An Act authorising Persons having or taking up run-away Slaves to send them to the Gaols of the Districts where they may be apprehended, and not to the Work-House of Charleston.

BE IT ENACTED, That every person or persons having in custody, or taking up one or more run-away slaves, shall cause the same to be conveyed and delivered to the gaoler of any district in which such slave shall be apprehended within 5 days after having such slaves in custody, under the penalty of 20s. for each day he shall neglect to carry such slave to the gaoler, to be recovered by the owner before a magistrate or any court of record as the case may require; and the said gaoler shall, on receiving such slave or slaves, confine and be answerable for the same, and give a receipt thereof, and also give his note of hand to the person so delivering for the amount of the party’s trouble and expences, allowing 4d. per mile, and a half a dollar per pay, allowing 25 miles per day going only, and the sum of 10s. for taking up every such slave if a run-away, which note shall be made payable to the bearer, and reimbursed to the gaoler immediately out of the amount of sales of every such negro, or when his owner shall take him out of gaol, which shall not be before such owner shall pay such and other lawful charges for confining and maintaining such slave. Provided, That where any person hath or shall take up any slave, he shall cause him to be conveyed to a neighbouring justice, who may examine the party on oath touching the distance and time in which he hath necessarily travelled, and shall go with such slave the nearest way to the district gaol, and thereof shall give a certificate on a just estimate of time and distance, without which certificate the gaoler shall not be obliged to give his note, but he shall notwithstanding take every such slave into confinement; and in all cases where such slave or slaves shall be delivered to any gaoler, he shall safely keep, advertise and dispose of them according to the directions of an act passed the 10th day of March, 1784, to oblige persons having negroes and other property to render an account thereof; and for every day the said gaoler shall wilfully neglect to advertise such slave or slaves, after having him or them in in his custody, agreeable to the directions of the said act, he shall forfeit 10s. for each slave, to be recovered by the owner before a magistrate or in any court of record as the case may required.

II. Such part of the said act as obliges persons residing in any other districts than Charleston, and having in their custody such slaves, to convey them to the warden of the work-house, shall be and the same is hereby repealed.

27th February, 1788.

JOHN LLOYD,

President of the Senate.

JOHN JULIUS PRINGLE,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.