An Act concerning the Payment, out of the Publick Treasury, for Slaves executed and to be executed in this Island for Treasons, Murders, or other Felonies.

Whereas by the constant and antient Usage of this Island, all Owners of Slaves which have been condemned and executed for Treasons, or Murders, or other Felonies, have been paid out of the Publick Treasury of this Island, by Order of the Commander in Chief, Lieutenant Governor, or President of the Council, and the Council and Assembly of this Island, upon Petition duly preferred, according to the Values of such Slaves, ascertained by Appraise­ment; by reason whereof Persons were encouraged to bring their of­fending Slaves to Justice, and Concealments of such Crimes have been prevented:

II. But inasmuch as no positive Law is now extant for the Purposes before-mentioned, and Disputes may arise hereafter concerning the Premises for want of such positive Law: For Prevention therefore of such Disputes;

III. We Your Majesty’s most dutiful, loyal, and obedient Sub­jects, the Commander in Chief of all Your Majesty’s Leeward Caribbee Islands in America, and the Council and Assembly of Your Majesty’s Island Antigua, do humbly pray Your Most Sacred Majesty, that it may be declared, enacted, and ordained; and be it, and it is hereby declared, enacted, and ordained, That according to the antient and uninterrupted Usages and Customs of this Island, all Persons who have, within four Years before the Date hereof, had any Slave or Slaves con­demned and executed for Treason, Murder, or other Felony, within this Island, and duly appraised, or to be appraised as usual, and not already paid for by the Publick of this Island, are well intitled to be paid the Value or Values of such Slaves out of the Publick Treasury of this Island, according to Appraisement, upon a Petition and Order thereon, as heretofore used; so as such Value or Values, as in Cases of Running- away amounting to Felony, be not more than the Values by Law established.

IV. And be it also further hereby enacted, by the Authority afore­said, That the Value or Values of all Slaves, hereafter to be con­demned for Treason, Murder, or other Felony, shall be paid out of the Publick Treasury of this Island, to the Owner or Owners, by [251] Appraisement to be made as heretofore used; subject nevertheless to the Forfeitures of such Value or Values, in Case of not prosecuting such Criminal Slaves, in such Manner, and to such other Persons, as by Law established; so always, as in Cases of Running-away, the Appraisement shall not exceed the Values by Law established, or to be established.

Dated in the Town of Saint John’s the thirty-first Day of August, in the fourth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. and in the Year of our Lord God one thousand seven hundred and thirty.

ASHTON WARNER, Speaker.

Past the Assembly this twenty-fourth Day of August, one thousand seven hundred and thirty.

WILLIAM SMITH,

Clerk to the Assembly.

Past the Council the thirty-first Day of August, one thousand seven hundred and thirty.

WILLIAM CRABB,

Clerk to the Secretary.

The same Day it was laid before the Commander in Chief in Council, and assented to.

WILLIAM CRABB, Clerk to the Secretary.

WILLIAM MATHEW.