Maryland

One of the thirteen original states of the Union. The territory of Maryland was Included in the grants previously made to companies formed for the settlement of Virginia. Out of these Virginia grants Maryland was granted by Charles the First, on the 20th of June, 1632, to Cecilius Calvert, Bar* on of Baltimore. The first settlement under the authority of Lord Baltimore was made on the 27th of March, 1634, in what is now St. Mary's county. Some settlements were previously made on Kent Island, under the authority of Virginia. During its colonial period, Maryland was governed, with slight interruptions, by the lord proprietary, under its charter. In Cromwell's time the government of Maryland was assumed by commissioners acting under the commonwealth of England; but in a few years Lord Baltimore was restored to his full powers, and remained undisturbed until the revolution of 1688, when the government was seized by the crown, and The territorial limits of Maryland were somewhat obscurely described in the charter; and long disputes, arose about the boundaries, in the adjustment of which this state was reduced to her present limits. The lines dividing Maryland from Pennsylvania and Delaware were fixed under an agreement between Thomas and Richard Penn and Lord Baltimore. See Dblawabb. By this agreement, the rights of grantees under the respective proprietaries were saved, and provision made for confirming the titles by the government in whose jurisdiction the lands granted were situated. The boundary between Maryland and Virginia has never been finally settled. Maryland claimed to the south branch of the Potomac; but Virginia has hold to the north branch,* and exercised jurisdiction up to that line. The rights of the citizens of the respective states to fish and navigate the waters which divide Maryland and Virginia were fixed by compact between the two states in 1785. The first constitution of this state was adopted on the eighth day of November, 1776. Subsequent constitutions were adopted in 1851 and 1864. The present constitution was adopted in 1867 and went into operations on the fifth of October in that year. An amendment adopted in 1912 authorized the legislature to abolish the punishment of voters who sell their votes, and to plac^ the penalty on the vote buyer only. * MASON AND DIXON’S LINE. The boundary line between Pennsylvania on the north and Maryland on the south, celebrated before the extinction of slavery as the line of demarcation between the slave and the free states. It was run by Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, commissioners in a dispute between the Penn I’roprietors and Lord Baltimore. The line was carried 244 miles from the Delaware river where it was stopped by Indians. A resurv^ey was made in 1849, and in 1900 a new survey was authorized by the two states.