358 Assembly Proceedings, May 24-June 22, 1768.

L. H. J.

Liber No. 52
June;

The governor communicated to M.^r speaker the following
message.
Gentlemen of the lower house of assembly,
M.^r Ogden, the person empowered by Sir William Johnson, and
by the Nanticoke indians to act on behalf of the latter, with respect
to their disposal of their right to any lands within this province,
having presented to me the inclosed petition which states a fact that
I was not before apprised of; and which probably might, if it had
been before communicated to you have induced you to come to a
different resolution, on the petition of those indians; I take the
liberty to recommend the same to your consideration, and M.^r Ogden
will attend in order to give you all the information in his power
June 7.^th 1768. Hor.^o Sharpe

To his excellency Horatio Sharpe esquire; governor and commander
in chief in and over the province of Maryland.

The petition of Amos Ogden, humbly sheweth, That a petition
from the tribe of Nanticoke indians having been recommended by
your excellency, to the consideration of the lower house of assembly
of this province, representing that they being desirous of leaving

p. 508

this province, and of incorporating themselves with the six nations,
provided they might be permitted to dispose of certain lands which
they hold in this province, by virtue of certain acts of assembly
heretofore made in their favor. This petition in consequence of
your excellencys recommendation aforesaid was taken into the
consideration of the house, and an address thereupon given in to
your excellency.
Now, your petitioner humbly apprehends, that the intention and
desire of the said petition has not been fully understood by the
house; owing, as your petitioner humbly conceives, to the want of
such information, and explanation, as your petitioner could have
given if he had been present when the said petition was taken into
the consideration of the house.
Your petitioner humbly begs leave to inform your excellency that
the above mentioned tribe of Nanticoke indians, have actually in-
corporated themselves with the six nations aforesaid. That there
is now remaining on the said lands, an old woman, and two children
only: That the said tribe of Nanticoke indians, being desirous of
entirely withdrawing themselves from this province, are willing to
accept of a very small compensation (in proportion to the actual
value of the lands) in lieu of any claim, they or their heirs have
in the said lands by virtue of the aforesaid acts of assembly; and
would willingly, upon the payment of such small compensation,
unto the petitioner, their attorney, give full possession of the lands
which they hold, to such person or persons, as the lands would fall
to of course, provided the said tribe of Nanticoke indians had
entirely deserted them.