In the constitution of 1864 the boundaries are defined as follows: Beginning in the middle of the Mississippi River, on the parallel of thirty-six degrees north latitude, to the St. Francis River; thence up the middle of the main channel of said river to the parallel of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes north; thence west to the southwest corner of the State of Missouri; and from thence to be bounded on the west to the north bank of Red River, as by acts of Congress of the United States, and the treaties heretofore defining the western limits of the Territory of Arkansas; and to be bounded on the south side of Red River by the boundary line of the State of Texas, to the northwest corner of the State of Louisiana; thence east with the Louisiana State line to the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River; thence up the middle of the main channel of said river to the thirty-sixth degree of north latitude, the point of beginning. The constitution of 1868 differs but slightly from the last. It is as follows: Beginning at the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River, on the parallel of 36° north latitude, running from thence west, with the said parallel of latitude, to the Saint Francis River; thence up the middle of the main channel of said river to the parallel of 36° 30′ north; from thence west with the boundary line of the State of Missouri to the southwest corner of that State; and thence to be bounded on the west to the north bank of Red River, as by acts of Congress and treaties heretofore defining the western limits of the Territory of Arkansas; and to be bounded on the south side of Red River by the boundary line of the State of Texas to the northwest corner of the State of Louisiana; thence east with the Louisiana State line to the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River; thence up the middle of the main channel of said river, including an island in said river known as "Belle Point Island," to the 36° of north latitude, the place of beginning. In the constitution of 1874 there are again slight differences, mainly in wording: Beginning at the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River, on the parallel of thirty-six degrees of north latitude; running thence west with said parallel of latitude to the middle of the main channel of the Saint Francis River; thence up the main channel of said last-named river to the parallel of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes of north latitude; thence west with the southern boundary line of the State of Missouri to the southwest corner of said last-named State; thence to be bounded on the west to the north bank of Red River, as by act of Congress and treaties existing January 1, 1837, defining the western limits of the Territory of Arkansas and to be bounded across and south of Red River by the boundary line of the State of Texas as far as to the northwest corner of the State of Louisiana; thence easterly with the northern boundary line of said last-named State, to the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River; thence up the middle of the main channel of said last-named river, including an island in said river known as "Belle Point Island," and all other land originally surveyed and included as a part of the Territory or State of Arkansas to the thirty-sixth degree of north latitude, the place of beginning. TENNESSEE. Tennessee was originally a part of North Corolina. (For further information vide North Carolina, p. 99.) In 1790 it was ceded to the United States. Its boundaries described in the act of cessian are, substantially, those of the present day. On June 1, 1796, by an act of Congress it was admitted into the Union. The act of admission declares its boundaries as "All the territory ceded by North Carolina." (For the history of the eastern boundary, vide North Carolina, p. 99; for the southern boundary, vide Georgia, p. 104, Alabama, p. 109, and Mississippi, p. 110.) The Mississippi River forms its western boundary under the treaty of peace of 1783. The line which divided Virginia and North Carolina was the southern boundary of Kentucky. Virginia and North Carolina, prior to the creation of the States of Kentucky and Tennessee, appointed commissioners Messrs. Walker and Henderson-to run and mark the line on the parallel of latitude 36° 30'. From a point on the top of the Cumberland Mountains, now the southeastern corner of Kentucky, Walker ran and marked the line to a point on the Tennessee River. This line, called Walker's line, was regarded for many years as the dividing line between Kentucky and Tennessee. It was ascertained, however, that Walker's line was north of latitude 36° 30'. The Indian title to the land west of the Tennessee River being extinguished by the treaty of 1819, the legislature appointed Robert Alexander and Luke Munsell to ascertain the true point of latitude 36° 30' on the Mississippi River, and to run and mark a line east on that parallel, which was done as far east as the Tennessee River. (For above, see Gen. Stat. Ky., 1873, p. 167.) In 1820 commissioners were appointed by Kentucky and Tennessee, respectively, to settle the boundary. Their report was ratified, and is as follows, viz: ART. I. The line of boundary and separation between the States of Kentucky and Tennessee shall be as follows, viz: The line run by the Virginia commissioners in the year 1779-80, commonly called Walker's line, as the same is reputed, understood, and acted upon by the said States, their respective officers and citizens, from the southeastern corner of Kentucky to the Tennessee River; thence with and up said river to the point where the line of Alexander and Munsell, run by them in the last year under the authority of an act of the legislature of Kentucky entitled "An act to run the boundary line between this State and the State of Tennessee, west of the Tennessee River, approved Feb. 8, 1819," would cross said river, and thence with the said line of Alexander and Munsell to the termination thereof on the Mississippi River below New Madrid. Then follow nine other articles. Article III provides for running and marking the line at any subsequent time. (See General Stat. Kentucky, page 170.) In 1858-59 commissioners were appointed by Kentucky and Tennessee to run this line. The detailed report of the commission on the part of Tennessee can be found in Statutes of Tennessee, 1871, Vol. I, pages 223-243, giving courses, bearings, milestones erected, and a map of the boundary. |