An Act for the trial and effectual punishment of such runaway Slaves as may hereafter be taken, and be known to be chiefs or leaders of camps, or bands of runaways in the woods.

WHEREAS there is not at present a competent law of this colony for the trial and punishment of the runaway slaves in the woods, who are chiefs of camps or leaders of bands of runaway slaves; and whereas such chiefs are of the most dangerous and daring of the runaway slaves, and from the protection afforded to them by runaways the evil is alarming and of late hath greatly increased, therefore in order to provide a remedy and in some measure to secure the peace and safety of the colony, and to deter as much as possible slaves from resorting to runaway chiefs in the woods, we your Majesty’s loyal and obedient subjects the governor in chief and the council and the assembly of this Island of Dominica, do enact and ordain, and be it and it is hereby enacted and ordained by the authority aforesaid, That immediately after the publication of this Act, all runaway slaves, taken by any armed party employed after runaways, or in any other manner, who may be known to be chiefs of camps or leaders of bands of runaway slaves in the woods, shall be deemed and taken to be traitors and rebels, and being thereof convicted upon the verdict of a jury, according to the law of this Island for the trial of slaves charged with capital offences, shall suffer death as traitors and rebels, and undergo by the judgment or sentence of the court before whom he or they may be tried, all the pains and penalties which by the laws of England are usually inflicted on rebels and traitors, and after execution, in pursuance of such judgment or sentence, the body or bodies of the criminals shall be at the disposal of the governor or commander in chief of this Island for the time being.

[Chas] Winston, Speaker.

Passed the House of Assembly, this fourteenth day of October one thousand and eight hundred.

F. Collins, Clerk of the Assembly.

Passed the Council Chamber, this fourteenth day of October one thousand and eight hundred.

Jno [Chas] Constable, Act. Clerk of the Council.

Assented to this fifteenth day of October one thousand eight hundred.

Andrew (L.S.) Cochrane Johnstone.

Duly published in the town of Roseau, this sixteenth day of October one thousand eight hundred

John Lucas, P.M.