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The south boundary was originally run in 1823, and again in 1843-45, by a joint commission of the two States of Arkansas and Missouri. The same year the following treaty changed materially the western line of the Territory, placing it in its present position:

TREATY WITH THE CHEROKEE INDIANS MAY 28, 1828.

ARTICLE 1. The western boundary of Arkansas shall be, and the same is, hereby defined, viz: A line shall be run, commencing on Red River at the point where the Eastern Choctaw line strikes said river, and run due north with said line to the river Arkansas; thence in a line to the southwest corner of Missouri.

The Eastern Choctaw line, referred to above, starts on the Arkansas River "one hundred paces west of Fort Smith, and thence due south to the Red River." (Treaty with Choctaw Nation, January 20, 1825.)

This part of the west boundary was run and marked in 1825, and that part from Fort Smith to the southwestern corner of Missouri in 1831. The entire western boundary was resurveyed and re-marked in 1877. Arkansas was admitted as a State June 15, 1836.

The following extracts from the enabling act, and from various constitutions, give statements of the boundaries, differing slightly from one another, but, for the most part, only in wording:

CONSTITUTION OF ARKANSAS, 1836.

Beginning in the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River on the parallel of 36 degrees north latitude; running from thence west with the parallel of latitude to the Saint Francis River; thence up the middle of the main channel of said river to the parallel of thirty-six degrees thirty minutes north; from 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 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 Mexican boundary line to the northwest corner of the State of Louisiana; thence east by 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.

Again, in the enabling act for Arkansas, 1836 (Twenty-fourth Congress, first session), the boundaries are found to be defined as follows: Beginning in the middle of the main channel of the Mississippi River, on the parallel of thirty-six degrees north latitude, running from thence west, with the said parallel of 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; from 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, by the line described in the first article of the treaty between the United States and the Cherokee Nation of Indians, west of the Mississippi, made and concluded at the city of Washington, on the twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight; and to be bounded on the south side of Red river by the Mexican boundary line 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 the said river to the thirty-sixth degree of north latitude, the point of beginning.

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 360 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 south west 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 lastnamed 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 Carolina. (For further information vide North Carolina, p. 98.)

In 1790 it was ceded to the United States. Its boundaries described in the act of cession 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."

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