The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-03-10
THE BOUNDARY DISPUTE.

The Controversy Has Been Pending Over Century
And not Settled Yet.
Ex-Gov. VIM. Pinkney Whyte said
yesterday speaking of Maryland and
West Virginia boundary: "The answer
filed in the Supreme Court of the Uni
ted States by West Virginia to the bill
filed by me is resume of the claims
of the State of Virginia before its dis
memberment, and is the same argu-
ment heretofore advanced by the State
of West Virginia. The controversy
has been pending about century, and
it is doubtful when it can be finally
closed, as the proceedings in the SUI
preme Court is a suit in equity on the
original side of that court. The taking
of testimony will involve vast amount
of labor.
st was in view of the long delay
which was certain to follow a suit in
the United States Supreme Court and
the enormous consumption of time in
securing the evidence that | urged the
Maryland Legislature of 1888 to agree
to an arbitration of the differences be-
tween West Virginia and Maryland,
precisely us had been done in regard
to the southern boundary between Vir-
ginia and Maryland, and for that pur-
pose / submitted to that Legislature a
bill providing for such arbitration.
The Legislature rejected the PROPOSE
ton and nothing was done until 1890,
when law was passed directing the
Encouragement to bring a suit III the
Supreme Court to settle the boundary
dispute.
at is probable that had the arbitra-
ton plan been successful the whole
dispute would now have been settled.
The bill was filed by me, containing,
in the concrete, the claim of Maryland
that its boundary is the South Branch
of the Potomac, which has given the
West Virginians as much concern as
the claim that Maryland's southern
boundary was the south bank of the
Potomac gave to the old Virginians.
The arbitrators decided Maryland's
claim to be correct.
"'The case as it now stands between
the States is not only a serious one,
but one involving so much that the
representatives of Maryland should
see that the States interest are fully
protected West Virginia has employ
ed Messrs. Price and Flournoy, two of
the ablest of her lawyers, as special
counsel to aid Acknowledgement Cald-
well, but when it was proposed in the
Senate of Maryland in 1892 to secure
counsel to aid Attorney-General Poe
the proposition was defeated on the
ground that the attorney general need
ed no aid 1t is possible that the Leg
islature of 1894 may come to a differ
en- conclusion when the attorney-gen-
eral shall discover the job he has be-
fore him.
SIN connection with this question
the letter of Daniel Dulany to Charles,
Nord Baltimore,) which has not been
published, think, dated Annapolis,
July 81, 1744, will throw some light
on the antiquity of Maryland's claim.
The letter was as follows: Since my
last letter of 10th inst, | have heard
Of a thing in which your lordsbip's in
terests is much concerned. The Po-
tomac river above the mountains is
divided into two large branches, Of
which the South Branch is the largest
and the longest, and, as | am inform
ed, the main brach, and consequently
your lordship's boundary. Between
these branches is great body of fine
land, upon which several people have
been encouraged to settle by the gov
eminent of Virginia. 1t will not be
difficult to remove these intruders or
induce them to become your lordship's
tenants, provided they are not suffer
ing to establish themselves. but if they
are. it may be attended with great diff
ficulty. n-Baltim0re San.