The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-05-10
THE BOUNDARY.
The Story of the Great BoundaryDis-
pute Continued.


I. Jay in Cumberland News
OAKLAND, Md, May 3, 1894.
APPOINTMENT OF COMMISSIONERS
LEE AND M'DoNALD.
Under these acts the governor of
Maryland appointed Thomas j Lee
commissioner on the part of Mary
land, and the governor of Virginia
appointed Agnus Mcdonald on the
part of Virginia.
These commissioners, Lee and
Mcdonald, met at Washington city
August IS, 1858, and applied to the
Secretay of War for the service of
an officer of the United States en-
gineers to aid them IN the discharge
of their duties. The Secretary
promptly detailed Lieutenant n.
MichIer of the United States Topo-
graphical Engineers for that pur-
pose.
The commissioners with Lieu
tenant Michler, met at New Greek,
in Virginia, now Keyser, West Viz
ginia, and proceeded thence to Fair
fax stone, which was reached and
easily reconized in the - of Sept
ember, 1858.
MICHLER's LINE RUN.
Lieutenant Michler was first as
signed to work on the southern
boundary line, and it was not until
June, 1859, that he began surveying
the line from the Fairfax stone to
the Pennsylvania line. The work
was prosecuted during the remain,
der Of that year, and on the goth
of Decem Der, 1859, Lieut.. NIichler
made q report Of the work done, to
said commissioners; and therefore
the commissioners made a joint re-
port to the Legislature Of their res
pective States, transmitting there
with SAID report of Lieut.. Michler,
with the maps made by HIM and
the correspondence between said
commissioners.
This report and documents, to-
gether with message Of Coy. Wise,
Of Virginia, prepared before the ex-
piration Of his term Of office, was
transmitted to the Legislature of
Virginia by Governor Letcher, on
the 9th Of January, 1860, and the
whole is filed herewith as part Of
this answer, as the same was after
wards published in pamphlet form
marked: Defendant Exhibit j.
and the following named parts Of
the same is desired to be taken as
part Of this answer, viz:
The message of Governors Let
cher and Wise, pages 3 to Z inclu,
i've; joint report, pages 8 and O.;
the instruction to Lieut.. Michler
on page 13; Lieut.. hchler's report,
page Is and down to on page Is,
then from-on page % to the con-
clusion Of the report, page 81. 1t
appears from said message of Gov.
Wise that Commissioner Mcdonald
made special, separate report in
addition to the joint report re.
quired by both commissioners, but
the State of West Virginia says that
she has not been able to find said
report or any copy Of it.
The State of West Virginia also
files herewith as part Of this answer
marked "Defendant's Exhibit K"
a duly certified copy of the book
prepared by said commissioner Lee,
and is nowir the land Office of Mary
land containing the correspondence
between him and Mr.. Mcdonald,
and certain letters of his to the
Governor Of Maryland concerning
the boundary question.
COMMISSIONERS DISAGREE.
1t will appear from the above
mentioned message of Governor
Wise and the said correspondence
between the commissioners that they
differ as to the powers and duties
imposed on them by the acts of the
Legislatures under which they were
Mr.. Lee contended that they
''were simply directed to retrace
and mark certain boundary lines
named in the acts under which
they were appointed, and that the
Virginia act of March &c, 1853, es-
tablishing the commission acknowl-
edge and adopted the meridian line
from Fairfax stone to the southern
line of Pennsylvania as the bound
airy between the two States.
Mr.. Mcdonald contended that
the commissioners were authorized
to ascertain the true boundaries
and were not bound by the lines
specified in the act. And he claimed
that the charter of Maryland re-
quired the meridian line to be run
in order to obtain a starting point
in the 40 Of latitude and that the
boundary line was not to follow
from said starting point, the said
meridian, but to diverge southwest
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