An Act for the better Prevention of the Practice of Obeah.

WHEREAS it is expedient to prevent the evils and offences which arise from the wicked acts and pretensions of persons going under the appella­tion of Obeah men and women; and whereas the provisions now by law made for the prevention of such evils and offences have been found ineffectual for that purpose.

[Clause 1.] Be it therefore enacted by his Excellency the Right Honourable Stapleton Lord Combermere, Knight Grand Cross of the most Honourable Military Order of the Bath, of the Royal Guelphic Order, and of the Portuguese Royal Military Order of the Tower and Sword, His Majesty’s Captain Ge­neral, and Governor in Chief of this island, Chancellor, Ordinary, and Vice- Admiral of the same, the honourable the members of His Majesty’s Coun­cil and the General Assembly of this island, and by the authority of the [271] same, that from and after the passing of this Act, any person who shall wilfully, maliciously, and unlawfully pretend to any magical and superna­tural claim or power, in order to promote the purposes of insurrection or rebellion of the Slaves within this island, or to injure and affect the life or health of any other person, or who wilfully and maliciously, shall use or carry on the wicked and unlawful practice of Obeah, shall, upon con­viction thereof before two justices of the peace and three freeholders, if the person offending be a Slave, and before the Court of Grand Sessions if a free person, suffer death or transportation as the court by which the said offender may be tried, shall think proper, anything in this or any other Act of this island to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding.

[Clause 2.] And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that from and after the passing of this Act, if any person wilfully and maliciously in the practice of Obeah or otherwise, shall mix or prepare, or have in his or her possession, any poison, or any destructive substance or thing, with an intent to administer to any person (whether the said person be white or black or a person of colour), or wilfully and maliciously shall actually ad­minister to or cause to be administered to or taken by any such person as aforesaid, any poison or any destructive substance or thing whatsoever, although death may not ensue, upon the testimony thereof, every such person, together with his or her counsellors, aiders, and abettors, knowing of, and being privy to such evil intentions and offences, shall, upon convic­tion thereof before two justices of the peace and three freeholders, if the person offending be a Slave, and before the Court of Grand Sessions, if a free person, suffer death, transportation, or such other punishment as the court by which such offender may be tried shall think proper, anything in this or any other Act of this island to the contrary in anywise notwith­standing.           

[Clause 3.] And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that from and im­mediately after the passing of this Act, the Act entitled “An Act for the punishment of Slaves found practising Obeah” shall be and the same is hereby repealed and made void to all intents and purposes whatsoever.

Read three times and passed the Council unanimously the twenty-fifth day of May, one thousand eight hundred and nineteen.

(Signed) WM. HUSBANDS, Deputy Clerk of the Council.

Read three times and passed the General Assembly nem. con., this fourth day of May, one thousand eight hundred and nineteen.

(Signed) R. B. FARLEY, officiating acting Clerk of the General Assembly.

(Signed) COMBERMERE.

Assented to by his Excellency the Governor on the 26th day of May, 1819.

(Signed) WILLIAM HUSBANDS, Deputy Secretary.