nd after considerable ne
collation. commissioners were appointed
hy both States. FuO ran limo cqui-hstant
between Wakes line, claimed by VIZ
luia. and lie dcrson's line, claimed ny
tennessee. Tbs line was Tcp0rtedtO OOth
,.fa.,.. and confirmed by concurrent acts
.r both States. jurisdiction was exercised
+.tI.s line bv 10th States until 1876, when
slice. rasscd acs rccitinc that the line had
l.. t..,., " tiI1s. the Improvement OF the
...r.trr uatiBil waste and destruction,
..H other Dai..s become indlstluct, I'M
certain. and III know n, so that many neon
.........~ .Ud difficulties occurred be-
........ t.e citizens OF the respective States
..l .. tr. administration Of the govern
,..t . tht two States. and appointing
.u.. . 1ir, 20 rerun and mark the line.
r.... l.r nIssionere acted and reported
... .. the General Assembly Of each
-... 10 state vf Virginia promptly
...,.-.lG the action of the commission
. a.I ntcd the State Of Tennessee TO
a.,..t her commissioners when len
...... & mot do, and from that time down
p. t.e pr .sout has rejected all overtures OF
f.. -.at, looking 10 a settlement OF the
"
TEVNEssTr RTFUsLD.
rr 1850 fhe General Assembly passed an
e.. a..tor.z'nc the Governor OF Virginia
.,r.er with the Governor II Tennessee
r.t. rfoieuce TO the boundary line, and
o.. proceed IN such other manner az he
r, tb deem Advisable. aud further author
NJ HIM go proceed by suit II necessary.
Governor TAYLOR has refused 20 entertain
n. proposition upon the subject, hence
.-llt is 10 be instituted.
OUR CLAIM.
The Grounds upon which the State OF
N.r-ui. bases her claim are;
chat tho State az Tennessee ~ eXer-
,,..rl jurisdiction over territory which be
lor..to Virginia under the agreement or
llnlG that the line has become entirely
unknown and must be definitely ascer-
tanned and fixed.
y That the limo west in latitude 36 de-
lrocs and so minutes north rs several miles
south Of the line to which Tennessee is eX-
,rcis.uE jurisdiction, and that the agree
llrit OF 1870 II NolA, l'''"u7' "a III ''''
tact ~ fixing the line and because the
agreement WAS not consented - 10y Con-
grcss and has never been ratified by IL.
WHAT CoyGIEss HAs TO DO WITH 1T.
Tho Supreme Court Of the United states
hae decided that such a compact Is only
valid when entered into with tine consent
of Congress, and this Judicial construction
i- supported by numerous acts of Congress
asseu tnctoanl rtifviug agreements made
between the states in regard 10 their boun-
diary lines. The acts of Congress rattylnS
tIe r1mnacts between tennessee and Ken
tu. et MD Virginia and Maryland are no.
t.f.. frs. ances Of this.
Ito .a.t is very important. M it involves
between two and three hundred square
~ .cs Of territory. and the result viii be
lr4tei with interest by the citizens OF
I.lft ~tl.as