Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1895-01-09
HAYWOOD'S
HISTORY OF TENNESSEE.
CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK.

order ensued the running of these two
lines; between them the authority of
either State was not established; the
validity of process from either State
was not acknowledged; entries for the
interstitial lands were made in the land
offices of both States, and grants issued
from both States. Crimes committed
between the two lines could not be
punished by either State, because in
every indictment the place where, was
material. averment, as also, it was to
set forth the county and State in which
it lay. Such state of society could
not long be endured, and the State of
Virginia applied to North Carolina in
1883, to remedy these evils by the es-
tablishment of Walkers line. The AS.
sembly of North Carolina which began
its session ut Fayetteville, on the I'd of
November, 1889, and rose on the 22d of
December, referred to committee the
letter of the Governor of Virginia on
this subject; they reported, that it
was proposed on the part of Virginia,
that the line, commonly called Walkers 8
line, be established as the boundary
between the two States. Should this
proposal not be acceptable to North
Carolina, then they will appoint COM
missioners to meet any persons who
may be appointed on the part of North
Carolina, empowered to confer on the
propriety OF establishing Walkers or
Henderson s line, and to report their
proceedings to the Legislature IF their
respective States. They then state the
facts relative to the running of the two
lines, and of Walkers line to the Ten
nessee, and of marking its termin alton
on the Mississippi, and proceeds; "as
the difference between said lines could
be only two miles, running most of the
distance through noun famous, barren
country, and as they have great reason
to believe, from the information of
Gen. Smith, that the line commonly
called Walkers line, is the true one,
your committee are of opinion that the
object is not worth the expense of send
ing commissioners to confer on the pro.
priety of establishing Henderson s line,
in preference to that of any other; and
do recommend that law he passed
confirming and establishing the line,
commonly called Walkers line, as the
boundary between North Carolina and
Virginia, with a reservation in favor of
the oldest grants from either State, in
deciding the rights of individual claim
ants on the tract between the two lines,
commonly called Walkers and Hen
derson 8; signed, Thos. Person, Chair
man." This report was concurred with
by both Houses of the Legislature; at
least so it is stated to have been, by the
next report made upon the subject. In
the House of Commons, on the 11.h of
December, 1900, the committee to whom
the letter from the Governor of Vir-
ginia, on the boundary line between
North Carolina and the State of Vir-
glnia was referred, reported, THAT in
the opinion of your committee, the
boundary line between North Carolina
and Virginia, be confirmed agreeably
to the report of committee concurred
with by both houses, last session of as
sembly; and that law be assed con-
firming the line, commonly called
Walkers line, as the boundary between
the States of North Carolina and Vir-
ginia, reserving the rights of the oldest
patents, grants or entries made in either
of the States; all which is submitted; !;
signed, Thos. Person, Chairman. On
the l1th of December, 1890, this report
was concurred in by both houses.
On the 9TH of December, 1901, the
Assembly of Virginia, having received
official information that the Legislature
of North Carolina had resolved to es-
tablish the line, commonly called
Walkers line, as the boundary between
North Carolina and Virginia, therefore
enacted, that the line, commonly called
Walkers line, shall be, and is hereby
declared to be the boundary line of
this State. AS these proceedings were
after the cession act, and the latter of
them after the date of the deed made
by the North Carolina Senators in Con-
gress, ceding to the United States the
western territory, they were not recog-
nized by the State of Tennessee as valid.
On the 18th of November, 1901, the
Assembly of Tennessee, by an actpassed
foi the purpose, authorizing the Gov
ernor to appoint commissioners to meet
Others appointed or to be appointed on
the part of Virginia, to take the 1ati-
tude and run the line Commissioners
were appointed for the same purpose
by the State of Virginia. They all met
at Cumberland Gap, and Oh the 18th of
December, 1902, came to an agreement,
which they reduced to writing, and
signed and sealed, in pursuance of
which they ran the dividing line be.
tween the two States. The agreement
and the line run in pursuance of it,
both States confirmed by an act OF their
respective Legislatures. The act of the
State of Tennessee, was passed on the
Sd of November, 1903, and that of Vir-
ginia in the same year. Joseph Martin,
Creed Taylor and Peter Johnston, were
the commissioners on the part of Vir-