give in an account oft he negro clothing; and make return to the vestries at the same time, that he has inspected the grounds; and also requires, in addition to the customary return, that where there are no negro grounds the owner shall swear the slave receives his weekly allowance 38. 4d. The return under this clause will not be required till 28th Marck, 1828. The returns of clothing, &c. till then, will be made under the former enactments as usual. (14) A clause enacting that where the slaves are less than forty, the penalty on breach of 12 and 13 shall be one half, [£50] but recovered summarily. Similar to 3 Geo. 4. cap. 21, sec. 2. (15) A new clause and very important. It recognises the right of slaves to personal property, and gives it a further protection than that of free persons, by inflicting e penalty of £10 on the person trespassing on it, in addition to the value, to be recovered summarily. There is a proviso, that slaves are not hereby authorised to keep cattle, &c. on owners or other persons lauds without permission. (16) Recognises the right of slaves to receive bequests of personal property, but not to sue or be sued. It is a new consolidation of the repealed 6 Geo. 4, cap. 19. To this part of the new law, an amendment was sent down by the council, on motion of the attorney-general, to give the owners, or in their default the custodes, the right of suing for slaves as prochein amis, but it was rejected by the assembly, as inconsistent with slavery, and opening a door to endless litigation. (17) Mothers having six of their own or adopted children are exempted from hard labour, and their owners from taxes. Similar to 12 clause of law of 1816. (18) Sick and infirm slaves are to be maintained at their owner's expense, and if they wander about with his or his agent's permission, such owner or agent is subject to a penalty of £20, and the expense of maintaining the slave in the workhouse—similar to 13 clause of law of 1816. (19) Diseased or destitute manumitted persons are to receive parochial relief; to be passed to their respective parishes; and sent to the workhouse under regulations of the justices. This clause is 14 of the law of 1816. (20) Is the same as the 15 of the law of 1816, and by it, manumised persons settled under clause 19 may claim all benefit of manumission-bond, directed by 15, Geo. 3, cap. 18, as fully as if same had been entered into. (21) Imposes a penalty of £100 on the owner not giving persons manumitted by him £10 a-year, which penalty is to be paid the churchwardens, and out of it they are to support the manumitted person. (22) Goods of owners so manumising at any time liable to parochial charge of maintaining such infirm persons—similar to 16 clause of law of 1816. (23) Infirm and valueless slaves of insolvents levied on to be sent to the parish of owner, and supported at parochial charge-the same as 17 of law of 1816. (24) Record of proceeding, under 24 clause, to indemnify provost marshal-the same as 18 of law of 1816; but a new proviso is inserted, that if slave becomes valuable, workhouse-keeper to report to provost marshal, and supreme court to order sale. (25) Slaves with yaws, &c. not to wander about, under penalty of £20—the same as 19 of law of 1816. (26) Slaves to have half an hour for breakfast and two hours for dinner; not to be compelled to field labour till five in the morning or after seven at night, except during crop, under penalty of £50—same as 20 of law of 1816. (27) Holidays at Christmas, Easter, and Whitsuntide, to be allowed; but not more than three in succession, under penalty of £5—same as 21 of law of 1816. (28) Slaves informing against persons harbouring runaways, to receive reward not less than 20s. nor more than 40s.—differs from 22 of 1816, by increasing the minimum as well as maximum of the reward. (29) Slaves killing or taking slave in rebellion, to receive reward of £3 if killing, and £5 if taking alive, and a blue coat from churchwardens, who are to be reimbursed by receiver-general-same as 23 of 1816. (30) Murder of slave punished with death; not to work corruption of blood or forfeiLure same as 24 of 1816. (31) Carnal knowledge of a female slave, under ten, punished with death—same as 4 Geo. 4, cap, 15, see. 1.; passed in consequence of Simpson's case. (32) Rape on female slave punished with death; no corruption of blood or forfeitur to ensue same as 4 Geo. 4, cap. 15, sec. 2. (33) Owner or other person, by whom slaves are maltreated or branded, to be punished with fine or imprisonment, or both; action of damages may be brought by owner, where other person has maltreated the slave; in atrocious cases of maltreatment by owner, slave to be made free, and to receive £10 per annum from the parish, to which parish the fine of £100 on owner is to be paid in such cases; slave maltreated to be sent to the workhouse by any justice of the peace, but not worked or confined with slaves under punishment, till special sessions meet, and such justice to report to custos or senior magistrate, who to convene special sessions of not less than three justices, who, if they find complaint frivolous, to punish complainant, but if it be well founded to take recognizances, &c. and to remand slaves to workhouse, till legal meeting of justices; and vestry, who to be a council of protection, and if they see cause, to prosecute offender to effect, at expence of parish, and empowered to sue owner for costs; keeper of workhouse to produce slaves to the special sessions of three justices, or to council of protection, under penalty. This clause differs from the 25 clause of the law of 1816, by prohibiting branding, and by appointing a special sessions of three justices, who are to decide whether there is sufficient ground to send the offence to a council of protection, appointed according to the same provisions as in the 25 of the law of 1816. (34) Imposes a penalty on the justices and vestry, not attending the council of pro tection. This is a new enacting clause. (35) Any justice on view or information of slave being maltreated, to send' for same, and if fact is so, to send slave to workhouse, where he is not to be worked, till further enquiry is made-same as 26 of law of 1816. (36) Slaves not to receive more than ten lashes, except in presence of owner or overseer, &c. nor in such presence more than thirty-nine, nor until recovered from former whipping, under penalty, &c.—same as 27 of law of 1816. (37) Slave not to be sent to workhouse for more than ten days, or tò receive more than twenty lashes therein, without order of justice; further punishment of slave under such circumstances prohibited. A new clause, which by limiting publie punishment by a dispassionate person, encourages its infliction by the owner who must of necessity be less dispassionate. (38) Justices to enquire into complaint or probable information, that a slave is improperly punished, and to proceed, if true, according to law-if frivolous to punish informant. Similar to 28 of law of 1816. (39) No collar, &c. to be fixed on slave, but by order of a magistrate, on incorrigible runaways, or those accustomed to commit depredations on grounds. In all other cases justice to cause such collar, &c. to be removed under a penalty of £100 Similar to 29 of law of 1816. (40) Slaves, except when going to market, not to go out from owner's plantation, or to travel from one town to another without a ticket specially worded, under penalty on owner, overseer, &c. unless he prove on oath that such slave went away without his consent; in such case justice to order punishment; penalty on justice neglecting duty. Similar to 30 of law of 1816. (41) Ticket not to exceed one calendar month. Similar to 31 of law of 1816. (42) Slave absent five days without a ticket, or found eight miles from place where belonging, to be deemed a runaway, except slaves going to, and returning from, mar ket. Similar to 62 of law of 1816. (43) Runaways for above six months to be sentenced to hard labour or transporta tion. Similar to 63 of law of 1816. (44) Runaways for time not exceeding six months tried summarily, and punished with whipping or hard labour: if incorrigible, tried as if runaway for above six months— similar to 64 of law of 1816. (45) Slaves harbouring runaways, or giving them false tickets, to be punished as court, directs, not extending to life-differs from 65 of 1816 by providing for slaves giving each other fictitious tickets, and by referring to the new mode of trial by quarter sessions, or special slave courts, instead of the common slave courts, superseded by the new law in a subsequent clause. (46) Free persons_harbouring runaways fined and imprisoned, and to pay hire of slave, at 3s. 4d. per day, recoverable in quarter sessions. Provise, that prosecution may be had under the inveigling act. This is a new provision to prevent harbouring of slaves by free persons.-See 4 clause of the inveigling act, (36 Geo. 3, cap. 10.) (47) Justices to grant warrant against runaways and harbourers, being slaves. Persons so authorised, by such warrants, giving notice to owners, may forcibly enter into ne- · gro houses to search. Proviso that warrant be executed by a constable or white or other special constable. This is a clause to enable justices to enforce the 46th. (48) Persons giving slaves fictitious tickets punished by fine or imprisonment, or both. This clause is similar to the 32 and 33 of the law of 1816, which made a distinction between white and other free persons committing this offence. The punishment of transportation for this offence is also taken away, and authorises trial by quarter sessions. (49) Persons apprehending runaways to receive a reward of 10s. and mile money, 1s. for first five miles, and 6d. after. Proviso, that not to be an addition to reward otherwise given maroons. Proviso, not to deprive maroons of reward of 40s. This clause is similar to the 66 of the law of 1816. (50) Runaways to be carried to owner or justice, who to commit to workhouse, and the keeper to pay said reward and mile money, under penalty—similar to 67 of the law of 1816. (51) Runaways to be advertised on oath under penalty. Workhouse-keeper to receive from owner the charges and fees. Printers' accounts, authent:cated on oath, paid by treasurer of workhouse. Workhouse-keeper may detain slaves for charges and fees.Workhouse-keeper alone to attest on oath that charges are legal. Proviso, owners of slaves sent to workhouse under any sentence not to pay fees.—Similar to 68 of law of 1816. (52) Workhouse and gaol keepers to find slaves food, and clothing if necessary, under penalty.—The same as 69 of law of 1816. (53) Persons in workhouse alleging themselves to be free, custos or senior justice to convene special sessions of not less than three justices, and to give public notice of their meeting. If person appears free to discharge him, otherwise to remand him. Proviso, that such decision not to prejudice title of such person to freedom; or of alleged owner. -The same as 70 of law of 1816. (54.) Slaves not to be sold out of workhouses without a certificate of justices at special sessions; otherwise sale void.-The same as 71 of law of 1816. This clause seems to refer to the case of slaves alleging themselves to be free, but the context declares that no slave shall be sold without such investigation before a special session of three justices and their certificate to that effect, Workhouse keepers ought to read this clause more attentively than they generally do (55.) Workhouse-keeper receiving Replevin, Replegiando, &c. to advertise same, and name, marks, &c. of slave for four weeks, under pain of fine. Charges to be paid by owner recovering. Notice of intent to defend action being given, the workhouse-keeper to detain alleged slave; Unless security be offered, and notice thereof given—Similar to 72 of law of 1816. (56) Slaves going off the island or conspiring so to do, and slaves abetting others, to be punished as court directs, not extending to life.-Similar to 74 of law of 1816, but differs by preventing sentence of death being passed. (57.) Free persons aiding slaves in going off the island, fined 3001. and imprisoned at court's discretion, not exceeding twelve months.-This clause differs from 75 and 76 of law of 1816, by making no difference between white and other free offenders. By the repealed law, coloured free offenders were punished with transportation, and on their return, with death, but white offenders were fined and imprisoned-by the present enactment the punishment of all classes of free offenders is limited to fine and imprisonment. (58.) Accessary may be convicted before pincipal. The same as 77 of law of 1816. (59.) Slaves not ! travel with dogs or weapons, or to kunt with deadly weapons, without permit from owner, or white person deputed by owner; punishment not to extend to life, or transportation for life.—Same as 78 of law of 1816. (60.) Owners, overseers &c. to prevent drum beating, &c. by strange slaves, or to give notice to next magistrate or commissioned officer, under penalty of £.50. Proviso, information to be laid in fourteen days.—Same as 34 of law of 1816. (61.) Officers, civil and military, to suppress such assemblies and drummings, and to enter plantation, &c. for that purpose.-Same as 35 of law of 1816. (62.) Owner, overseer, &c. suffering assemblies of slaves, beating of drums, &c. to be imprisoned. Information to be laid in fourteen days. Owner, &c. may allow slaves of plantation only, to divert themselves, but not to use warlike instruments. Proviso, that such amusement to end by twelve at night.-Same as 36 of law of 1816, with this difference, that by the repealed Law the amusement of slaves must cease at ten at night and the new enactment extends the time to twelve. (63.) Negro burials to be ended before sun-set, under penalty, on owner, overseer, &c. If burials in towns or savannas, &c. free persons in whose house is the assembly, to be fined and slaves whipped.-This clause differs from 37 of law of 1816 by the trial of the slave being before three or more justices instead of two or more. (64.) Free persons suffering unlawful assembly, fined and imprisoned. Information, to be laid in jourteen days.—Similar to 38 of law of 1816. (65.) Free persons or slaves suffering gaming with slaves in their house, to be carried before justice. Slaves to be whipped, and free persons sent to gaol. This is an improvement and addition to the law of 1816. (66) Manumission bonds dispensed with in devises of freedom; bat estate of testator liable for annuity to emancipated. Freedom by will at once established. Proviso, not to exempt liability to testator's debts. This clause is similar to 41 of law of 1816, but deles the proviso requiring devises of manumissions to be under will, so executed as to pass real estates, and on the contrary enacts, that Slaves may be manumised under will, so executed as to pass personalties. (67) Persons possessing limited freehold interests in slaves may manumise them. To apply to custos or senios magistrate, and if interested, to other magistrate, with statement on oath of limitations, &c. Two other justices to be associated. Three valuators appointed. Proviso, how feme coverts are to give consent. If absentee, her appearance dispensed with. Proviso, that intention of such manumission be advertised.—This clause is founded on the repealed law 5 Geo. 4, cap. 21, sec. 1; but its provisions are more extensive, in consequence of amendments sent down by the council, on motion of the attorney-general, applying to cases of feme coverts, minors, &c. (68) Receiver-general to receive valuation (on authority from custos, &c.) paying six percent. so long as in his possession. This clause is simitar to 5 Geo. 4, cap. 21, sec. 2. (69) Receiver-general to give certificate that valuation has been paid him, and mayistrate to give order for manumission.—This clause contains the form of the manumission of a slave made free in pursuance of the 66, 67, 68, and 69 clauses, and is similar to 5 Geo. 4, cap. 21, sec. 3. (70) Order of manumission, valuation, and certificate of receiver-general to be recorded, and not delivered out but on order of court. Attested copy evidence. This clause is similar to 5 Geo. 4, cap. 21, sec. 4. (71) Valuation paid receiver-general, applicable to order of court of chancery or supreme court. Subject to the same incumbrances, and of the same nature as slave, Court may order interest or principal to be paid according to rights of parties. It is similar to 5 Geo. 4, cap. 21, sec. 5. (72) Slaves so manumised by tenant for life, dying before tenant for life, and if a female leaving no issue surviving tenant for life, whole valuation shall be deemed property of tenant for life. Not to prejudice claims against persons limiting slave in settlement, or of creditors of tenant for life. It is similar to 5 Geo. 4, cap. 21, sec. 6. (73) Valuation of staves so manumised may be invested in the purchase of other slaves, subject to same limitations; and so if slave sought to be manumised in the hands of a receiver in chancery. This is an improvement on 5 Geo. 4, cap. 21. (74) Manumission bond dispensed with on satisfying magistrates and vestry that slave is not aged or infirm. Certificate to such effect to be given by clerk of restry, and recorded with manumission: This clause is similar to 5 Geo. 4. cap. 21, sec. 7. (75) Slaves carried about for sale forfeited, and sold for poor of parish and informer. This clause is similar to the 42 of law of 1816, only it requires three justices to associate instead of two. (76) Oath of informer good against offender under last clause. This clause is the same as 43 of law of 1516. (77) Sales contrary to two last clauses void. Justice, on information, to issue warrant to take up such slave, and to sell and appropriate as in 76th clause. This clause is the same as 44 of law of 1816. (78) Certiorari not to issue on any proceedings of this act. This clause is the same as 45 of law of 1816. (79) Slaves guilty of rebellion, murder, or other felonies, to be tried as after-mentioned, and to suffer death or other punishment at discretion of Court.-This clause differs from the 46 of the law of 1816, by leaving out the words “or compass or imagine the death of "any white person, and declare the same by some overt act." It will be remembered that these words have been ridiculed in the House of Commons, as shewing a monarchical mania, and rendering the owner of a slave a petty sovereign, whose death it was felony to imagine. (SO) Slaves assaulting free persons, punished at the discretion of court. Provided that assault not by command of owner, &c. or in defence of owner's, persons, or goods.— This clause is similar to the 47 of the law of 1816. (81) Slaves having fire arms, &c. in their possession, without knowledge of owner, &c. to be taken before three magistrates, and if with evil intent, to be tried and punished at discretion of court, not extending to life. This clause differs from the 48 of law of 1816, by preventing the sentence being death. (82) Obeah, with intent to excite rebellion, or endangering life or health of a slave, pu- · nished at discretion of court.-This clause is similar to the 49 of the law of 1816. (83) Slaves preaching without permit from owners and quarter-sessions, to be whipped or set to hard labour. This clause only differs from the 50 of the law of 1816, by requiring the correction to be before three instead of two justices, and substituting “whipping” for "flagellation.” (84) Sectarian, minister, or other teacher, not to keep open place of meeting after sunset, under penalty not less than £20, nor more than £50, recovered before three justices, one half to the informer, and the other to poor of parish. In default of payment, to commit for one month. Proviso, excepting kirk or licenced minister, at licenced place, before 8. p. m. and the rites of jews and roman catholics-This is a new clause introduced by Mr. Batty. (85) Religious teachers taking money from slaves to pay a penalty of £20, on summary conviction before three justices; one moiety to informer, the other to poor of parish. Informer a competent witness. In default of payment, offender to be committed to gaol for one month. This also is a new clause, and was introduced by the same gentleman. - (86) Nightly and private meetings had amongst slaves unlawful; persons attending same may be taken before justice, committed for trial and punished if free by imprisonment, and if a slave, ny hard labour or whipping. This clause is similar to the 51 of the law of 1816, and only differs by including white persons in the list of offenders against the law. (87) Slaves maliciously preparing poison, and all slaves accessaries punishable at discretion of court-This clause differs from 52 of the law of 1816, by vesting a power in the Court to award any other punishment than death, which they were imperatively callupon to do by the repealed Consolidated Slave Law. ed (88) Slaves having poison or tools of obeah, to be punished at discretion of Court, not extending to life.-This clause only differs from the 53 of the law of 1816, by neglecting to enumerate the articles most commonly used in obeah, viz. parrots' teeth, dogs' teeth, &c. and deleing the word notoriously used: Obeah not being so much followed as heretofore, is not so notorious. (89) Slaves assembling to take unlawful oaths, or to use arms, &c. punished at discretion of Court. This clause is the same as the 54th. of the law of 1816.* (90) Free persons present and aiding and abetting at assemblies mentioned in last clause, punished at discretion of court.-This clause is the same as 55 of the law of 1816. In 1726 it was usual to admit the evidence of slaves in trials of slaves for their lives, (before a magistrate and two freeholders, without a jury), according to the solemn form of the religion of obi, which was by swallowing the dirt from a grave, mixed with blood from the deponent's wrist, who hoped that he might swell and burst if he stated a falsehood. Hence the usual reply of unsophisticated slaves and many free persons to the question-what are the penalties of perjury? Is that they will swell. According to the rules of evidence, this form of oath should be used with pagan slaves deposing against other slaves (which, by law they may do), for it is the on' form they believe in, or regard. It would be only similar to swearing the Turk on the Kora |