An act to prevent preaching by persons not duly qualified by law.

 

Enacts, Clause 1.--- “That, from and after the passing of this act, in case any person, not duly qualified and authorized, per permitted, as is directed by the laws of this island and of Great-Britain, shall, under the pretence of being a minister of religion, presume to preach or teach, in any meeting or assembly of negroes or people of colour, within this island, every such person shall be deemed and taken to be a rogue and a vagabond, and within the intent and meaning of this act, and be punished in the manner hereinafter directed.”

 

Clause 2.--- “That it may and shall be lawful, for any magistrate of the parish wherein the offence aforesaid shall be committed, on complaint made to him on oath, or upon his own hearing or view, to cause the offender to be apprehended and committed to the common gaol, and shall forthwith associate with himself two other justices of the peace of the same parish, and have authority to summon all persons, capable of giving evidence, to appear before them; which three magistrates, so associated, shall, upon the due conviction of the offender, adjudge him or her, if of free condition, to be committed to the workhouse, there to be kept to hard labour, for the first offence, for the time of one month, and for every subsequent offence, for the time of six months each; and in case the offender shall be a slave, such offender shall, for the first offence, be committed for hard labour to the nearest workhouse, for one month, and, for every subsequent offence, be sentenced to receive a public flogging, not exceeding thirty-nine lashes: Provided always, That whenever the offence committed by a white person, shall appear of extraordinary heinousness, it shall and may be lawful for any one or more of the justices of the peace, and he and they are hereby required, to secure the appearance of every such offender at the next subsequent supreme or assize court, by sufficient bail or commitment, to answer for the offence, and, on conviction, to suffer such punishment as such court shall see fit to inflict, not extending to life.”

 

Clause 3.--- “That, from and after the passing of this act, in case any owner, possessor, or occupier, of any house, out-house, yard, or other place whatsoever, shall knowingly permit any meeting or assembly of negroes or people of colour, for the purpose of hearing the preaching or teaching of any person, of the description herein-before declared to be a rogue and a vagabond, every person so permitting such meeting or assembly shall, on conviction thereof, before the court of quarter-sessions of the same parish or precinct, incur a fine not exceeding one hundred pounds, at the discretion of the said court, and be committed to the common gaol until such fine be paid, and until the offender shall have given security for his future good behaviour, by recognisance, for such time, and in such sum, and with such sureties, as the court shall judge fit.”