Full Transcript
WHEREAS it sometimes happens that persons in possession of Slaves, by reason of their having only an interest for life, or other limited freehold estate, in such Slaves, or by limitations, trusts or other legal impediments, are prevented from giving an effectual manumission to such Slaves, although desirous so to do; and it is proper that owners should possess in all cases the power of rewarding fidelity and good conduct in their Slaves, by manumission where the same can be effected without prejudice to the rights of other persons; may it therefore please your Majesty that it may be enacted by the Governor, Council and Assembly of this island, and it is hereby enacted and ordained by the authority of the same, that from and after the passing of this act, any person or persons having legal or equitable estate for life, or for other freehold interest in and being in the actual possession of any Slave, and who shall be desirous or consenting that such Slave shall be made free, shall be entitled to make an application to the Custos or Senior Magistrate of the parish where such Slave shall reside, and in case such Custos or Senior Magistrate shall be related to the party applying, or interested in the matter, then to some other Magistrate, and shall deliver a written statement, verified upon the oath of the applicant or applicants, or, in case of absence, of his, her or their attorney duly constituted, which oath the said Custos or Senior or other Magistrate is hereby authorised to administer, stating the nature and extent of the interest of such person or persons, and the different rights, claims and limitations to which such Slave is subject, and the impediments which prevent such Slave being manumitted in the ordinary manner, and such Custos or Senior or other Magistrate shall associate to himself two other Magistrates disinterested in the matter, and shall enquire into the merits of the application, and if such application shall appear to the said Magistrates, or any two of them, to be well founded, three indifferent persons shall be appointed as valuators, one of whom to be named by the party or parties applying, and another by the person or persons entitled in remainder, or otherwise interested, and appearing before the said Magistrates, and the third to be nominated by the said Magistrates, and in case no other person or persons shall appear before the said Magistrates having an interest in the said Slave, then two of the said valuators shall be appointed by the said Magistrates, and such three persons shall enquire into the value of the Slave so intended to be manumized, and shall make their report in writing under their signatures to the said three Magistrates, provided that before such Custos or Senior or other Magistrate shall entertain such application it shall be made appear to him that notice has been given in the three county newspapers, for three weeks successively, of the intention to make such application, stating the name or names of the person or persons applying the name or names of the Slave, the place or places where such Slave has been resident for the last twelve months, and the time when such application is intended to be made; and it is hereby further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that when such valuation shall be reported and approved of, the said Custos or Senior or other Magistrate and his associates shall, and they are hereby required to give an authority to the Receiver General to receive the amount of the valuation, and to place the sum when paid to the credit of the person or persons interested in the said Slave, and the said amount shall bear an interest of six per cent., payable out of the public funds, so long as the same shall remain in the hands of the Receiver General: and it is hereby further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that the Receiver General shall give to the party or parties paying in the amount of the valuation, a certificate under his hand that the same has been paid to him, and upon the production of such certificate of the Receiver General to the said Custos or Senior or other Magistrate and his associates, they are hereby authorised and required again to meet and to give an order for the manumission of the said Slave in manner following:
Date
Location
Citation
Download Original
Images published from the ProQuest House of Commons Parliamentary Papers product (HCPP) with permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission.