The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-04-05
THE BOUNDARY.
The Story of the Great Boundary Dis
pute Continued.

+.
| give below continuation of the
boundary line discussion as shown
by the proceedings in the Supreme
Court of the United States. The
correspondence given IN this letter
throws much light upon the great
question as to whether the head of
the North Branch or the source of
the South Branch is the first foun-
tain of the Potomac river called
for in the charter of Maryland.
LORD BALTIMORE DECLINES TO
REoPET THE QUESTION.
Charles Lord Baltimore was suc-
ceeded in about 1872 by Frederick
Lord Baltimore, and in 1853 he
appointed Horatio Sharpe governor
Of the colony of Maryland. At that
time Lord Baltimore was in the
midst of his controversy with Penn
in regard to the boundary line be-
tween Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Penn was claiming the right to ter
ritorv lying south of the 400 parallel,
and Baltimore was vigorously resist
ing his clam, and as his charter
was the older insisted on holding
up to that degree of latitude accor-
ding to calls of his charter. But
she king was favoring Penn, and 1t
seems had ordered u temporary line
to run for the peace of the two pro-
Yinces.
Baltimore was very anxious that
this line should be north of the
heads of the Potomac and other
rivers flowing into the Chesapeake
bay: otherwise the Pennsylvanians
would claim the right to navigate
these rivers. Gov. Sharpe had evil
IDENTIFY been instructed t, inquire
into those matters, and in the cor
respondence between Sharpe and
Baltimore in relation to the matter
the former made the first suggestion
that was ever made so far as appears
to the respondent, that a mistake
had been made by the king in fixing
upon the North instead of the South
Branch of the Potomac river. and
he endeavored to get Lord Balti-
mors to reopen that question.
But the latter declined to do so
uuIess both Lord Fairfax and the
governor and colony Of Virginia
would consent to it, This consent
was not obtained and consequently
no action was taken by Baltimore.
all Of which will more clearly and
fully appear from the corrPspon-
dence between Governor Sharpe
and Lord Blltinore. which is pub
lished in the "Archives Of Mary
land" in the volume entitled Cor
respondrnce of Governor Sharpe
1853 1857" The following ab-
stracts from said correspondence
sustain the correctness of the above
statements
CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN BALTI-
MORE AND GOVERNOR SHARPE.
In letter from Sharpe to Cecil
Jus Calvert (the secretary of Lord
Baltimore, it it is presumed) dated
August 20, 1853, speaking Of the
Pennsylvania boundary matter
Sharpe saws:
cit is to be observed that the
temporary line is drawn fifteen
miles south of the most southern
part of Philadelphia which takes
away from his lordship much good
land"
1t would be of great advantage
and is much to be wished you could
continue the line due north (afte,
it has turned the circle) to 400 or at
least $50 So. A line due north on
that latitude will run little north
Of one of the bendings OF the Poto-
mac. Much depends thereon in
respect to the boundary which Lord
Fairfax, for by what | have yet seen
| doubt that branch which rams
about 500 west of the Allegany
mountains will be deemed the foun-
tain head of the Potomac and is TO
be desirel if there be considerable
looser according to his first grant
nor will you then be within fifteen
miles of Philadelphia. although to
the northwi.rd of the latitude there
Of 1t is impossible to fix how far
north would be good boundary for
Maryland, on account of the uncer-
talnty of the draughts and imprac-
tiblity of making observations and
remarks necessary for that advice.
| can only say what YOU know tn 1t
the more northward the better"
[pages and 2
Letter from Sharpe 60 Calvert.
September IA, 1853, page 5, speaks
of Mr.. Emory's return from run
ming the north line, and sends
Emory's plat with his remarks and
observations. In his remarks he
says: "The north line will not
touch the heads of any rivers, nor
will the circle around Newcastle, us