Proceedings of the Council of Maryland, 1723. 423

     At a Council held in the Council Chamber at Annapolis Lib. X.

    July the 18th 1723

                        Present

              His Excellency the Governor

                   Colo Samuel Young

                 Colo Richard Tilghman

      the honble Colo M T Ward     Councillors

                 James Lloyd Esqr

                 Benja Tasker Esqr

     The Petition of John Rider of Dorchester County Gent p. 98

    setting forth that upon an accusation of the Nanticoke Indians

    that he the said John Rider had Contrary to the Faith of

    Treaties with the Indians the Honour of this Government and

    in Contempt of the Laws in that Case made and provided

    had taken Possession of some of their Lands an Order of

    Council had been directed to him forbidding him under pain

    of prosecution to molest them and praying that as soon as

    may be he may of an opportunity of Clearing his Innocence

    before this Board for that he the said Rider had entred upon

    the said Lands as he judged he had right to do, they having

    deserted them for twelve months before, and likewise praying

    that the Indians may have timely Notice to appear and make

    good their Allegations if they think proper

     Upon Reading the aforesaid Petition and hearing Mr Rider

    by Daniel Dulany Esqr to the said petition the Board came

    to following Resolution that the matter of the petition does

    not properly lye before them to determine any thing therein

    but that the Upper and Lower Houses of Assembly who

    made the Act by which the Nanticoke Indians hold their Land

    are the best Judges of the Sense and Meaning of the Act

    and Consequently of the Allegations on both Side to whom

    Mr Rider is at Liberty to make his Application or to make use

    of such other methods as Legally he may but that in the

    mean time he take special Care not to disturb the Indians

     His Excellency laid Several Depositions before this Board p. 99

    by which it appears that there is good reason for Suspicion

    that William Maria Farthing mentioned therein had erased

    an Indorsement upon the back of a patent for a Tract of Land

    Called Rocky Point and had also destroyed the said Patent

    with Intent to defraud his Lordship of the escheat this Board

    is therefore of Opinion that there is sufficient Grounds in the

    said Depositions for prosecuting the said William Maria

    Farthing and Mr Attorney General is hereby Ordered next

    Provincial Court to prosecute him accordingly