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132 Correspondence of Governor Sharpe.
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Calvert
Papers.
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possess persons of any Surplusage Land wh they hold by
Patents in wh such Land is described by Natural Boundaries,
tho the Patent shoud err considerably in the Numbers of Acres
contained therein " The Dispossession is difficult & will be
very Expensive to force from those who hold Surplus tracts of
Land under Extensive old Patents, who as you observe "Will
never Resurvey the same upon the Conditions that are at
present insisted on by the Agent before he Grants Warrant of
Resurvey as he requires the Arrerages of such Surplus from
the date of the Patent" The Remedy you propose to adjust
between My Lord & such Tenants seems to me prudent &
judicious Vizt "to Permit the Patentee to have Warrant of
Resurvey for his Land upon condition he shall pay for the
Surplus henceforward at the Original reserved Rent" It will
be an immediate Increase of his Lordps Revenue by Quit Rent
much to his Advantage, & will set out the vacant Land not
granted in the County. But of this matter for the present, has
from hence no Direction, you informing on Consultation with
Mr Lloyd you will write more particular thereon.
Concerng Indian Lands on the East shore, reference to the
Acts for Quieting the Possessions of the Indians inhabiting on
Nanticoke & Choptank Rivers. Section the Ist "The Nanti-
coke Indians shall peaceably Possess all that tract of Land . . .
as long as they shall occupy the same . . . But they shall not
sell or Lease the same" The Choptank Indians shall peaceably
Possess the Land surveyed for them so long as they shall
occupy the same Section 2d they shall not sell or lease it
except (3dh) No lease to be longer than 7 years. The Acts point
Comissrs to Survey & ascertain the bounds of these Indians
possessions My Lord desires you will require as his Orders to
the Land office to Report to you How these Indian Lands be
at present Qre if Indians upon the Premises if few, whether
worth his Purchase to have their right & to Establish Inhab-
itants, making the Lands occupy 'd Properties & thereby pre-
vent Illegal Setlers? These Lands by scituation are near the
dispute of the 3 Lower Counties if by Perchase the Messrs
Penns can take Advantage they will, therefore My Lord desires
your care & consideration to obtain him Possession of the
Lands, if Material & in Safe-Guard & good Policy agt the
Pensilvanian Enchroachmts who on the East Shore are in Posses-
sion of a Considerable Country, in so much, I Question if there
be an Inlet as a Sea Port for Maryland on that Shore towards
the Atlantick Ocean. Espically if the Division Line be allowed
to commence East from Fenwick Island. Besides great Care
is to be had agt their claim of Prior settlemt it seems a Maxim
of Right Guarrenteed them by the Minets taken of the present
Lord Chancelor's opinion on hearing the cause bet: them &
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