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pressed his surprise "that the executive and legislature
of Virginia have remained uzzapprised at so late a date of
any pretensions of the State of Maryland to a different
boundary between them than that which had hitherto been
permitted to subsist."'8 Governor Mercer afterwards
became a member of the House of Delegates and, in i$o3,
he made a report in that Assembly touching the boun-
dary. He regarded it as evident that Virginia would pass
no measure admitting a discussion of the claim to the
land between the two forks of the Potomac. There ap-
peared to him no possible settlement until loth states
agreed as to the main branch. He says "as the Commit-
tee are furnished with evidence satisfactory to them, that
a source of the northern branch had been discovered some
distance further to the westward than that which has been
hitherto reputed the corner south boundary of the state,
which consequently, in a line running due north for more
than thirty miles, till it intersects the Pennsylvania line
might add considerably, not only to the jurisdiction but
also to the property of the state." '°
A temporary line running from the most westerly
source of the north branch was proposed by Mercer but
no action was taken. The suggestion of the former Gover-
nor does not seem to have received the attention due it, for
after fifteen years had passed, his conditions were offered
by Maryland to Virginia.
In i8i$, an act was passed in Maryland providing for
the afpaintment of commissioners (conditional on Vir-
ginia doing the same), to "commence at the most western
source of the north branch of the Potomac River and to
run a due north course." Also to adjust conflicting
claims to terntary.5o The primary importance of this
's B. 8. Pigrnan's report on the boundary. 1834, Appendix. `< Laws
of Maryland, F$3I, Resolution 128.
" John F. Mercer's report on the boundary in Maryland House of
Delegdtes, November Sess., p. b5, i8o3.
p ,~ Laws of Maryland," t8i8, eh. ao6.
In i8io another feeble attempt wasmade to effect an adjustment.
Maryland virtually repeated her sct of i$ot which provided for the
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