An Act to prevent Slaves standing charged with any Crime or Offence from availing themselves, on their Trials, of Manumissions granted them after the Commission of the Crime or Offence for which they stand charged.

WHEREAS by an act entitled, “An Act for making free Negroes, Indians, and Mulattoes, Evidence in all Causes against one another, in all the Courts of this Island” it is among other things enacted, that so much and such part of the act of the Governor, Council, and Assembly of this island, entitled, “An Act for the better Order and Government of Slaves," which subjects Negroes, born Slaves, and afterwards manumitted, to be tried, for any crimes, by two Justices of the Peace and three Freeholders, be and stand repealed; and that, for the future, all such Negroes, Indians, or Mulattoes, who had been or should be manumitted by their masters, or otherwise, should be tried for all offences in the same manner as if they were born free.

 

II. And whereas, since the passing of the said Act, it hath happened that Slaves, after the commission of crimes, have been manumitted by their owners: And whereas doubts have been entertained whether Slaves so manumitted can be tried in the manner Slaves are directed to be tried under the laws of this island: For remedy whereof, Be it enacted by the Lieutenant-Governor, Council, and Assembly of this your Majesty's Island of Jamaica, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That, from and after the passing of this act, no Negro, Mulatto, or other Slave or Slaves hereafter to be manumitted, being a Slave or Slaves at the time of the commission of any crime or offence whatsoever, for which he, she, or they shall stand charged, shall be tried and adjudged in any other manner and form than such in which Slaves are, by the laws of this island, directed to be tried; nor shall any Negro, Mulatto, or other Slave or Slaves, hereafter to be manumitted, derive, receive, or be allowed any benefit or advantage whatsoever, on his, her, or their trial or trials, for or in respect of any Manumission or Manumissions, purporting to be granted to him, her, or them, by his, her, or their owner or owners; unless it shall be fully proved at such trial or trials by such Slave or Slaves manumitted, or pretending so to be, that the Manumission or Manumissions of which he, she, or they would avail him, her, or themselves, was or were actually executed and recorded in the office of the Secretary of this island; and a certificate thereof granted by the Commander-in-Chief of the said island for the time being, prior to the time of the commission of the crime or offence with which such Slave or Slaves manumitted, or pretending so to be, shall stand charged: Provided always, That such Slave or Slaves manumitted, or pretending so to be, be charged with such crime or offence within three months next from and after the commission of any such crime or offence as aforesaid; any thing in the said in-part-recited law, or in any other law, to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding.