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J/' OPINION OF ARBITRATORS.
The undersigned are requested by the States of Virginia
and Maryland to ascertain and determine the true line of
boundary between them. Having consented to do this in
the capacity of arbitrators, we are about to make our award.
To examine the voluminous evidence, historical, docu-
mentary, and oral, to hear with due attention the able and
elaborate arguments of counsel on both sides, and to con-
fer fully on the merits and demerits of this ancient contro-
versy, required all the time we bestowed on it.
The death of Governor Graham in the midst of our
labors was a great loss to the whole country-; but to us it
was a special misfortune, for it deprived us suddenly of the
industry, the talent, the wise judgment, and the scrupulous
intregity upon which we had relied so much, Though
these high qualities were fully supplied by his distinguished
successor, the vacancy, occurring when it did, set back our
proceedings nearly to the place of beginning acrd caused a
delay of almost a year.
Our first intention was to make a naked award without
any statement of the grounds upon which it rested; but
after more reflection it seemed that the weight of the cause,
the dignity of the parties, and the wide differences of opin-
ion, grown inveterate by centuries of hostile discussion,
made some explanation of our judgment desirable, if not
necessary.
The charter of Charles I to Cecilius, Baron of Baltimore,
dated June 20th, 1632, gave to the grantee dominion over
the territories described in it, and made him governor of
the colony afterwards planted there, with succession to his
heirs-at-law. These rights, proprietary as well as political,
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