An Act to alter and amend an Act of this Island, published the Twenty-third Day of August, in the Year One thousand Seven hundred and Seventy-three, intituled, “An Act for the suppressing of Runaway Slaves, and for the better Government of Slaves, and for preventing Slaves from being fraudulently carried off this Island; and for enabling the Commander in Chief, or President of the Council (for the Time being) to send out Detachments of Free Mulattoes, Free Negroes, and other Free Persons, being Male Descendants of Negroes, in Pursuit of Runaway Slaves;” and to ascertain what Share of the Rewards given by a late Act such Detachments shall be entitled to.

WHEREAS in and by the Thirty-fourth Clause of the said Act, intituled, “An Act for the suppressing of Runaway Slaves, and for the better Government of Slaves, and for preventing Slaves being fraudulently carried off this Island; and for enabling the Commander in Chief, or President of the Council (for the Time being) to send out Detachments of Free Mulattoes, Free Negroes, and other Free Persons, Male Descendants of Negroes, in Pursuit of Runaway Slaves;” it is Enacted that no Free Mulattoe Man, Free Negro Man, or other Free Man, Descendant of a Negro, to be sent out in Pursuit of Runaway Slaves, shall be compelled by virtue of this Act to serve in Detachments any longer Time than Eight Days at any One Time: And whereas it is found by Experience that the said Space of Eight Days, allowed by the said Act, for the Commander in Chief or President of the Council for the Time being, by and with the Advice of His Majesty’s Council, to continue Detachments of Free Mulattoes and other Free Persons of Colour in Pursuit of Runaway Slaves, is much too short a Time to effect any good Service to the Colony: And whereas the Rewards for apprehending Runaway Slaves in and by an Act lately passed, intituled, “An Act for suppressing Runaway Slaves, and for raising a Fund to reward Persons who shall apprehend them; and for continuing in Force, during the Continuation of this Act, the Prohibitions contained in an Act of this Island, intituled, An Act for the Preservation of Game and Fish,” and are very considerable increased.

[Clause I.] We therefore, Your Majesty’s most dutiful and obedient Subjects, the Governor, Council, and Assembly of Your Island of Dominica, do pray Your Most Excellent Majesty, that it may be Enacted and Ordained; And be it, and it is hereby Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That the said Time of Eight Days, allowed by the said Act for the Detachments of Free Persons of Colour to remain in the Woods on Service, in Search of and for the Purpose of taking and apprehending of Runaway Slaves, shall and is hereby altered and enlarged to the Space of One Month, or any shorter Time, if expedient, at the Discretion of the Governor in Chief or President of the Council, with the Advice and Consent of the Council; any Thing in the said Act contained to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding.

[Clause II.] And be it, and it is hereby Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Persons to be sent out in Detachments by the Governor in Chief, or President of the Council, in Pursuit of Runaway Slaves, shall in future be entitled, over and above their pay, to One Half of the Rewards allowed by the said Act lately passed, intituled, “An Act for suppressing Runaway Slaves, and for raising a Fund to reward Persons who shall apprehend them; and for continuing in Force, during the Continuation of this Act, the Prohibitions contained in an Act of this Island, intituled, An Act for the Preservation of Game and Fish,” as long as the same shall remain in Force, to be divided in Manner as is directed by the Thirteenth Clause of the said first-mentioned Act; any Thing in the said Acts, or either of them, to the contrary thereof in anywise notwithstanding.

WM STUART, Lt Govr President of the Council.

Passed the House of Assembly this Tenth Day of November, in the Year of Our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty-four.

THOS BEECH, Speaker. PETER GRAHAME, Clerk of the Assembly.

Passed the Council this Tenth Day of November, in the Year of Our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty-four.

WILLM WARDLAW, Clerk of the Council pro Tempore.

Assented to this Eleventh Day of November, in the Year of Our Lord, One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty-four, and in the Twenty-fifth Year of His Majesty’s Reign.

J. (G.S.) ORDE.

Duly Published in the Town of Roseau, this Thirteenth Day of November One thousand Seven hundred and Eighty-four, and in the Twenty-fifth Year of His Majesty’s Reign.

WM PAGAN, D.P.M.

Recorded and examined 16th November 1784.