The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-03-01

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West Virginia is wrongfulIv, unlaw-
fully and unconstitutionally in pos
session Of an exercising sovereign
jurisdiction and control over large
portion Of territory which under
the constitution and laws of Mary
land, the constitution and laws Of
West Virginia, and under the CON
stltution and laws of the United
States, of right belongs to and is Il
part of the territory of Maryland
and over which Maryland should
rightfully exercise sovereign juris-
diction and control. The State of
Maryland alleges that the true line
of her western boundary is a merid-
ian line running south to the first
or most distinct formation of the
Potomac and that such line is sew
eral miles south and west of the
hne which the State of West Vir-
ginia claims and to which the said
State is attempting to exercise terri
torlal jurisdiction, and that the
State OF West Virginia is in possess
sion of an unlawfully exercising
sovereign jurisdiction, authority
and control over a strip of land sew
eral miles wide and within the ter
ritorial jurisdiction of tae State of
Maryland.
1t is further represented unto
your Honors that the line referred
to in the charter as the western
boundary of Maryland should be
truly established so that the true
limit of the rightful jurisdiction of
either State should be distinctly de-
termined. Wherefore being with
out remedy on the law side Of this
court the State of Maryland prays
that the State OF West Virginia be
made party defendant to this bill
and that subpoena be issued and
served upon the proper officers of
the said State, and that it be re-
Gulred to answer the Legations
hereof. And that your Honors, by
proper orders and DEGREES, establish
the true boundary line bet~ cen the
State of Maryland and the State of
West Virginia at meridian line
running south from the 40th par
allel Of north latitude to the first
or most distinct fountain of the
Potomac in conformity with the an
cient chartered rights of this State
and the laws creating the State of
West Virginia and admitting it
into the Union; that the rights,
jurisdiction and sovereignty of the
State of Maryland to all the land
and territory with all its apper-
tenances now held and controlled
by the State Of West Virginia lying
within the line of the western boun-
Diary of the State of MARYLAND by
proper decree of this honorable
court, be restored and confirmed to
the State of Maryland; that the
State of Maryland be quieted in the
full and free enjoyment of its jur-
isdiction and sovereignty over the
same, and that the title, Junsdic-
tion and sovereignty of the State of
Maryland over the said territory be
confirmed and established by the
decree Of the court; that your Hon
ors grant the State Of MARYLAND
such other further and general re-
lief in the premises as the facts al
legged require at the hands of the
court and may seem consistent with
equity and good conscience.
THE state Of Nary7and By Vim.
Pint@ey Whyte, its Attorney Gen.
era1
Whilst the Legislature Of tie
State of Maryland, chapter 563,
only authorized the attorney gen.
eral to take steps to obtain a decis-
ion of the Supreme Court of the
United States to settle the contro-
versy between the States of Mary
land and West Virginia over and
concerning the boundary line be-
tween said States lying between
Garrett county, in the State of
MARYLAND, and Preston county, in
the State of West Virginia, vet
that officer as appears by the fore
going bill says nothing about that
line, but sets up different line or
claim to the South branch of the
Potomac and asks the court to set
tie that. The State of West Vir-
gina, as will be seen by its answer,
says our attorney general had no
authority to file such a bill as he
has filed, and seeks to take adyan-
tage of this want of authority. The
act seems to be very specific and re-
fers only to that part of the boun-
Diary line between Garrett and Pres
ton counties. Accompanying the
bill of complaint is a copy of the
charter Of Maryland and the act of
1890, under which the proceedings
were begun.
BLOOMINGTON.