This Line remained thus unsettled, until after the conclusion of the American war. Mr. Rittenhouse and Captain Holland having previously established the North-Eastern Corner of Pennsylvania, on that boundary, by ascertaining and marking thereon the beginning of the 43° of North latitude, the Pennsylvania Legislature, on the 31st of March, 1785, enacted a law, authorizing the Executive of the State to appoint a Commissioner, in conjunction with one or more on the part of New-York, to run and complete the Line. The person selected for this service by Pennsylvania, in addition to Mr. Rittenhouse, was Andrew Ellicott, Esq. an able Mathematician and Astronomer, and well qualified also, by his practical knowledge of Surveying or Land-Mensuration: this gentleman was accordingly commissioned[174] by the hon. Charles Biddle, Esquire, then Vice-President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, on the 16th of June, 1786.[175] The Commissioners on the part of New-York, were James Clinton and Simeon De Witt, Esquires: And by these gentlemen, appointed on behalf of their respective governments, this business was prosecuted; but it was not then completed.[176] ----- Footnote 174: Although Mr. Ellicott’s commission bears date the 16th of June, 1786, his appointment took place some months sooner. On the 3d of April, in that year, Mr. Rittenhouse wrote him thus:— “Dear Sir, “By direction of Council” (the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania,) “I wrote some time ago to the gentlemen appointed by the state of New-York for running the northern boundary of this state. I have received their answer; which is, that they will meet us at Philadelphia on the 20th of this month, in order to concert measures for carrying that business into execution. It will be necessary for you to attend, and I shall confidently expect you—’till then, I must defer many things I have to say to and settle with you: perhaps copying the Nautical Almanack may wait until I see you. Hurry of business will not permit me add more, than that I am, Dear Sir, Your very humble serv’t. DAV. RITTENHOUSE.” “ANDREW ELLICOTT, Esq. Baltimore.” And on the 29th of September, in the succeeding year, he addressed another letter on the subject of this boundary, to Messrs. Ellicott and Porter, jointly; wherein he says: “Your packet came safe to hand, about three weeks after the date of the letters. I am much obliged to you for the intelligence it contains; you have succeeded beyond my expectation, and I have no longer any doubt of your completing the line this season. I should have been glad, if, to the account of your work, you had added some description of the country: but my curiosity must wait till your return.”