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 AN 
 
 ORDINANCE 
 
 FOR 
 
 P.JLQMaTJNJ} THE MMJLIGIOtTS INSTRUCTION 
 
 AND 
 
 Bettering tfje State an* CotttJititm 
 
 OF THE 
 
 SLAVE POPULATION; 
 
 ra 
 
 HIS MAJESTY'S COLONY, 
 
 pa 
 
 BERBICE* 
 
PERKINS LIBRARY 
 
 Duke University 
 
 Kare Dooks 
 
 PUBLICATION 
 
 BY His Excellency FIENRY BEARD, Esquire, Lieutenant Go- 
 vernor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the Colon:/ of 
 Jlerhice and its Dependencies, S(c. §c. See; President of all 
 Courts and Colleges within the same, Sole Judge of the 
 Vice Admiralty Court, Sfc. fyc. $c. 
 
 And the Honorable the Council of Government of the 
 said Colony. 
 
 TO ALT, TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL OR MAY COME, GREETING ! BE IT KNOWN : 
 
 "I[7£7~HEREAS it is necessary and expedient that further provision should he made for 
 the religious instruction of the Slaves in this Colony, and the improvement cf (heir 
 state and condition: — And whereas His Majesty has been pleased to appoint a Protector of 
 Slaves in this Colony, and it is expedient that the said office should be fully established 
 and due provision made for such Protector, and that the authority and several duties of 
 said Protector be clearly and distinctly denned — 
 
 1. Be it therefore, as it is herebv. Ordered, that such Protector of Slaves shall receive 
 and be paid, at the times and in the manner hereinafter mentioned, -a salarv, at and a fie; - (be 
 rate of Fourteen Thousand Two Hundred and Fifty Guilders per annum, au{ of ihe ordi- 
 nary revenues of the colony, subject however to the confirmation thereof by, or such alter- 
 ation therein, as His Majesty may be pleased to direct. — And that snch Protector of Slaves, 
 entering on such office, shall appear before the Lieutenant Governor, or Acting Lieutenant 
 Governor, for the time being, of this colony, and in his presence shill take and .subscribe an 
 oath in the following words : — 
 
 "I, A. J], da swear that I will, to the test of. my knmcledgc r.nd abiUtffc 
 "faithfully execute and perform the Duties of Ihe Office of Protector of Slaves 
 " in the Colony of Berbiee, without ftjir 3 favour, or partiality — So help vie, 
 "God!" ' 
 
 2 And it k hereby further ordered, that the said Protector of Slaves shall establish! 
 1 keep an Office in New Amsterdam, and shall .regularly attend at such office on such 
 :s, and during such hours of the dav, as the Lieutenant Governor, or Acting Lieutenant 
 vernor, of tins colony, by any general or special order to be by him from time to time 
 led, may appoint : and shall, at such office, and not elsewhere, keep, deposit, and pre- 
 ve, the several records, books, papers., and writings, hereinafter directed to be kept by 
 

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 3. A;iil v i! is furfhrr nnTered* ih.d the said Protector of Slaves shall hot ha the owrcer or 
 j>roprietor of any plantation situate within this colony, or of any slave or slaves employed 
 or worked upon any plantation or in any kind of agriculture, and shall not have any share 
 or interest in, or any mortgage or security upon, any su: h plantation, slave, or slaves ; and 
 shall, and~ is hereby declared to be, incompetent to act as or be the. manager, overseer, n~ 
 gent, or attorney of, for, or upon any plantation or estate within this colony ; or to act as 
 the guardian, trustee, or executor, of any person or persons having or being entitled to any 
 such plantation, or any slave or slaves: and in ease any such Protector of Slaves within <his 
 colony shall have, acquire, hold, or possess, cither in his own right or in the right of his 
 wife, or in trust for any other person or. persons, any -plantation • ituate within this colony, 
 
 . . or any slave or slaves employed or worked upon any plantation, or in any kind of agricul- 
 ture, or in, any share or interest in, or mortgage or security upon, anv such plantation, or 
 slave or slaves ; or shall act as manager, overseer, agent, attorney, guardian, trustee, or ex- 
 ecutor, a^ aforesaid, he shall thenceforth, de facto, cea.se to be such Protector, of Slaves, and 
 forfeit such his salary, and some ether fit and proper person shall forihwith be appointed to 
 succeed to the said oiliee Provided, nevertheless, that ail act's which may be done by, or 
 by order of any such Protector of Slaves, after such avoidance as aforesaid of such his of- 
 fice, and before the same shall, by public notice in the Gazette of this colony, be declared 
 void, shall be as valid and effectual in the law as if no such avoidance of office had occurred. 
 
 4. And it is farther ordered,, that the said Protector of Slaves shall be resident within 
 this colony, and shall not quit the same without a special licence to be granted for that 
 purpose by His Majestv through one of his Principal Secretaries of State, or by the Lieu- 
 tenant Governor, or Acting Lieutenant Governor, for the time being, of this colony, and no 
 such licence shall in any'ca^e be granted by the Lieutenant Governor, or Acting Lieutenant 
 Governor, for any time exceeding three months, nor shall any such licence be granted by 
 any such Lieutenant Governor, or Acting Lieutenant Governor, as aforesaid, unless it shall 
 be made to appear to him, on the oath of some medical practitioner, that such absence is 
 necessary for the recovery of the health of the s.tid Protector of Slaves. » 
 
 5. And it i§ further; ordered, that upon the death or resignation of the said Protector of 
 Slaves, or in the event of his sickness or other bodily or mental incapacity, or during his 
 temporary absence from this colony, it shall be lawful for the Lieutenant Governor, or Act- 
 ing Lieuienant Governor, to nominate and appoint some other fit and proper person to act as 
 Protector or as the deputy for the said Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), until His 
 Majesty's pleasure shall be known, and the said Dqiuiy shall receive such allowance, to be 
 deducted from and out of the salary of the said Protector of Slaves, as the Lieutenant Go- 
 vernor, or Acting Lieutenant Governor, for the time being, of this colony, shall be pleased 
 to appoint. Provided always that the person to be appointed as Deputy Protector, shall, 
 if in all other respects qualified for the office, be selected from those who are neither pro- 
 prieties of slaves nor have any interest in slave property ; unless it be impossible to find a 
 proper person not possessed of such property and willing to undertake the trust, an J compe- 
 tent to the efficient and faithful execution of it, whereby it may become absolutely necessa- 
 ry to appoint one interested in slave property, in which case it shall be the duty of the Lieu- 
 tenant Governor, or Acting Lieutenant Governor, for the time being, to transmit to His 
 Majesty's Secretary of State, a statement of the peculiar circumstances justifying the de- 
 parture from the general law. Provided that the Protector of Slaves in this colony shall at 
 all times perform his duty in person, and not by deputy, except only in cases in which the 
 Lieutenant Governor, or Acting Lieutenant Governor, of this colony, is hereinbefore au- 
 thorised to appoint a deputy for that purpose. 
 
 6. And it is hereby further ordered, that the said Protector, or Deputy Protector of 
 Slaves (as the case may be), shall have power to administer an oath in all matters relating 
 to the duties of his office, and all such authority of what nature or kind soever as is now or 
 hereafter may be by law vested, as regards the slave population, in the Civ il Ma gistra tes of 
 the several districts of this colony, for the maintenance of the public peace and good order, 
 shall be, and the same is hereby, vested in the said Protector of Deputy Protector of Slaves 
 (as the case may be), to be by him exercised throughout each and every district of this 
 colonv. 
 
 ) 
 
 7. And it is hereby further ordered, that the said Civil Magistrates of the several tlis-r 
 triets within this colony shall be, and they arc hereby, declared tube Assistant Protectees 
 
 )- 
 
4 
 
 »f Slaves in their several and respective district* - and the said respective Civil Magistrates 
 shall, and arc hereby required, in their several and respective districts, to be aiding and as- 
 sisting the Protector of Slaves, or the Deputy Protector (as the case may be), in the exe- 
 cution of the power frerdsy committed to him ; and for that purpose to obey and carry into 
 execution, sue!) lawful instructions as they may from time to time receive from hint, about 
 ^»r in, relative to tie matters hereinmentiooed, or any of them. 
 
 • $. An/3 it is hereby further ordered, for tbe purpose of securing the impartial cxecirtioa 
 of justice in all .cases in which slaves may be parties concerned-, that, whenever it may be- 
 
 • come the u-sty of the Fiscal to institute a. criminal prosecution against, a slave, (which pro- 
 se-cation is always to be carried on as heretofore in the same manner as against every person 
 «ffree*,oi«HMort,5 it shall he his duty when applying to the Court of Criminal Justice, or 
 in B'6.u-seasian, totlje President of said Court, for authorisation to institute such criminal ac- 
 tion, suit atid.nrosecution, t-o demand -at the -same time the appointment of one or more ad- 
 vocates, ( accord ingle the .nature of the .charge, ) to defend such slave' in the suit to be com- 
 menced against him, when it shall fee the duty of thejsaid Court of Criminal Justice, or the 
 President thereof, to whom the application is made, to appoint such advocate or advocates 
 without anv deiav; provided alwavs that such advocate shall not be allowed to interfere in 
 such proceedings '-in any other manner than what would be legal according to the criminal 
 
 • hiw and the (practice thereof a&il h. cstablisned in the culonv if the party accused and under 
 trial were a person of free cord it ion . A nd in order to secure the zealous and active exertion, 
 on Sblie pari of such advocate:, i:i the defence of such slave or slaves, they shall be entitled 
 to such fees as shall have been fated and certified jby the Court of Criminal Justice as due 
 to them, (he amount whereof shrkU he ordered by. ihe Lieutenant-Governor, or Acting Lieu- 
 tenant-Governor, in Council of Government, to be paid to them out of the colonial chest, on 
 proper application being made for ihe same. And in case, on the complaint of any slave or 
 slaves, if shall appear k> ihe. President of the Court of Criminal Justice of this'eoiony, that 
 the offence charged therein should he prosecuted, it shall and may be lawful, and the said 
 President is hereby fully empowered, to direct the prosecution thereof in manner as is by law 
 established — Anil in all civil suits concerning the right of any alleged slave to freedom, or 
 where any question shall arise respecting the right of any slave to any -such property as he or 
 gjhe is hereinafter declared competent to acquire, then, and in every such case, such notice 
 shallhe gi\cn tothe Protector <ur Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), of every 
 such action, suit, or prosecution, as, according to the law of this colony, would be given to 
 the said ,sla\e if he or s!ic were of free condition. And in case the Protector or Deputy 
 Protector of Slaves (as the case may be) in this colony, on the application of any slave or 
 SJ a ves desirous to bring, maintain, and prosecute, any suit or action in any Court of Justice 
 in this colon), for or in respect of any such claim to freedom, or right of property, which he, 
 she, or they is, or are hereafter declared competent to acquire, should consider that the said 
 slave or slaves has or have good, just, and legal grounds of suit or action in respect thereof, 
 then, and in every such case, it shall and may be lawful for, and he the said Protector or 
 Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), is hereby fully empowered to commence 
 and prosecute such suit or action, in behalf of such Slave or Slaves, in manner and form as 
 prescribed by law with respect to persons office condition. And the Protector or Deputy 
 Protcctorot Slaves (as the case may he) may, if he see fit, attend the trial or hearing, and 
 ail other proceedings in every such suit or action as the Protector, or Deputy Protector (as 
 the case may be) of such Slave or Slaves, and on his, her, or their behalf, to act therein in 
 such -manner as maybe most conducive to the benefit and advantage of any such slave or 
 slaves,. 
 
 D. And it is hereby further ordered, that, if any person or persons within this colony shall 
 work or employ any slave st any time between sun-set on any Saturday and sun-rise on 
 Monday next following, or shall during that period procure, induce, or compel any Slave to 
 perform or engage in any labour for the proiit or advantage of his or her owner, manager, or 
 employer, tsr of any other person or persons, the person or persons so offending shall incur and 
 •. become liable to a fine of six hundred guilders for every such offence: Provided, neverthe- 
 less, that the exemption from labour which is thus secured to the Slaves during the period 
 before mentioned, shall not authorise them to leave the estates to whieh they -belong without 
 having previously obtained permission from their owner, manager, employer, or othe^person 
 having charge of them; but. that they shall dmiosr, that period, continue to remain subject 
 to such regulations as are established bv law, as well for their own protection as for thepre- 
 sejyation.of good order and the general tranquillity of ihe colony. — Provided also, that no- 
 
*' 
 
 thug herein enntainecfchaH e.vfend, or be construed to extend, to prevent lh<> Weekly allow- ' 
 ance and rations being delivered to the Slaves on Sur.daymorniuji;— v>hi< b shall not, -however, ' 
 be protracted beyond the hour of eight; a m. — Provided also, that nothing herein co: taihed 
 shall extend, or be construed to extend, to any work or labour which, from local circumstan-'" 
 ces or other unavoidable causes render certain exceptions necessary, which are confined to 
 the following: — 
 
 - ■ • ^ , • 
 
 .Firs* — All labour performed by a Stave in the domestic service of his or her master 
 or mistress, or in the preservation or lending of cattle or any live stork <m any plantation. 
 
 Secondly — Labour performed by nitries iu hospitals, by watchmen, and by persons 
 en pasted in the interment of the d>ad. 
 
 Thirdly — Siich labour as may be necessary to prevent or remedy thed :mag£ arising 
 from breaches in the dums, conflagrations, hurricanes, and other casualties of the. like 
 nature. . • 
 
 Fourthly — Every other description of labour which, though not specified in terms in 
 the three preceding exceptions, is of the same general nature, and referable to the same 
 general principle. 
 
 Fifthly — Ml labour undertaken for the preservation of the crops upon any estate, un- 
 der th e following provisions : — 
 
 •■^ — That in order to avoid all ambiguity in explaining the term "preservation 
 of the crops," it is to be well understood that,'onsuGAR estates, itshali mean-nothing 
 more then boiling' off the cane-juice that may have been expressed at the time of sun-set" 
 on any Saturday (the boiling, however, in no case to extend beyond the hour of ten 
 o'clock of the night of said Saturday), and the polting the sugar so made. That, on 
 coffee and cotton estates, it shall mean, 1st, the turning and drying of coffee or 
 cotton already housed and in a state of preparation, but not cured ; 2d, the picking of 
 coffee or cotton during the crop, when, fom its ripening suddenly and from the unfa- 
 vourable season, it would be totally lost if not immediately picked. 
 
 B — And it is hereby strictly provided, that the several descriptions of exigible la- 
 bour above enumerated (save and except the boiling of cane-juice on the Saturday 
 night) are to be only performed for wages to be paid to the Slave, him or herself in the 
 currency of the colony, and not by any parts or portions of the produce of the crops 
 which may accrue to the proprietor from such labour. 
 
 C — That the rate of these wages is to be fixed by the Protector or Deputy Protector 
 of Slaves (as the case may be), subject to the approbation of the Lieutenant-Governor, 
 or Acting Lieutenant-Governor, in Council. And the said Protector, or Deputy Pro- 
 tector of Slaves (as the case may be), shall from time to time, by notices publicly giv- 
 en, signify the approved tariff, or rate of wages, payable to the Slaves for such labour. 
 
 ■D — That any person or persons being the owner or manager of such slave or slaves 
 as may thus lawfully be employed or hired, and refusing or neglecting to pay to them, 
 for his or her own use and benefit, wages, at not less than the rate so to be fixed, by any 
 public notice of the Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), in 
 manner and under the authority aforesaid, shall, for every such ofi'ence and refusal' to 
 pay every such slave or slaves their respective wages for such labour, incur and become 
 liable to a fine of fifty guilders for every slave so omitted or neglected to be paid fo^/A, 
 wages as aforesaid. 
 
 10. And in order to prevent any irregularities tending to the prejudice of the slaves, by 
 persons employing the slaves of others without their owners' consent, which it is highly neces- 
 sary to guard against— it is hereby further ordered, that no slaves shall or may be lawfully 
 hired 01 employed in the service of any person or persons, except his, her; or their owner, 
 manager, or other person having the charge of them, unless with the special consent inwrit- 
 ing of such owner, or manager, or other person having the charge of them ; and every per- 
 son thus unlawfully hiring or employing one or any greater number of slaves, shall, for eve- 
 ry such offence, incur and be liable to a fine of six hundred guilders, or in case of non-pay • 
 Dient thereof, to imprisonment not exceeding one calendar month. 
 
 11. And whereas His Majesty has been graciously pleased to intimate his intention to 
 make effectual provision for the religious instruction of the Slaves in this colony ; and where- 
 as it is in contemplation to abolish totally the usage now existing of holding markets on Sun- 
 days, as soon as the necessary measures shall have taken effect which arc designed to remove 
 
• 
 
 ^e causes of its temporary expedient 1 v; and it being in (he meantime necessary to make*orr?e 
 -provision on this subject — it is hereby-further ordered, that from and after the fust day of N<>~ 
 wmber next ensuing ihe date hereof , the markets holden in New-Amsterdam for the sale of 
 -meat, vegetables, and other provisions, cu "Sundays, and all other markets to be holden on the 
 -Sabbath day throughout this colony, shallbe limited to the hour of eleven o'clock in the 
 forenoon, and that due warning -shall be given by the ringing of a bell at hall-past ten o'clock 
 -to all persons to prepare to depart, and ne person or persons whatsoever shall remain therein 
 ■or publicly shew forth, or. expose for sale, any -meat, -..poultry, -vegetables, provisions, fruit, 
 ■herbs, wares, merchandize, goods, or effects, after the'hour of eleven o'clock aforesaid, upon 
 pain that every^person guiltv of a disobedience of this order, or non- conformity therewith*. 
 shall forfeit the goods or effects so exposed to sale, .the proceeds whereof shall be paid i:iU* 
 sthe PeorVFuiid. 
 
 12. And it is hereby further ordered, that from and after the first day of November next 
 ensuingthe date of these Presents, it shrill be illegal for any person or persons within this co- 
 lony to carry a whip, or any other instrument of punishment, in the field or elsewhere, either 
 as a badge of authority or a stimulus to labour; and every person acting against the true 
 ■meaning hereof, or directing or authorising such illegal act, shall, for every such offence, in- 
 cur a penalty of six'lntndred gml(krs,qr in default of payment thereof, be subjected -to.iin- 
 ,-pr;sonment for any time -sot exceeding six months, nor less than .-one month. 
 
 13. And it is hereby Further ordered, that if a Male Slave shall commit an offence of such 
 ;a nature as to render it absolutely necessary that he be punished, such punishment must be 
 -inflicted with reason, and without cruelty or passionj -the punishment to be enforced bv and 
 on behalf of the proprietor, shall not exceed at the utmost twenty-five lashes, nor shall it be 
 lawful to inliict on any Male Slave a-riy corporal punishment until after sun-rise of the day 
 next following that on which the .offence has been committed, for or in respect of which any 
 such punishment or correction may be so inflicted, or without the presence of one person of 
 free condition, or of six slaves, to witness the infliction of such punishment, other than and 
 ibesides .the person bv, -or by the a.uthnritvof whom, *!ic said punishment shall -be inflicted., 
 
 under the penalty oi'niue hundred guilders, or in case ofupiv-pajment, to imprisonment riot 
 exceeding three calendar months ; but in case sis slaves are substituted as witnesses for one 
 person of free condition, it shall be incumbent on the person -or persons ordering the^)unish- 
 ment, to prove, if required, so to.do, that it was net in his or her powerto procure' the attend- 
 ance, within twenty-four hours, of a person ofi'reeconditioa, to witness the said punishment. 
 No punishment b\ flogging shall be inflicted hut at or near the buildings, of the estate, nor 
 shall it be repeated on the same day, nor until -the -delinquieist shall have fully recovered from 
 the effects of any former punishment : Provided., nevertheless, that nothing herein contained 
 shall extend, or be construed k) extend to any punishment which may be inflicted on anv slave 
 under or by virtue of any sentence or j udgment of any Court of competent jurisdiction with- 
 in this colony, or in pursuance of any order of the Fiscal. 
 
 14. And if is hereby further ordered, that from and after the first day of November next, 
 it shall not be lawful to correct or punish by flogging or whipping any female slave within 
 this colony, for any offeneeeommitted/or alleged to he committed -by any such slave and any 
 person convicted of having inflicted such punishment, or haying ordered or authorised the 
 saroeto be. done, shall for every such offence be subject to a fine of fourteen h undred guilders, 
 or in case of non-payment thereof, to imprisonment, not exceeding six calendar months, nor 
 less than one month. And whertasit is necessary that effectual measures should be adopted 
 for punishing such offences as may hereafter be committed by female slaves within this co- 
 lony, it is therefore further ordered, th it from and after the said first day of November next, 
 the following punishments for the suppression of such offences as may thereafter be committed 
 by female slaves within this colony, which by the laws in force were heretofore punishable 
 by flogging, shall be, and are hereby declared to be lawful :— 
 
 SOLITARY CONFINEMENT— zstlh or zsltkoul pork, in any fU ami proper place, on any tstat-e, or is 
 <ir<i) place in this colony, provided thai such place be approved l>y some duly licensed medical practitioner in 
 (his eoluKy. by certificate in meriting under his hand — such certificate to he duly entered in the llccoi d Hook 
 on every piaida.'itm* if in tlic country ; and if in tosn. hy some duly licensed medical practitioner and the 
 fiscal, and U> be duly recorded in the office of the stud fiscal ; and providetl that, for each offence, Ike p&iod 
 if detention in tuch solitary confinement, shall not at any time exceed three days. 
 
 PUI5LIC STOCKS— for the . confinement of hands orfed } or both, during the day, not longer than thres 
 
 \ 
 
hours for eaili offmcc, -such stock? In he under coper- -in seme conductions flrccncm lie htiildiirgs, and ll-itt 
 such punishment skall'otdjj be irjlicicd bettceen the' hours tfsun-ri e mul sun-set. 
 
 IIOXJ^E STOCKS— for the Ifttmis and feet, or-eiiher of them, tci/h seats, during, any j criod of 'the «./y, 
 rirov-i' led that for each offence, the pciiodof Confinement shftlt nut exceed bit katirr: 
 
 15 FID ^TOCK^ - for confinement of the feci dining the night-. 
 
 IJ.VXD CUFFS. 
 
 DKHXCUIStHXC; DR.E9SEfMfo he used cither tilth or toifkout the slock*. 
 
 DKHXCJUt^niXG MARKS — to he suspended from the neck by collars, anil ecured by padlocfo ; iihs 
 (■k'Iiii s nn-tl marks to lie made of tin, veit) Ushi so as r.ot to it fire the skin, 07:d to he of a form ahproted hy 
 the Fiscui and onjirmed by the Lieutenant. Governor, or Acting Lieutenant Gfifoernor. 
 
 COXFfXE.Y) F.XT — cither solitary or otherwise, during one of the hours of noon. zeith or nilhout la-k- 
 Kork daring such confinement-: provided ahcays. and it is herein) ordered that in all cases of punishment either 
 fitl/tary or otherwise, tthere such confinement shall" eaceed'the period ofir&elve hours, the stave in confinement 
 sh.dl he supplied itilh a sufficient quantify of food, that is to si/y, three quarters of a pound of plantains or 
 o'her prepared fuiiitaceoui J'aod, ut least- twice a day, between iuu-iise and sutf-sel, as also a proper supply 
 of good muter. 
 
 And it is hereby ordered and declared 1 , that in all ca~ses where it shall seem proper to any 
 wwner, manager, or other person having; charge of slaves, to impose any or either of the 
 •foregoing punishments upon any male slave or slaves, for any offences to be hereafter eom- 
 •:m.tled b-y such -male slave or slaves, in l;eu of the punishment "by flogging, it shall be lawful 
 for such owner, manager, or other person as aforesaid, -so "to do, complying in all respects 
 with the provisions aforesaid : — Provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall ex- 
 tend, or he conslruedto extend, to prevent any master or mi-tress, owner, manager, or other 
 person having charge of any female slave under the aa;e of "twelve years, from causing her to 
 he punished and corrected for any fault or misconduct, by her committed in such and the 
 •same manner, and to such and the same extent, as any child of free condition may be and 
 usually k punished and corrected in any school for the education of youth in this colony- 
 being iniiulfnl that in all cases such punishmsnt shall be inflicted by a female, and any inde- 
 cent exposure of the person avoided, And it is hereby further ordered, that if any offence 
 shaii'be hereafter committed t>y any male or female slave in this colony, of such nature and 
 to such extent as ( in the opinion-of his or her owner, or of any person under whose charge 
 'such slave may be placed ), may .require or deserve greater punishment and correction than 
 such owner or person is empowered to inflict, such owner or person shall in writing give in- 
 formation i« such case -to one of the Civil Magistrates of the district in which such person 
 -or persons may reside, whose duty it shall be, after a minute and full investigation of the 
 ^complaint, to impose such punishment on the accused as may appear commensurate with the 
 -offence, by an extension of ^ome one or other of the modes of punishment hereinbefore pro- 
 vided, or otherwise to proceed according to the existing laws of the colony. 
 
 15. And it is hereby further ordered, that there shall be kept by every person having 
 ^charge of a task or working gang -of slaves exceeding six in number, and upon every, estate 
 'throughout the colony, a book to be called "Punishment Record Book," and that it 
 shall be the duty of the owner, proprietor, manager, or other person having the direction 
 thereof, to enter and record in the said book, at, or within forty-eight hours alter the time of 
 the infliction of any punishment whatsoever, on any female slave, or on any male slave, a 
 -statement of the nature of the offence, and the time and place at which each punishment 
 shall have been inflicted, together with the names of the persons by whom and by whose au- 
 thority each punishment has been inflicted ; and in case of the corporal punishment of any 
 male slave, the names of the free person or persons, or the six slaves present and attending 
 -at the infliction of every such punishment, and of the number of stripes actually inflicted on 
 the offender; and if any owner, proprietor, manager, or other person having the direction of 
 any estate or task or working gang of slaves exceeding six in number within this colony, 
 shall neglect or omit to make in the said Punishment Record Book, any entry which, ac- 
 cording to the provisions of this present Order, ought to be made therein, or shall not make 
 such entry within forty-eight hours next after the infliction of every and each punishment 
 4o which the same may refer — the person or persons so offending shall incur and become lia- 
 ble to a penalty of three hundred guilders. And if any person or persons shall wilfully or 
 fraudulently make or cause to be made, any false entry or fraudulent erasure in any such 
 Punishment Record Book, or shall wilfully or fraudulently burn, destroy, cancel, deface, 
 obliterate or falsify the same, or any part or parts thereof, the person or persons so offending 
 •shall for every such offence incur and become liable to a penalty of three hundred guilders, 
 
8 
 
 or in case of non-pavment fhereof, .to imprisonment not exceeding throe months— Such 
 Punishment Record "Book to be kept in manner and form following :— 
 
 i 
 
 r3 
 
 -*5 
 
 
 
 Name of 
 Slave. 
 
 
 
 Nature of Time and Place of 
 Offence, i Punishment. 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 
 1 
 
 
 • 
 
 By whose 
 Authority. 
 
 
 
 By whom 
 Inflicted. 
 
 
 
 ( Witnesses. 
 
 
 
 Nature and Extent of 
 Punishment, if a 
 Female. 
 
 
 
 Extent of Punishment 
 if a Male 
 
 
 
 
 ■& 
 
 
 "9. 
 
 5 
 
 © 
 
 
 
16. And it is hereby fu ether ordered, that every person having charge of a task or 
 working- gnug of slaves exceeding six in number, and every owner, proprietor, manager, of 
 other person having the direction of each and every plantation or estate within this colony, 
 ghall on some day between the first and fifteenth day of the month of January, and the first 
 and fifteenth day of the mouth of July, in eaeli year, repair to the Civil Magistrate, 
 acting in his capacity of Assistant Protector of Slaves, for the time being, of the dis- 
 trict in which such plantation or estate may be situate, or in which such owner, proprietor, 
 manager, or other person as aforesaid, may he then resident, and then and there produce be- 
 fore such Civil Magistrate as aforesaid a precise and exact transcript of every entry, which, 
 during the period next preceding the first day of the month of January, and the first day of 
 
 •-the month of July, respectively, may have been made in such Punishment Record Book of 
 his or her: task or working gang, plantation or estate, and shall aiso take and subscribe an 
 oath, to he annexed to the said transcript, in the following woids : — 
 
 " /, A B. the owner or manager of the plantation, task or working gang (as the case may he) 
 called in 1 he district of in the colony >f Her bice, do 
 
 vi'ike Oath and say, that the paper-wtitilig hereunto annexed, contains a true and exact copy of every Entry 
 which, since the day of last, hulk been made in the Pvxisbhkxt Record Booh of the 
 
 beforemen/ioned plantation. ta;.k or working gang. And / do further swear, that the said l'i xisn.iixxT 
 Kt-Coiiu Buok hath been punctually and accurately kcjd since the day of 
 
 in the mariner by law required ; and that no fraudulent erasure or false entry hath been made therein by me or 
 by any person by my procurement, or with my kr.ozzlcd^e or consent — So help me, God !" 
 
 An (T !p case any such owner, or manager, or other person as aforesaid, shall not, since the 
 tins; if making his list preceding return to the said Civil Magistrate of the district, have in- 
 .fiicted or caused to be indicted, any punishment upon any female slave, or any punishment upon 
 any male slave, then and in every such case, in lieu of the oath aforesaid, such owner, manager 
 -or other -person as aforesaid, shall at the several iimes aforesaid, take and subscribe befoie the 
 Civil Magistrate of the district in which such plantation may be situate, or task or work- 
 tin^ gang:be then employed, an Oath in the following words (that is to say.) — 
 
 "7, A.Ti. do swear thai since the day of now last past, no punishment hath 
 
 been inflicted by r.:e or by my ordcror withviy knowledge, upon any fe mule slave belonging or attach- 
 ed to the task or wui king gang, or to the plantation called situate in the district of 
 whereof I am manager (as the case niay be) ; and that no punishment hath since the 
 said day of been inflicted on any male slave belonging or attached to the said 
 task or {forking gang or plantation. And I do further sk ear that no entry of any puniihment hath since 
 the said day of. been made in the Punishment Record book of the said gang or 
 plantation by me or with my knowledge or consent— So help me God! 
 
 -And anv person or persons as aforesaid, refusing or neglecting to make any such return or to 
 take and subscribe the oath required by this present Act, shall for every offence incur and 
 •become liable to a fine of three hundred guilders. And the Civil Magistrates as such As- 
 sistant Protectors of Slaves as aforesaid are hereby authorised and empowered to administer 
 the said oaths accordingly, 
 
 17. And it is hereby further ordered that the Assistant Protector of Slaves of each dis- 
 trict in the colony, shall transmit to the Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case 
 may he), at his office in New Amsterdam, w. thin the months of February and August im 
 each year, the whole of the returns so made to him, together with the original affidavits 
 thereunto annexed. And in case any such Assistant Protector of Slaves shall himself be the 
 owner or manager of any estate, or gang of negroes exceeding six in number, he shall, toge- 
 ther with the said returns, transmit to the said Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as 
 the case may be) a transcript of the entries in his own Punishment Record Book for the last 
 six months, together witb an affidavit to be by him sworn before the Protector or Deputy 
 Protector of Slaves (as the case may be) or some other Assistant Protector of Slaves, in the 
 manner abd form, and under the penalty prescribed by the foregoing article. 
 
 IS. And it is hereby further ordered, that the said Protector or Deputy Protector of 
 Slaves (as the case may be) shall enter and record -io one book or set of books duly paged 
 and indexed, to be by him kept for that purpose, the whole of the returns so made to him, and 
 shall keep and preserve in his office the originals of the said returns and affidavits. 
 
 19. And be it further ordered, that any persons, being in a state of slavery, and being the 
 property of the same owner, who may be desirous to intermarry, shall at their election, apply 
 
10 
 
 either to the Protectoror Deputy Profecfor of Slaves (as the casemay be) or the Assistant Pro- 
 tector of Slaves of the district in which they may reside, for a marriage licence ; and, as an au- 
 thority to him to grant the same, shall produce the consent in writing of the owner of such 
 slaves, or his or her representative to the celebration thereof; but in case such owner or hi; 
 or her representative shail refuse to consent to any such marriage, or to give such written per- 
 mission for the celebration thereof as aforesaid, then nad in every such case the said Protec- 
 tor or Deputy Pro ector of Slaves, or Assistant Protector of Slaves (as the case may be ) T 
 shall thereupon issue a summons under his hand, requiring such owner or his or her repre- . 
 sentative to appear before him, by himself or herself, or his or her agent, at some conve- 
 nient time and place to be for that purpose appointed, such time being not more than four- 
 teen da\s distant from the time when such application as aforesaid shall be received bv such 
 Protectoror Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be) or Assistant Protector of 
 .Slaves as aforesaid ; andif such owner or representative as aforesaid, being duly cited, shall 
 fail to appear by himself or herself, or his or her agent, before the said Protector or Deputy 
 Protector of Slaves (as the case may be) or Assistant Protector of Slaves, or appearing shall 
 fail to lay before him good and sufficient proof that, such proposed marriage would be in- 
 jurious 1o the well-being of the said slaves, then and in every such case the said Protector 
 or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case mav be,) or Assistant Protector of Slaves, shall 
 without fee or reward issue a licence undi r his hand, thereby authorising any Clergyman of 
 the Established Church of England and Ireland, or any Minister of the Dutch Reformed 
 Church, or Lutheran Church, or of the Kirk of Scotland, or any Priest or Curate profess- 
 ing the Roman Catholic Religion, or any Licensed Teacher of Religion within this colour, 
 carrying on no other profession, business, or occupation of profit save and except the occu- 
 pation of a School Master, to solomnize the ma riage of the said slaves ; and such marriage 
 •when so solemnized, shall be held and considered binding, valid and effectual in law : — 
 Provided, nevertheless, that such marriages sha'l not confer < n the parlies or their issue any 
 rights inconsistent with the duties which slaves owe to their owners, or to the Government, 
 or at variance with those rights which the owners or the Government are by law entitled to 
 assert over the slaves and their progeny, or subject such slaves so intermarrying to any pe- 
 nal infliction, the effects of which might destroy the rights or injure the property of their 
 owners. 
 
 £0. And it shall and n ay be lawful for any Clergyman of the Established Church of 
 England and Ireland, or any Minister of the Dutch Reformed Church, or Lutheran Church, 
 or of the Kirk of Scotland, or for any Priest or Curate of the Roman Catholic Religion, or 
 any Licensed Teacher of Religion, upon receiving the permission in writing of the owner or 
 owners, (or their attoruies, ) of any such slaves wishing to intermarry, or the Licence of such 
 Protector or Deputy Protector (as the case may be), or Assistant Protector of Slaves, to so- 
 lemnize such marriage, and every person by whom such marriage may be solemnized shall 
 register in a book to be by him kept for that purple, every such marriage wiih the date 
 thereof, and the names, ages, and places of abode of the parties contracting, and the pro- 
 prietors or estates to whom or which they respectively belong, 
 
 21. And it is further ordered, that every female slave who shall have a child while she 
 preserves her fidelity in marriage, or reputed marriage, or is reputed to do so, shall, six 
 weeks after the birth of such child, if the said child be then living, be en1 it led to receive from 
 her owner, or his or her attorney, twelve guilders, and fifteen guilders for every other child 
 she shall thereafter bear and have under the same circumstances ; and if any owner or at- 
 torney shall omit in any respect to comply with and fulfil the directions of this clause, he or 
 she shall incur a penalty of three hundred guilders for every such offence. And it is further 
 ordered, (hat as soon as any female slave shall have six children living, and who have been 
 born during marriage or such cohabitation as aforesaid, with reputed fidelity, the youngest 
 of whi( h .children shall be seven years of age, the owner or manager of such female slave, 
 shall not thereafter oblige such female sia\e to do any labour in the field, or any other thau 
 light work, under a penally of three hundred guilders for every offence. 
 
 22. Every planter or proprietor of slaves shalltake the necessary precaution that his or 
 her slaves be"properly supplied with provisions, and shall therefore be obliged to have pro- 
 vision grounds prepared on the estate and properly planted, calculating one acre for every 
 five negroes, under a penalty of ninety guilders for every acre less in provisions than hereby 
 required ; allowing, moreover, a reasonable weekly allowance, according to the custom of 
 the colonv and as may be best obtained, under a penalty of one hundred and fifty guilders 
 
11 
 
 for every slave who may not have hern duly provided with his or her allowance ; and also 
 shall provide such slave or slaves with proper clothing according; to the custom of the colo- 
 ur, under a penalty of one hundred and fifty guilders for every slave not duly provided with 
 his or her clothing : provided always, that whenever the provision grounds to be upon an 
 •estate, shall be found inadequate to furnish the requisite provisions for the due subsistence 
 of the negroes thereon, then and in such case it shall not be compulsory on such proprietor 
 or his or her represent alive to cultivate or keep up such provision grounds as aforesaid, but 
 -such proprietor, or his or her representative, shall in lieu thereof purchase or otherwise pro- 
 cure such an equivalent supply of provisions as may be proper for their support. 
 
 23. And be it further ordered, that ihe hours for held work of slaves shall be from six 
 o'clock in the morning until six iu the evening', and not longer, and that two hours shall be 
 allowed them. during. tluit period for rest and meals, under a penalty of thi ee hundred guil- 
 der s. 
 
 24. And it is further ordered, that every proprietor of slaves, or his or her attorney, 
 •shall employ a legally qualified medical practitioner, duly authorised to practise, by a cer- 
 tificate from the Lieutenant Governor or Acting Lieutenant Governor, to attend their sick 
 slaves, and shall provide such medicines, food, and other necessaries as such medical practi- 
 tioner shall from time to time reasonably order and direct; and that there shall be on every 
 estate or place where the slaves, other than domestic slaves usually reside, a commodious hos- 
 pi!i)i or siek house, furnished with proper conveniences and attendants for the sick, under ape- 
 ijalt y of six hundred guilders ; and that a book or register shall be kept in every such hos- 
 pital, in which the names and treatment of all such slaves shall he respectively entered by 
 4he medical attendant; and in case any such medical attendant shall omit or refuse to make 
 guch entries as aforesaid from time to time, ho shall incur a fine of twenty -two guilders for 
 each and every such offence. 
 
 25. And it is further ordered, that no person shall, under a penalty of jive hundred guil- 
 ders, bury or allow io be buried any slave who lias died suddenly or under suspicious cir- 
 cumstances, or shortly after punishment, or who has committed suicide, until previous in- 
 formation be given, if iu New Amsterdam, at the office of the Fiscal, or if in the country, 
 until such information be -sent to the Civil Magistrate of the district in which such death 
 took place, or if this be impracticable, to some other respectable inhabitant, who shall, with 
 some legally qualified medical practitioner attend for the purpose of inspecting and examin- 
 ing: the corpse, and send a certificate of the result of such examination to the Civil Magis- 
 •ts ate of the said district, or if it should happen, as it possibly may in particular cases of 
 •tlevth under peculiar, local, or other circumstances, that it is impracticable to obtain either 
 of the certificates ahovementioned, then, and in every such case, some other proof equally 
 strong and satisfactory, or the best which the nature and incidents of the case can afford, 
 must he produced to the said Civil Magistrate, in support thereof, the person offering such 
 proof, to verify by oath the circumstances which put it out of his or her power io procure 
 one or other of the certificates as above directed ; and in every such case the said Civil Ma-' 
 jgistrate shall forthwith transmit unto the Fiscal the said certificates and other the proof 
 liexeinbeibre required. 
 
 "2S. And be it further ordered, that it shall not be lawful, in the execution of any judg- 
 ment, sentence, decree, or order of the Court of Justice within this colony, to seize and sell 
 in satisfaction thereof, any slave known or asserting to have a husband or wife, or reputed 
 husbanJ, or wife, or child midei the age of sixteen years, who may be the property of the 
 same person or persons, unless such husband or wife, or reputed husband or wife, or child 
 as afoiesaid, shall be sold together, and in one and the same lot, to the same person or per- 
 sons; and in order to prevent any such separation taking place, it is hereby further order- 
 ed, that the Marshal and Sworn Clerk, attending the Marshal when levying Execution, 
 shall in their return, certify that before levying execution on any single slave, they have 
 carefully enquired from the slave, if a male, whether he has a wife or reputed wife, or 
 child under the age of sixteen years, and if a female, whether she has a husband or reputed 
 husband, or child as aforesaid, belonging to the same person or persons; and in case either he 
 or she should d< clare to have a wife or husband, or reputed wife or husband, or child as 
 aforesaid, the Marshal shall be then bound to levy on them together, provided however, 
 that a slave thus asserting to have a husband or wife, or reputed husband or wife, or child 
 as aforesaid, belonging to the same owner, shall be bound to prove the truth of his or her 
 
12 
 
 assertion, either "f>y the evidence of the owner, manager, or overseer, on the plantation where 
 the execution shall be levied, or by the evidence of the other slaves belonging to the same 
 estate or plantation, or person or persons ; and in case the assertion be supported by the evi- 
 dence of slaves only, but contradicted by that of the owner, manager, or overseer, or ail of 
 Client, so as to render the case doubtful, or if the Marshal under any circumstances entertain 
 a doubt, if shall then be lawful for him to levy on the single slave given up in execution, 
 and provisionally on the alleged family of the said slave, and it shall -then be his duty fc» 
 make a full report of his proceedings in his return, a copy of which he is to deliver, or cause 
 to be delivered, to the Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), who 
 shall with all diligence enquire into the circumstances of. the case, and decide ihcrer.n vvfch 
 strict impartiality and justice, and whatever decision shall.be given by the Protector or De- 
 puty Protector of Slaves thereon, shall be the rule for the Marshal completing the levy and 
 sale ; and in case the single slave thus taken in execution shall, when such levy and execu- 
 tion take place, declare not to have a husband or wife, or reputed husband or wife, or child 
 as aforesaid, or shall remain silent on the subject, then and in everv such case it shall bo 
 lawful for the Marshal to proceed with the sale of the .single slave thus taken in execution., 
 and the sale is hereby declared absolutely valid in -the law to all inte/.ts and purposes what- 
 ever ,' and in order to facilitate such -investigation, the proprietor, manager, or other person 
 having charge of such estate as af r< said, is hereby directed to keep an accurate and com- 
 plete record of all married cr reputed married persons on such estate, and also of the child- 
 ren respectively proceeding therefrom, which shall be forthwith transmitted to the- Prot.ct- 
 or or deputy Protector of Slaves (as the.case mav.be), at his Office in Ne.v Amsterdam, 
 whenever required so to be transmitted by such Protector or deputy Protector of Slaves as 
 aforesaid, for the purpose of facilitating such investigation as aforesaid, under apenalty for 
 not duly keeping such record as aforesaid, of the sum of five hunch cd guilders for every sucji 
 offence, and also under a penalty of Jive hundred guilders for refusing, or omitting to Iran— 
 mit such record as aforesaid, for such purpose aforesaid, to such Protector or deputy Pro*- 
 tector of Slaves as aforesaid, whenever required by him so to do. 
 
 27. And whereas by the usage of this colony, persons in -a state of. slaver v have hitherto 
 been permitted to acquire, hold and enjov property free from coutroul ; and it is expedient 
 that the said custom should be. recognized, and as lar sts riccd.be established by lav ; and that 
 provision should be made For enabling slaves to invest such their property on. good security. 
 Be it therefore, and it is hereby ordered and. declared, that.no person in this colony, being 
 in a state of slavery, shall he, and be deemed, or be taken to be, by or on account of such 
 his or her condition, incompetent to purchase, acquire, possess, hold, enjoy, alienate, or dispose 
 of property, but every such slave shall be, and is hereby declared competent to purchase, ac- 
 quire, possess, hold, enjov, alienate, or dispose of lands situate in this colony, money, cattle, 
 implements, or utensils of husbandry, or household furniture., or other effects of such like 
 nature, by him, her, or them honestly and lawfully acquired or hold — save and except fire 
 arms, ammunition, and such colonial produce as is .prohibited to be sirid or bartend bif the 
 existing law : — provided always that it shall not be lawful for any slave to hold or:keep up- 
 on the land of his or her owner or that of any proprietor, any stock or animals, unless with 
 the consent of such owner or proprietor ; and .in case any slave or slaves having such stock, 
 and being warned fo remove such stock or animals, should refuse or. neglect to .remove the 
 same, it-shall be lawful for the owner or other person having charge of such plantation or 
 estate, to .destroy the same, or cause it to be destroyed by others. And if any white or free 
 person in this colony, shall purchase from any slave anv land or article in which such slave 
 shall or may have legally acquired a right of .property, and shall refuse to.pay for the same, 
 it shall and may be lawful fbr-the owner of such, slave, or the Protector or Deputy protec- 
 tor of Slaves (as the case mav be), to have and maintain an action in lus or her own name or 
 quality, for the recovery of the price, .or the -value of the said land or articles so -purchased, 
 in like manner as if the same had been purchased from himself or herself, or such Protector 
 or Deputy Protector »vf Slaves (as the ease .may be), and the Court in its sentence shstll de- 
 cree for the. plaint iff for the use of the.sl.ive, if he or. she shall be proved to have been so de- 
 frauded, and if any owner, in this colony, shaH unjustly withhold from any slave under his 
 or her. direction anv sum of money which shall haxebeen so .decreed.hythe -Court to the use 
 of such slave, or shall on any occasion unjustly appropriate to his or her Own use any land, 
 money, or property of anv kind which such slave shall or may have so lawfully acquired, or 
 shall prevent him or her from disposing of the same, or if any other person whomsoever shall 
 molest or disturb anv such slave in the possession or free use and enjov men! of any land, mo- 
 ney, or property so lawfully acquired by such slave, .such owner or such other } erscn s-lnUi 
 
1-3 
 
 upon conviction thereof, be liable to restore to the said slave the land, money, or property, 
 go unjustly appropriated to his or her own use, and be further liable to fine or imprison- 
 ment, or both, at the discretion of the Court: Provided always that nothing hereinbefore 
 contained, shall extend, or be construed to extend, to affect or prejudice the right of pro- 
 perty which the proprietor or owner legally has in or to his slave or slaves ; and his, her, or 
 their services shall in no manner be alienated, diminished, or deteriorated by the possession 
 of any land or other property as aforesaid, which any sucii slave or slaves may by virtue 
 ; hereof legally acquire, but such land or other property so acquired by such slave or slaves 
 Es aforesaid, shall alone be considered and remain liable to and for any debtor debts of what- 
 soever nature or kind, which such slave or slaves may at any time incur for or in respect of any 
 such land or other property as aforesaid, and (he person or persons of the said slave or slaves 
 shall be for ever freed and discharged from all liability for or on account of any such debt 
 or tfebls. 
 
 28. And it is hereby further ordered, that a Savings Bank, shall be established in this 
 colony for the better preserving the property of any slaves therein, and that interest at the 
 average rate of Government funded security, shall be allowed upon any sum of money which 
 may be deposited in any such Savings Bank, under the condition that the sum or sums is or 
 are to remain for one twelve month, and any slave making any deposit of money in such Sa- 
 vings Bank, shall bequeath the said money to whomsoever he or she may please, in case of 
 his or her death, by a declaration to be lodged in the records of the Bank, which declaration 
 shall be equivalent to a Will ; the whole, however, to be subject to such rules and regula- 
 tions as may be hereafter deemed advisable.; such Savings Bank to be under the immediate 
 direction of the Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), subject to 
 the general superintendence of the Lieutenant Governor, or Acting Lieutenant Governor, 
 and the Council of Government. 
 
 29. And it is hereby further ordered, that no duty, tax, or impost, of any nature or kind 
 whatsoever, and that no fee of office shall hereafter, be paid or be payable for or on account, 
 or in respect of the manumission of any slave, or the enrolment, or registiation of any deed 
 of manumission; and if any person within this colony, shall hereafter take, demand, or re- 
 ceive any inx, duty, impost, or fee of office, for any such deed of manumission, or the enroll 
 ment thereof as aforesaid, the pers n so offending shall incur and become liable to the. pay- 
 ment of a tine not exceeding one lliousund, nor less than one hundred guilders. 
 
 30. And it is hereby further ordered, that in case the owner or owners of any 9lave or 
 slaves shall he desirous to manumit any such slave or slaves, it shall be his or her duty to 
 apply to the Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), and give him 
 notice in writing of such intended manumission, and it shall thereupon be the duty of the 
 Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), to enquire into the circum- 
 stances of such slave or slaves, as to his, her, or their age, mental or bodily infirmity, and if 
 it. shall appear to the Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), that the 
 slave or slaves proposed to be manumitted, is or are likely to become a burthen on the public, 
 he is then to regulate the amount of the security or of the deposit which is to be given or 
 made by such owner or owners, at whose option it shall be whether he, she, or they prefer 
 to makea deposit in money or give security for the same ; and in case of security being given, 
 it shall be the duty of the Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be) to 
 take care that the same be full and sufficient for the intended purpose ; and if a deposit of 
 money be made, such money shall immediately be placed in the hands of the Treasurer of the 
 Poors Fund, who shall give a receipt for the same to the owner, and be accountable for the 
 same, in like manner as in all other matters relating to his office as Treasurer of the Poor's 
 Fund. And in order to prevent the possibility of any fraud being committed by persons at- 
 tempting to manumit slaves not bona fide their property, or of whom no valid or effectual 
 manumission can be effected by reason of any mortgage, settlement, lease, or other charge 
 upon or interest in such slave being vested in any other person or persons, it is hereby fur- 
 ther ordered, that on application as before mentioned being made to the Protector or Deputy 
 Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), he shall give Public Notice thereof in the same 
 manner as has heretofore been done by the Secretary of this colony, for the purpose of ena- 
 bling any person having, or pretending to have a right to oppose such manumission ; and if 
 any sucii opposition shall be made, the merits thereof are to be tried de piano before the 
 Court of Civil Justice, and the slave whose manumission is thus opposed shall be defended 
 in such action by his or her owner, or the Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as 
 
14 
 
 the case may be), or by both of them, and the decree given by the Court of Civil Justice 
 shall be binding on the parties without any appeal ; and in case no opposition he made against 
 such intended manumission, the owner or owners voluntarily effecting such manumission, 
 shall execute a proper deed of manumission, and the same shall in all cases be executed in 
 the presence of the said Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case maybe); or 
 two proper witnesses, to be by him appointed for that purpose, and being so executed, sTia.11 
 by such Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves, be enrolled in the Secretary's Office 
 of this colon v, within one calendar month next after the date and execution thereof; and 
 in case any such deed shall not be left for enrolment at the said Secretary's Office within 
 the said period of one calendar month, the said Protector or Deputv Protector of Slaves 
 (as the case may he) shall incur and become liable to the payment of a fine of five hundred 
 guilders, on proof of the neglect being made to the Lieutenant Governor, or Acting Lieu- 
 tenant Governor, for the time being ; and alter the enrolment has taken place, the said ori- 
 ginal deed of m-inumission shall be delivered to the said slave, and thereupon such slave 
 shall he, and be deemed, taken, and reputed to be free to all intents and purposes. 
 
 31. And it is hereby further ordered, that in case any slave within this colonv shall he 
 desirous to purchase the freedom of himself, herself, or of his or her wife, or husband, or 
 child, or brother, or sister, or reputed wife or husband, or child, or brother, or sister, it 
 shall and may be lawful to and for an}- such slave so to purchase the freedom of himself, 
 or herself, or of any such other person as aforesaid; and if the owner or proprietor of any 
 Etich slave shall be unwilling to effect his or her manumission, or shall, by reason of any 
 mortgage, settlement, or lease, or other charge upon or interest in such slave being vested in 
 any other 1 person or persons, be unable to execute a valid and effectual manumission of any 
 euch slave ; or if the owner, or proprietor, or any other person having an interest in any 
 such slave, shall be a minor, or a married woman, or idiot, or lunatic . ; or if the real and true 
 owner of any such slave shall be absent from, and have no attorney or representative in this 
 colony, or shall not be known ; or if any suit or action shall be depending in any Court of 
 Justice in this colony, wherein the title to the said slave, or the right to his or her services, 
 shall or may be in controversy ; or if the o.\ner of any such slave, or his or her attorney or 
 representative, shall demand, as the price of his or her freedom, a greater sum of Tnonevtb.au 
 may be the fair and just value thereof, then, aud in each and every the cases aforesaid, the 
 President of the Courts of Cihninal and Civil Justice of this colony shall, on application to 
 him for that purpose, made by the Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case 
 may be), issue a summons under his hand and seal, requiring the owner or manager of such 
 slave, or the person or persons under whose direction such slave may be, to appear before 
 him, by themselves or their agents, at some convenient time and place to be by him, the said 
 President, for that purpose appointed: and notice shall also be published by the said Pro- 
 'tector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), in the public Gazette of this 
 colony for the period of one calendar month, of the time and place appointed for the pur- 
 pose aforesaid ; and in such notice, all persons having or claiming to have any title or inte- 
 rest in or to the slave proposed to be manumitted, either in their own right, or as the guardians, 
 attorneys, trustees, or executors, of any other person, shall be required to attend and prefer 
 6uch claims. 
 
 32. And it is hereby further ordered, that at the time appointed for any such meeting 
 as aforesaid, the President of the Courts of Criminal and Civil Justice of this colony, in the 
 presence of the Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), and also in 
 the presence of the owner, attorney, manager, or other person having the charge of the slave 
 or slaves proposed to be manumitted ; or upon proof being made to him, upon oath, of the 
 due service and publication of such notice as aforesaid ; then, if necessary, in the absence of _ 
 such owner, attorney, manager, or other person having charge as aforesaid, shall proceed to 
 hear in a summary way what may be allegea b\ the said Protector or Deputy Protector of 
 Slaves ( as the case maybe ) , and by the owner, attorney, manager, or other persons claiming any 
 interest in the slave proposed to be' manumitted ; and incase the parties, or any of them, 
 shall refuse to effect any such manumission, or if it shall appear to the said President that a 
 valid and effectual manumission of any such slave cannot legally be effected by private con- 
 tract ; or if it shall be made to appear to the said President, that the owner or proprietor of 
 any such slave, or that any person having any charge upon or interest in hiin or her, is 
 a minor, or a married woman, or idiot, or lunatic, or that the real and true owner of any 
 such slave, or that any person having any charge upon or interest in him or her, is absent 
 from the colony, and has no representative orattorney therein, or is unknown, or caunot be 
 
15 
 
 found, or that any suit or action is depending -in any Court of Justice in this colony, where- 
 in the title to the said slave, or the right to his w her services is in controversy ; or if it shall 
 •appear to the-said President that any difference <of opinion exists between the Protector or 
 Deputy Projector of Slaves (as the ease -may be)-, end the owner -or proprietor, or other per- 
 son having the charge of any such slave respecting his or Irer price or value : then, end le 
 •every such case, the said President shali require the Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves 
 (as the case may he), and the owner, manager, ©r perssn having 'the -direction of any -such 
 -slave, -or interest therein as aforesaid, each to nominate an appraiser of his or her value; a«4 
 "the said President shall himself nominate an empire bet ween such appraisers ; and the said 
 •appraisers being &rsf duly s^orn before the said President to makes fair and impartia4a$- 
 praisement, not only with reference to the physical strength of the slave .-proposed toWflfr 
 •numitted, and his or her mental acquirements, hut also with reference to the absolute value 
 >of such slave to hrsorher owner, and the -loss which -such owner would sustain by the -loss 
 •of the services of -such s-3a\e, shall within seven-days next after such their appointment, make 
 .a joint -valuation of the slave or -slaves proposed to be manumitted, including in such valua- 
 tion any expenses necessarily attendant on such appraisement, and shall certify such their 
 •"valuation to the President under their hands and seals. And in case such joint certificate 
 -shall not be delivered tollie ssid President within the said terra of seven days, Ihen the said 
 •umpire, heing duly -sworn in manner aforesaid, shall within the next seven days, certify his 
 valuation, -under his han*i and seal, to the said President ; and the valuation to be made in 
 .manner aforesaid, either by the said joint appraisers, or in their default, *b> the said umpire, 
 shall be binding and conclusive, and shall be entered and enrolled in the office of the Secre- 
 tary and Registrar, of this coicny, 
 
 S3. And it is hereby further ordered, that upon payment tothe Secretary and Registrar 
 ■of this colonv of the appraised \alue of any such slave as aforesaid, after deducting there- 
 from the expense of the appraisement tp be allowed by the said President, the said Secreta- 
 ry and Registrar shall grant to trie Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves ( as the case may 
 he), a receipt for the money so to be received by him And such receipt shall be duly en- 
 rolled in the ofhee of the said Secretary and Registrar, together with a declaration, under 
 stbe hand and seal of <fhe said President, that the proceedings required by law for the manu- 
 mission -of (he slave, by or on-bebalf of whom such money was paid, had been duly had be- 
 fore him ; and thereupon such slave shall be, and be deemed, taken, and reputed to be, free 
 to all intents mid purposes whatsoever. 
 
 Si. And it is further ordered, that the money to arise from the manumission of any slave 
 or slaves, by virtue of the proceedings before mentioned, shall be forthwith paid by the said 
 \Secretarv and Registrar to theowner^ manager, or other person having had the charge and 
 -direction of any such slave or slaves manumitted as aforesaid, without any deduction or a- 
 batement therefrom on any account whatsoever ; provided it appear by a certificate, under 
 the hand and seal of the Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), that 
 After one month's notice in the Gazette of this colony, as prescribed in Article 31, no person 
 appeared to prefer any claim to or interest in the slave proposed to be manumitted, either in 
 his or her own right, or as the guardian, attorney, trustee, or executor of any other person, 
 pursuant to such notice ; otherwise the money to arise as aforesaid, shall and may belaid out 
 ;and invested, under the authority of the President of the Courts of Criminal and Civil Jus- 
 tice, on the application of any person or persons interested therein, in the purchase of any 
 -other slave or slaves ; or if no such application shall be made, then such money shall remain 
 in the hands of the Secretary and Registrar of this colon)', and the slave or slaves so to be 
 purchased with the said money as aforesaid ; or in case of no such purchase being made, 
 then the said money in the hands of the said Secretary and Registrar, shall be the property 
 *of the persons who were the owners or proprietors of such manumitted slave or slaves, and 
 -shall be held upon, under, and subject to all such and the same uses, trusts, limitations, 
 conditions, mortgages, claims, and demands of what nature or kind soever, as such slave or 
 ■slaves was or were held upon, under, or subject unto, at such the time of his, her, or their 
 manumission; and the said Secretary and Registrar shall hold the said money, subject to 
 such order as the President of the Courts of Criminal and Civil Justice of this colony may, 
 upon a summary application of any person interested therein, see fit to make; and such 
 ^noney shall, by the said Secretary and Registrar, be paid, applied, and disposed of, in pur- 
 suance of and in obedience to any such order. Provided always that nothing hereinbefore 
 •contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to entitle any slave or slaves within this 
 •colony, , to purchase the freedom of himself, herself, or themselves., or of his or her wife, or 
 
16 
 
 husband, or child, or brother or sister, or reputed wife, or husband, or child, or brother or 
 sister, without the consent of his, her, or their owner or owners, unless it shall be made to 
 appear to the satisfaction of the Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may 
 be), that the money wherewith such slave or slaves may propose to purchase his, her, or 
 their freedom as aforesaid, arises from the earnings of his, her, or their own holiest inclustrv, 
 or has been bequeathed unto him, her, or them, by Inst will and testament, or acquired by 
 legal or testamentary succession ; and also that sufficient proof has been exhibited unto him, 
 the said Protector or Deputv Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), that such slave or 
 slaves* has or have conducted himself, herself, or themselves, honestly and faithfully for the 
 period of five years then next preceding such application for manumission: And provided 
 also, that nothing hereinbefore contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to entitle 
 any such slave or slaves to purchase his, her, or their freedom as af .-resaid, where the slave 
 or slaves proposed to be manumitted shall have been convicted of larceny, or shall have suf- 
 fered corporal punishment under the sentence of any Court of competent jurisdiction within 
 the period of seven years next preceding his, her, or their application for manumission as 
 aforesaid. 
 
 35. And it is hereby further ordered, that every Clergyman of the Established Church 
 of England and Ireland,' and every Minister of the Dutch Reformed Church, and Lutheran 
 Church, and of the Kirk of Scotland, and every Priest or Minister professing the Roman 
 Catholic Religion, in this colony, and every other person being a Licensed Teacher of Re- 
 ligion within this colony, shall, and is hereby authorised and required to deliver or transmit 
 to the Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), at his office in New- 
 Amsterdam, or to the Assistant Protector of Slaves of the districts in which tliev may be re- 
 sident, eeitificates setting forth the namesor name, and places or place of abode, of any slaves 
 or slave who, in the judgment and belief of the party so certifying, may be sufficiently in- 
 structed in the principles of religion to understand the nature and obligation of an oath, and 
 the said Protector, or Deputy Protector, and Assistant Protectors of Slaves in the several 
 districts of the colony, shall, and are hereby required to register the same in a book to be 
 kept by him or them for that purpose, therein stating the date of every such certificate, and 
 the name and place of abode of the person by whom the same may have been granted, and 
 of every slave mentioned and included therein : — Provided, nevertheless, that no P/hst, or 
 Minister, or Licensed Teacher of Religion, not being a Clergyman of the Chinch of Eng- 
 land and Ireland, or Minister of the Dutch Reformed Church, or Lutheran Church, or of 
 t!ie Kirk of Scotland, or of the Roman Catholic Religion, shall be competent to grant any 
 such certificate as aforesaid, unless His Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the colo- 
 nies, or the Lieutenant Governor or Acting Lieutenant Governor for the time being of this 
 colony, shall have granted to such Priest, Minister, or Licensed Teacher, a licence in writ- 
 ing to act as an instructor of slaves in this colony ; and unless such licence shall be in force 
 and have been first registered at the office of the said Protector or Deputy Protector of 
 Slaves (as the case may be) : Provided always that nothing herein contained shall extend, 
 or be construed to extend, to prevent or abridge the undoubted power of the Lieutenant Go- 
 vernor, or Acting Lieutenant Governor, for the timebeir.g, to suspend or take away any such 
 licence until His Majesty's pleasure shall be known. 
 
 36\ And it is further ordered, that no person shall henceforth be rejected as a witness, or 
 considered incompetent to give evidence in any Court of Criminal or Civil Justice in this 
 colony, bv reason of his or her being in a sta'tc of slavery, if the person or persons producing 
 or tendering him or her as a witness, shall produce and exhibit to the Court a certificate un- 
 der the hand of the said Protector or Deputy Protector (as the case may be), that such pro- 
 posed witness is registered in the before-mentioned book ; and the said Protector or Deputy 
 Protector (as. the case may be), shall, and he is hereby required to grant, without fee or 
 reward, to anv'person making application for the same, a certificate of the fact whither any 
 such proposed witness is or is not regis! ered in the said book : Provided, nevertheless, that 
 no person being in a state of slavery, shall be admitted to give evidence in any case where 
 any white, or other person of free condition, may be charged with or prosecuted for any of- 
 fence punishable with death : — Provided always that nothing herein contained shall extend 
 to take away or diminish anv power or authority which the Court of Criminal Justice of 
 this colony now hath to admit in any case, the evidence .of persons being in a stale of slavery 
 — Provided also that nothing herein contained shall extend, or he construed to extend, (o 
 render any slave a competent wilness in any case in which such slave would be incompetent 
 to jrive evidence if he or she were of free condition. 
 
IT 
 
 37. And it'is hereby further ordered, that theSalary of theProfeefor or' Deputv Prof ector 
 of Slaves (as the case may be), shall by him be taken in lieu audio full satisfaction of all fees,' 
 perquisites of office, advantages and .emoluments whatsoever, and that, if the said Protector 
 or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), shall take or receive, directly or indi- 
 rectly, any fee, perquisite of office, advantage or emolument, other than his said salary, for or 
 in respect of any act, matter, or thing done or performed by him in the execution of such his 
 office, he- shall incur and become liable to the payment of a fine equal to twice the amount 
 of what he may so receive, and shall moreover become disqualified from holding such this 
 office. 
 
 38. And it is hereby further ordered, that the said Protector or Deputy Protector of 
 Slaves (.as the case may he), shall on the first day of January, 1827, and on the first day of 
 March, and on the first day of September, in the same year, and on the first day of March 
 and first dav of September in every succeeding year, deliver to the Lieutenant Governor,, 
 or Acting Lieutenant Governor, for the time being, particulars of all returns -which, by 
 virtue of this Order, may have been made to him by the Assistant Protectors of Sieves in 
 the severcl districts of the colony, with a report in writing, exhibiting an exact account of 
 the manner m which the duties of his office shall have been performed, during the periods' 
 respectively embraced by those returns, and especially stating the Dumber of actions, sui's, 
 and prosecutions, in which he may have acted as the Protector or Deputy Protector (as the 
 case may be) of any slave or slaves, during the said periods respectively, with the date* 
 and effect ot all the proceedings therein, and the names of the persons (if any) against whom 
 he may have instituted any criminal prosecution, or have instituted any suits or actions at 
 law in anv of the respective Courts of Justice in this colony, for or in behalf of any slave 
 or slaves, under and by virtue of this Order, together with the amount of (he sums of mo- 
 ney deposited in the Savings Bank in this colony ; and the Lieutenant Governor, or Acting 
 Lieutenant Governor, for the time being, shall thereupon administer to the said Protector or 
 Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be)-, an oath that such report contains a true 
 and accurate statement of the several matters and things therein referred to; and when, and 
 so soon as, the said Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), shall have 
 made his half-yearly report, and shall in manner aforesaid have been sworn to the truth 
 thereof, then, and not before the said Lieutenant Governor, or Acting Lieutenant Governor, 
 shall issue to the said Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves (as the case may be), a war- 
 rant upon the Receiver General of this colony, for the amount of his salary for the half- 
 yearly* period embraced by those returns ; and the Lieutenant Governor, or Acting Lieu- 
 tenant Governor, for the time being, shall be, and he is hereby required by the first conve- 
 nient opportunity to transmit such report to His Majesty's Principal Secretary of "State for 
 the colonies, — And it is hereby further ordered, that if the Protector or Deputy Protector, 
 of Slaves (as the case may be), or any Assistant Protector of Slaves, shall wilfully and frau- 
 dulently make, or cause to be made, any erasure or inter lmeation in any of the books, re- 
 cords, or returns aforesaid, or shall wilfully falsify or cause to be falsified such document, 
 or burn, cancel, or obliterate the same, the person or persons so offending, shall incur such 
 penalty or imprisonment as shall be imposed at the discretion of the Court of Criminal Jus- 
 tice of this colony; and if such person be the Protector or Deputy Protector of Slaves, he 
 shall moreover be thereby disqualified from holding his office. 
 
 39. And it is hereby further ordered, that all Acts declared by this Ordinance to be 
 misdemeanors, shall he heard, tried, and enquired of, before the Court of Criminal Justice 
 of this colony at the instance of the Fiscal ; and that all the pecuniary tines an J penalties 
 hereinbefore imposed shall be recovered in the Court of Civil Justice of this colony, by the 
 said Fiscal, in the usual and ordinary manner as in the case of other Fiscal actions. Pro- 
 vided that all the prosecutions for misdemeanors and actions for pecuniary fines and penal- 
 ties under this act shall be commenced within twelve months next after the commission of the 
 offence ; and the information and proceeding thereon before a person properly authorised, 
 shall be deemed and be taken to be a commencement of such prosecution. 
 
 40. And it is hereby further ordered, that all fines and forfeitures recovered under the 
 several provisions of these regulations shall be divided and paid in the manner following, 
 that is to say, one half to the Fiscal of the colony, and the other half to be paid into the 
 Colonial Chest. 
 
 41." And it is hereby further ordered, that if any person shall be twice convicted of ni- 
 
fficimg upon any slave any cruel and unlawful punishment, {he person so convicted Defore 
 the Court of Criminal Justice of this colony, shall thcrehy incur double the penalties here- 
 inbefore provided for -such offence ; and he or slic shall moreover be declared by the Court of 
 Criminal Justice absolutely -incapable to have the management or superintendence of any 
 slave or slaves within this colony ; and if the person so convicted sha-H be the owner or pro- 
 prietor of slaves, such slaves, together with theestatete which fhey may be attached, shall 
 he placed in the hands of two or more Curators, to be appointed by the Court of Civil Jus- 
 tice, upon the application of the Protector, or Deputy Protector ef Slaves, made to such 
 Court for such purpose, who shall administer and managethe same, under the same regula- 
 tions heretofore in such cases existing, and be accountable in the same manner as all other 
 •Curators appointed by the Court of Civil Justice now arc. Provided, however, that no- 
 thing herein contained shall prevent such owner or proprietor from inspecting the accounts 
 to 'be' 'kept by the Curators so appointed, and from receiving and using for his or her own 
 -benefit, the -clear revenue arising from such slaves and estate to which they may fee attach- 
 ed, in sack manner as he or she would have been entitled to the same if no appointment of 
 such Curators h.ad>taken place. ^Provided also that nothing herein contained shall extend, 
 or be construed to extend, to prevent the owner or proprietorof such slaves or estate from 
 ■selling or disposing of the same in like manner as would have been lawful in case no such 
 Curators had been appointed. 
 
 42. And k h further ordered, that -with every person having the charge of a task or work- 
 ing gang exceeding six in number, and upon every estate throughout this colony, there shall 
 be carefully kept and preserved a Copy of this Ordinance, to whtch access may at ail times 
 be immediately had, under a penalty, in case of neglect or default, of five hundred guilders, 
 4o be incurred and paid by the owner or proprietor of such estate and task or working gang 
 as aforesaid. • 
 
 43. And it is hereby further ordered, - that all Laws end Ordinances of this colony, in 
 .anv wise repugnant to the several provisions, matters, and things hereinbefore expressed or 
 •contained, shall be, and the same are hereby .repealed and declared to be null, void, and 
 •of no effect. 
 
 44. And it is hereby further ordered, that this Ordinance shall take effect on, and be ia 
 full force from and after, the First day ef November next ensuing the date -hereof. 
 
 » And that no ignorance of this Ordinance may he pleaded, these Presents shall be publish- 
 ed in the Gazette of this colony, and Copies sent round to each and every Estate and Plan- 
 tation therein, for general information. 
 
 Tims done and Enacted in Council of Government, held at the King's Hvitse., 
 Berbice, this Twenty-Jifth Day of September, in the Year of our Lord 
 One Thousand Eight Hundred and Tiscnty-sixz — Present, His Excel- 
 lency the Lieutenant-Govern on, and the Honorabk Members William —J 
 Scott, Charles Kyte, William Campbell, James Clxlejt, T. A, 
 Jones, and J. S. Usher, 
 
 F. WHITE, Deputy Secretary. 
 
N 
 
 — »«eioi«»o— 
 
 •4. 
 5. 
 
 *«. 
 
 .'•7. 
 
 •9.. 
 
 il. Protector's "Salary./ 14,250 — payable <>nt«of the ordinary 
 
 llevfenues — O.uii dI Office. 
 '2. Protector to keep an Office in New- Amsterdam — Books 
 " and <P apt; rs lo be kept in such Oilico, and not elsewhere. 
 3. -Protector not to lie interested in any Plantation, Slaves, 
 or Mortgage — not to act a- Manager, 0verseer, Agent, or 
 Attorney, Ac dfany-Eslatc — not to acta* the Guardian, 
 Truster, or-Excculur, .of any person interested in Slave 
 " property. -In ease or'-lVolcciur, acquiring Slave, property 
 in his own right, or in right of ins wile, to forfeit Ins 
 office. 
 
 Protector not lo leave the 'Colony without a Licence— 
 Leave of absence not lo exceed three months. 
 Governor to (ill up Vacancy in the office of Protector — 
 no person to act as Deputy Protector who cannot act as 
 'Principal — certain-exceptions — Protector to do the duty 
 in person. 
 
 Projector to he a Magistrate throughout the'Colony, with 
 the same power (as regards the Slave Population) as is ex- 
 ercised by IheCml .Magistrates in their respective Districts. 
 Civil Magistrates to he Assistant Protectors of Slaves in 
 their respective JBistricls. 
 
 President of the Court of Criminal Justice to appoint 
 Advocates to -defend Slaves prosecuted Criminally — such 
 Advocates to he paid Taxed 'Cosls, out of the Colonial 
 'Chest — Protector empowered to prosecute Actions at' 
 Law in behalf of Siaves — in Civil Suits whore Islaves are 
 parties nclrce to lie given to the -Protector. 
 Slaves not to lie worked between sunset on -Saturday Rud' 
 sun-rise on Monday — Slaves not to leave the Estate on 
 Sunday without permission— Weekly Allowance may be 
 served out-to Slav is on -Sunday-, previous to Eight o'clock, 
 
 -'A"w. certain exceptions as to domestics, preservation of 
 
 cattle, Ac. nurses, watchmen, &«•-. prevention of fires, &c. 
 l-Hiilinj off and polling Sugar, turning aitd drying 'Coffee 
 and Cotton — the labour of picking, turning, and drying 
 Coffee and Cotton to be paid for rn the current money ot 
 the Colony— Halo of wages to he fixed by Protector, 
 subject to the approbation of the Governor in Council — 
 parties refusing to pay Slaves for picking 'Coffee and Cot- 
 ton on Sundays to be -fined. 
 '10. No person to hire the Slave <ff another to work, without 
 Owner's consent — persons unlawfully hiring Slaves to be 
 fined/600, or suffer imprisonment, 
 11. Sunday Markets to 'he closed at Eleven o'clock, a. m. — 
 
 Goods exposed for saie after that time to he forfeited. 
 S3!. No person to carry, or authorise the carrying, of a whip 
 "in [he field, as a badge of authority, or as a stimulus to 
 labour, after the 1st of November, 1S26, uuder a .penalty 
 of/600, ot imprisonment. 
 
 Punishment of Male Slaves not to exceed twenty-five 
 lashes, and to be inflicted in presence of a free witness or 
 of six slaves, at or near the buildings, under a penalty of 
 
 fOOO or in case of non-payment, imprisonment not ex- 
 
 • reeding six months. 
 34. No Female Siave to be punished by flogging after the 1st 
 November, 1S26. under a penalty of/1100, or imprison- 
 ment not exceeding six month-. — punishments substituted 
 for the wiiip — Female Slaves nnder 12 years of age, to he 
 punished the same as children at school, any indecent ex- 
 posure of the person to he avoided — cognizance taken ot 
 extraordinary offences by Civil Magistrates. 
 15. A Punishment Record Book lo be kept by all Manager'- 
 of task or working ganirs exceeding six in number, and 
 sinon every Estate; in which Book the particulars of all 
 punishments must be entered within 48 hours after inflic- 
 tion, under a penally of /300 for each offence— persons 
 niakiii" faise entries or erasures in Punishment Record 
 Book To be fined /300 for each offence, or three months 
 imprisonment— form of Punishment Record Book. 
 
 13- 
 
 Article 
 
 16. Proprietors of task gangs or estates to make Returns of 
 all punishments', on oath, twice a-yea-r lo the Civil Magis- 
 trates, undor a penalty of/300. 
 
 17. Magistrates, as such Assistant Protectors of Slaves, to 
 transmit the .Returns and Affidavits made to them, to the 
 •Protector of Slaves in the months -of February and Au- 
 gust each year. 
 
 18. Protector to enter such Returns in a book or set of books, 
 and to preserve Origiua.s. 
 
 19. Slavey may marry on obtaining Licence — mode of obtain- 
 ing such -Licence. 
 
 20. Regular licensed Ministers of Religion authorised to so- 
 lemnize such marriages on production of Licence — Mi- 
 nisters lo keep a Register of all Marriages. 
 
 21. Owners, Sic. to pay a gratuity to Female Slaves for every 
 chird born in marriage, or reputed marriage, when the 
 child is six weeks old (if child he then alive)— females 
 
 • 'having six children alive, the youngest seven years oid, 
 not to do field, or any other than light, work, uuder a 
 penalty of/300. 
 
 22. Owners to supply Slaves with the customary allowance 
 ot food and clothing, uuder the penally therein provided 
 — Estates lo have one acre of provisions planted for every 
 4ive Slaves — or in lieu thereof, when found inadequate, 
 to purchase a sufficient supply. 
 
 23. Field work of Slaves to he from six o'clock in the morn • 
 ing to six in the evening, allowing two hours during that 
 
 ..period for rest and meals, under a penally of f 300. 
 
 24. Owners of Estates to employ legally qualified Medical 
 Practitioners, and to furnish sick slaves with what may be 
 requisite — every Estate to have a Hospital with proper 
 conveniences, under a penalty of/600 — a Book or Regis- 
 ter kept in the hospitals — I Peatmen t of sick to be entered 
 therein by the Medical Attendant, under a penalty of/22 
 for each offence. 
 
 25. No Slave who may have died suddenly, to he buried 
 without an inquest being first held on the corpse, under a 
 penalty of/ 500. 
 
 26. Husbands and wives, or their children under sixteen years 
 ot age, not to be separated in enforcing the execution of 
 any sentence, &c. — directions to Marshals and Sworn, 
 Clerks as to the mode of IcvyingExecutious in such cases 
 — in case of doubt, Protector lo decide— R< cord lo he 
 kept of all Married Slaves on Estates, and transmitted to 
 the Protector when required, under a penally of /500. 
 
 27. The custom of permitting Slaves to enjoy and dispose of 
 lauded or other property recognised by law— lire arms, 
 ammunition, and colonial produce excepted — Slaves not 
 to keep any stock on their master's land without permis- 
 sion— Owners or Protectors -of 'Slaves -may maintain ac- 
 tions In their own names against parties indebted to Slaves 
 — persons refusing to pay over money, &:c. recovered for 
 the use of a Slave, to be fined or imprisoned at the discre- 
 tion of the Court — Owner's right of properly in the Slave 
 and his services, not to he prejudiced by Iho privileges of 
 the Slave — property acquired by Slaves, and not their 
 persons, liable for their debts. 
 
 28. A Savings Bank to he established under the direction of 
 the Protector ol Slaves, subject to the superintendence of 
 the Governor and Council of Government. 
 
 29. No tax or lee te be paid on manumissions — persons tak- 
 ing any fee in respect -to manumissions, lo he lined notcx- 
 ccediug/lOOe, nor less than/100. 
 
 30. Owners desirous of manumitting a Slave, to give notice , 
 in writing to (lie Protector of Siaves, who is to fix the a- 
 mount of deposit or security, in cases where necessary — 
 'deposits to be paid to the Treasurer of the Poor's Fund— 
 Protrctor to give public notice of intended manumission, 
 and in case ot opposition (which is lo be tried de piano) 
 to defend the Sfav'e — Protector to enrol «ianuinrssioiis i« 
 
20 
 
 Abticli 
 
 tbe Colonial Secretary'* Office within one month, under 
 a penalty off 500 — manumissions when enrolled, to be de- 
 livered to the Slave, who shall then be deemed free. 
 
 3,1. The right of Slaves to purchase their freedom recognised 
 by law— mode of proceeding to effect their inanuniissioa. 
 
 32. President, in presence lit Protector and the Owaer, At- 
 torney, &c. to hear and decide summarily between the 
 parties in case of any impediment to the effecting a manu- 
 mission — mode of appraisement. 
 
 S3. On payment being made of the appraised value of a Slave, 
 said Slave to be deemed free. 
 
 34. Mode of disposal of the Proceeds of the sale of a manu- 
 mitted Slave. 
 
 35. Clergymen to deliver Certificates to the Protector of 
 Slaves of the names »«d places of abode of such. Slaves as 
 they may consider sufficiently instructed in Religion to 
 
 ■ " understand the nature and obligation of an oath— the 
 Protector of Slaves to register such Certificates in a book 
 — unlicensed Clergymen not couapeteut to grant certifi- 
 cates. 
 
 36. Slaves competent te give Evidence if registered in such 
 book — Protector to grant certificate thereof without fee 
 —Slaves not competent evidence in cases affecting the life 
 of a free person — the authority of the Court of Criminal 
 Justice to admit the evidence of Slaves in any case nnl 
 diminished — Slaves not to be deemed competent to give 
 evidence who would be incompetent if free. 
 
 Article 
 
 37. Salary of JVolcctor of Slaves lo he in full and in lieu of 
 all fees— Protector taking fees to be fined double the a- 
 mouut, and disqualified tfuni holding his olHce. 
 
 3S. Protector to deliver Returns and a Report on the Tst 
 January, 1827; and afterwards half-yearly lo the. Gover- 
 nor, on oath, and then to receive a warrant for hisxahlry 
 — Governor l» transmit Report and Returns to His Ma- 
 jesty's Government — Protector or Assistant Protector of 
 Slaves wilfully or fraudulently altering, &lc. Returns, to 
 bo fined and imprisoned; and if the Pioteclor, to ios;.- \:\% 
 Office. 
 
 39. Misdemeanors under this Act to be tried before the Court 
 of Criminal Justice by the Fiscal — Fines and Penalties lo 
 be recovered in the Court of Civil Justice by the Fiscal 
 — Actions to be commenced within twelve luouilw, 
 
 40. Tines to be paid, one-half to the Fiscal, and one-half to 
 the Colonial Chest. 
 
 41. A person twice convicted under this Act, liable to dou- 
 ble penalties, aud not to be allowed lo manage Slaves — 
 if a proprietor, curators to be appointed !<; manage !>:s> 
 estate in the usual manner. 
 
 42. All Managers of estates or tesk gang« t« have a copy of 
 this Ordinance, under a penalty otjitto. 
 
 43. All Laws ami Ordinances repugnant to this Act repealed. 
 
 44. This Act to be iu force from arid after the la! Nov. ru- 
 ber, ld26. 
 
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