An Act for the more effectual preventing the evil Practice of the Owners of Slaves hiring out such Slaves to themselves.

WHEREAS the several Laws now in Force, for prohibiting the Proprietors of Slaves from hiring out such Slaves to themselves, are found to be ineffectual for preventing so pernicious a Practice: We your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal Subjects, the Governor, Council and Assembly of this your Majesty's Island of Jamaica, most humbly beseech your Majesty that it may be enacted; be it therefore enacted by the Governor, Council, and Assembly of this your Majesty's said Island, and it is hereby enacted and ordained by the Authority of the same, That if any Owner or Owners, Employer or Employers of any Slave or Slaves, or any other Inhabitants of this Island, shall, from and after the Twenty-fifth Day of March, in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and fifty-four, consent or permit for a certain Sum of Money, or other Consideration, to be paid by the Day, Week, Month or Year, or any greater or lesser Time, such Slave or Slaves to go abroad, or to employ themselves where such Slave or Slaves shall think fit, or to work for whom they please, he, she, or they, and all and every Person hiring, or employing any such Slave or Slaves, shall forfeit the Sum of Ten Pounds for every Offence; to be recovered before any Two Justices of the Peace of the Parish or Precinct where the Offence shall be committed, by Warrant under their Hands and Seals, by Distress and Sale of the Offender's Goods and Chattels; one Moiety whereof to the Informer or Prosecutor, the other Moiety to the Church-wardens, for the Use of the Poor of the Parish where such Offence shall be committed. 

 

II. AND be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That the Secretary of this Island do forthwith cause this Act to be printed, and three Copies thereof to be sent to his Excellency the Governor and Commander in Chief, and to each of the Members of his Majesty's Council, and to each Member of the Assembly, and to the Custos of each Parish; the Charges of which shall be paid to him by the Receiver-General, out of any Monies in his Hands unappropriated; and that this Act shall be read in each Quarter-Sessions of the Peace within this Island; any Law, Custom, or Usage to the contrary notwithstanding.