An Act for repealing a Certain Clause in an Act made in the Reign of King William, intituled, “An Act to restrain the Insolencies of Slaves, and for preventing them from committing any Outrages; as also for the better ordering such Slaves.

Anno 1714. N˚ 62.

WHEREAS, by an Act confirmed by King William of glorious Memory, upon the Thirty-First Day of December, in the Year of Our Lord One thousand Six hundred and Ninety-six, intituled, “An Act to restrain the Insolencies of Slaves, and for preventing them from committing any Outrages, as also for the better ordering such Slaves;” it is especially provided for, in One Clause of the said Act, “That if any Negro or Negroes shall be executed by suffering Death, that the Owner or Owners of such Negro or Negroes shall receive and be paid out of the public Treasury of this Island, the Sum of Three thousand Five hundred Pounds of Muscovado Sugar:” and whereas it is now found by Experience (to the great Delay of Justice) that several Negroes having committed great Crimes and Misdemeanors, whom in all Probability would have suffered Death, provided they had been brought to Justice, but the Owner or Owners of the aforesaid Negroes, not esteeming the aforesaid Quantity of Three thousand Five hundred Pounds of Muscovado Sugar sufficient and of full Value for the aforesaid Negroes, have endeavoured to conceal the said Negroes, rather than bring them to Justice; We therefore pray Your Most Excellent Majesty, that it may be Enacted and Ordained, And be it, and it is hereby Enacted and Ordained by the Commander in Chief of all Your Majesty’s Leeward Charibbee Islands in America, and the President, Council, and Assembly of Montserrat, That every Clause, Article, Thing or Things of the aforesaid Act, in relation to the Payment of Three thousand Five hundred Pounds of Muscovado Sugar out of the public Treasury of this Island to the Owner or Owners of such Negro or Negroes that shall be so put to Death, shall from henceforward, to all Intents and Purposes whatsoever, be repealed, made void, and of none Effect.

And be it further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That from and after the Publication of this Act, every Owner or Owners of any Negro or Negroes which shall be so put to Death shall be paid, from and out of the public Treasury of this Island, so much Money or Sugar that any such Negro or Negroes shall be appraised or deemed to be worth, immediately after such Negro or Negroes shall have received Judgment to suffer Death, which Appraisement is to be made by the Lieutenant Governor, or President and Council of this Island; and such Appraisement to be entered in the Book of Records of the Council by the Secretary of the Council, any Law, Custom, or Usage to the contrary in anywise notwithstanding.

Provided, That nothing in this Act shall be deemed, construed, or taken to repeal or make void any other Clause, Article, Thing or Things in the aforementioned Act.