The Lower House. 571

every Private person in Maryland hath not a Right to enquire into,
and inform themselves of, without the least legal Impeachment of
their Conduct; yet the whole is now Censured, and that too for not
mentioning therein the Government and Lord Proprietary; and
which, if done, had also been an accumulated Crime, since the De-
sire of being well informed of the Truth of ffacts, is turned into
a Diffidence of your Veracity, even our honest and plain Declara-
tion, that they were private Instructions, and the Evidence thereof,
as not being part of our Journal, is turned to a Crime, and the whole
Aggravated as if intended to sap the ffoundation of all Order and
Government; and the Word and Credit of the House of Delegates
of Maryland is set at nought. With what views such tortious Mean-
ings are put on our good intentions, we must refer to the Unbiassed.

And pray pardon us, if here we are obliged to tell your Excel-
lency, that some in Power, and not we, that make the Distinction
between the Lord Proprietary and the people; and as from the abun-
dance of the Heart the Mouth Speaketh, these their words will shew,
viz. " The Lord Proprietary has the Sea between him and the In-
dians, they cannot hurt him; and the Reprisals to be made for Satis-
faction for the Land, will be made on the People." This way of
reasoning persons in high Trust with his Lordship and your Excel-
lency, have used to shew, that as his Lordship had nothing to fear,
so he was not under any obligation to make the least satisfaction to
the Indians, for the Land he sells his Tenants, the People of Mary-
land, his Majesty's Liege Subjects, ffrom this way we may conclude
the Indians insist on a greater Sum than the people can well Spare,
rather than admit the Lord Proprietary to give six Pence (however

L. H. J.

consistent with Natural Right the Demand on him may be), they
would suffer the Terrible Consequence of the Resentment of the
disappointed Indians.
We may reasonably expect, that what has been said will suffi-
ciently convince your Excellency, that the said Instructions have
been put in a wrong light by the Message; and hope you will pardon
us, as being obliged to tell you, that if a more prudent Conduct be
not used, in bringing the Treaty intended to a Conclusion, than
(from what appears to us, and by the Public Accounts) has hitherto
been, very little Credit or Honour will redound to the negotiators,
or advantage to the Province.
And lest any Words contained in our Address last Session, " for
allowing such further sums, as may be necessary for defraying the
Expence and Charges of the said Commissioners," should be taken
or construed to extend to an unlimited Vote of Credit, on the ffund
of 3^d per Hogshead, for Arms and Ammunition, contrary to the
sense of the said Address, and the Intention of this House, at that
time, In order now to clear up that matter, we beg leave to let your
Excellency know, that we shall not agree to Charge either that ffund

p. 425