An Act to prevent Sedition, and punish Insurgents and Disturbers of the Public Peace

IV. If any person or persons within this colony, shall, at any time after the passing of this act, compel, induce, persuade or attempt to compel, induce, or persuade, any white person or persons, or any free negro, or negroes, mulatto or mulattoes, Indian or Indian, to desert from their habitation or habitations, or any negro, or other slave or slaves, to desert from his, or their master, mistress, or owner, and to join any land or naval force, raised or to be raised, or sent by Great-Britain, or any authority derived from that government, against the united colonies of America, or this colony, or to join any person or persons, armed in a hostile manner, with intent to opposed, or subvert the government of this colony established as aforesaid, or with intent of killing any person or persons, or destroying his, her or their goods, or property, who shall be acting or ready and willing to act, in support and defence of such government, or any of the inhabitants of this colony, and friends to the same, every such person or persons, so offending in any one of the above offences, and all such as shall aid and abet, the said offender or offenders, in the perpetration and execution of any of the said offences, shall on conviction thereof, by due course of law, be deemed and adjudged guilty of felony, and shall suffer death without benefit of clergy. Provided, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed, or taken to prevent the good people of this colony from arming of slaves or negroes for the better defence of this colony, against all enemies whatsoever who shall invade or attack the same, or endanger the safety thereof.
 
(Passed April 11th, 1776)