54 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Jan. 19,

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Annapolis, June 10th, 1875.

GENTLEMEN:—Yours of the 8th inst, has been carefully
considered by me. I am not surprised to find, that you are
reluctant to accept the position of counsel to represent the
State of Maryland, before the arbitrators selected to ascer-
tain and fix the boundary line between the States of Virginia
and Maryland, without first having some positive agreement
as te the compensation hereafter to be allowed you by our State
which would relieve you from "the humiliation of standing
at the legislative doors, chaffering for a fee." I am fully
aware that the proper preparation of the State's case for pre-
sentation before the arbitrators is likely to require of you
much laborious research, and that much time will probably
be consumed, and heavy personal expenses incurred by you,
in attending, until the whole case of each State has been
fully before them, the meetings of the arbitrators (which it
is safe to assume, will be held in some place or places, other
than Baltimore;) and I was largely influenced in my deter-
mination to tender to you the position of counsel, betore the
arbitrators, by my knowledge that if you accepted that im-
portant and honorable trust, yon would ably maintain -every
just claim of our State, regardless of the labor, loss of time
and personal expense to which you would be subjected in re-
sisting the enlarged demands of the State of Virginia. In
view, therefore, of the importance of the questions to be
passed upon by the arbitrators, and of the time and labor,
which must necessarily be expended in properly preparing
them for presentation, and in presenting them to the arbi-
trators.

I think, that the fee of five thousand dollars, ($5,000)
each, which you suggest, is a reasonable one, and while I
am unwilling, in view of the provisions of the Act of 1874,
chapter 295, to enter into any formal contract with you, by
which I might seem to endeavor to forestall the action of the
Legislature, I unhesitatingly promise, if you accept the posi-
tion tendered, and discharge the duties incident thereto, to
recommend to the Legislature the payment of that sum, as a
reasonable amount for the services, loss of time and expenses
incurred by you in the discharge of said duties. Hoping
that you will not longer hesitate to accept the trust tendered
you.

I am, gentlemen, very truly,

Tour obedient servant,

JAMES B. GROOME.

Which was read and referred to the Joint Committee on
Boundary Line.