Acts. 105

aforesaid shall appeal to the Govern^r & Councill upon complaint
made of such persons willfull & negligent non performance as
aforesaid shall and may be sent for before the Govern^r and Councill
and their punished or bound over to answer the contempt as to Jus-
tice shall appertaine, & if any such differences shall happen between
any Indians & English in any County in the Province where per-
ticuler persons are not assign'd to hear and determine such differences
as aforesaid the same shall & may be heard & determined by any
Justice of the peace in the County aforesaid according to the Rules
aforesaid. Provided & it is the true intent & meaning of this Act,
That any Indians that shall be or reside among the said nations of
Indians shall be deemed & taken as part of the said nation or nations
in point of differences as aforesaid This Act to endure for three
years or to the end of the next Sessions of Assembly which shall first
happen.

Public
Record
Office,
London.
C. O. 5,
Vol. 731,
Maryland.
From
1694-1702.
Acts

An Act for the Ascertaining what shall be the Sheriffs Duty in &
upon Returnes by them made for Publick Dues & Officers Fees.

Whereas it hath been represented to this present Generall Assem-
bly that the publick Creditt of this Province is not only much impared
by the neglect and sinister Ends of Sheriffs to whome the Collection
of publick dues are Committed they often converting the first & best
of Publick Tobbacco to their private use Whereby the Country
Creditors become frustrated of the use and benefitt of such their
Just dues Seldome having any accounts thereof untill the con-
veniencys of Shipping or disposeing of the same be over for that yeare
wherein it becomes due to them as aforesaid But also the good
people of this Province much abused and unjustly taken in Execution
for Fees due to the severall publick Officers occasioned by the false
& undue retournes of the Sheriff aforesaid who frequently upon the
passing there accounts with such Officers retourne sundry of their
Debtors in arrears against whome the year ensueing Execution
goes forth de Novo Notwithstanding they have justly payd their
dues as aforesaid And the succeeding Sheriff to whome such arrears
are committed to collect for Sueer of there Fees often takeing such
person in Execution notwithstanding their produceing receipts for
the same to their great greviance & damage to the End therefore
that the Country Creditors may for the future no more be delay'd
from gitting in such publick Debts as to them are due & payable nor
the good people of this Province unjustly greived & Executed for
such Fees for which they produce receipt or can otherwise make ap-
peir to be payd,
It is humbly prayed that it may be Enacted by the Kings most
Excellent Maj^ty etc. That yearly & every year from & after the Pub-
lication hereof no Sheriff within this Province shall convert make use
of or dispose of any publick Tobbacco or Officers Fees within their
County by them Collected untill such time as he or they have fully

Acts of
June, 1697,
ch. 10