The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 8 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 8 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
_Virginia_ is bounded on the east by the Atlantic; on the north
by a line of latitude crossing the eastern shore through Watkin's
Point, being about 37° 57' north latitude; from thence by a
straight line to Cinquac, near the mouth of Potomac; thence by
the Potomac, which is common to Virginia and Maryland, to the
first fountain of its northern branch; thence by a meridian line,
passing through that fountain till it intersects a line running
east and west, in latitude 39° 43' 42.4" which divides Maryland
from Pennsylvania, and which was marked by Messrs.
Mason and Dixon; thence by that line, and a continuation of
it westwardly to the completion of five degrees of longitude
from the eastern boundary of Pennsylvania, in the same latitude,
and thence by a meridian line to the Ohio; on the west
by the Ohio and Mississippi, to latitude 36° 30' north, and
on the south by the line of latitude last mentioned. By admeasurements
through nearly the whole of this last line, and
supplying the unmeasured parts from good data, the Atlantic
and Mississippi are found in this latitude to be seven hundred
and fifty-eight miles distant, equal to 30° 38' of longitude,
reckoning fifty-five miles and three thousand one hundred and
forty-four feet to the degree. This being our comprehension
of longitude, that of our latitude, taken between this and Mason
and Dixon's line, is 3° 13' 42.4" equal to two hundred and
twenty-three and one-third miles, supposing a degree of a great
circle to be sixty-nine miles, eight hundred and sixty-four feet,
as computed by Cassini. These boundaries include an area
somewhat triangular of one hundred and twenty-one thousand
five hundred and twenty-five square miles, whereof seventy-nine
thousand six hundred and fifty lie westward of the Alleghany
mountains, and fifty-seven thousand and thirty-four westward of
the meridian of the mouth of the Great Kanhaway. This State
is therefore one-third larger than the islands of Great Britain and
Ireland, which are reckoned at eighty-eight thousand three hundred
and fifty-seven square miles.
These limits result from, 1. The ancient charters from the
crown of England. 2. The grant of Maryland to the Lord
Baltimore, and the subsequent determinations of the British court
as to the extent of that grant. 3. The grant of Pennsylvania
to William Penn, and a compact between the general assemblies
of the commonwealths of Virginia and Pennsylvania as to the
extent of that grant. 4. The grant of Carolina, and actual location
of its northern boundary, by consent of both parties.
5. The treaty of Paris of 1763. 6. The confirmation of the
charters of the neighboring States by the convention of _Virginia_
at the time of constituting their commonwealth. 7. The
cession made by _Virginia_ to Congress of all the lands to which
they had title on the north side of the Ohio.
QUERY II.
_A notice of its rivers, rivulets, and how far they are navigable?_
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