An Act to alter and amend the thirty-second and thirty-third Clauses of an Act of this Island, intituled, An Act for attainting several Slaves now run-away from their Masters’ Service, and for the better Government of Slaves; and for regulating the Duty of the Militia during the Christmas Holidays.

Whereas by the thirty-second and thirty-third Clauses of an Act, intituled, An Act for attainting several Slaves now run-away from their Masters’ Service; and for the better Government of Slaves, dated at the Town of Saint John, the ninth Day of December, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and twenty-three, and in the tenth Year of the Reign of our late Sovereign Lord George the First, it is enacted,

That all Owners, Masters, Managers, and Renters of Slaves, within this Island, shall allow to their Slaves (except those necessary about their Houses) Christmas Day, and the two next Days following, as Play-days for their Recreation, and no more, or other Days during the twelve Christmas Holidays: and if any Person, Master, Owner, or Renter, or Manager of any Planta­tion, do not allow their Slaves, the same Days as before mentioned, for their Recreation, and as Holidays, or shall allow any other or more Days in the Christmas Holidays, the Person or Persons offend­ing shall each forfeit the Sum of twenty Pounds, current Money of this Island: and that the Commanding Officer of the Troop of Car­bineers, and the Commanding Officer of each Regiment of Foot, are each, respectively, required, to summon all Persons under their particular Commands, to ride the Rounds, on every Christmas Day and the two Days next following, from eight of the Clock every Morning, until ten of the Clock every Evening of the same last mentioned Days; and every Person who rides the Rounds, shall, once a Day, when he is on the Rounds, rendezvous at the Chief Commander’s House of the Division; and no Person shall be com­pellable to ride out of the Division where he lives; and every Officer of the Militia, neglecting his Duty therein, shall forfeit ten Pounds, current Money of this Island; and every other Person, duly sum­moned and neglecting, shall forfeit five Pounds, like Money: And whereas, from the Alterations of Times and Circumstances since the Date of the said Act, the Orders and Directions of the said two recited Clauses are become improper, and have been for some Time past so slightly and irregularly complied with, that the good Effects intended by the Military Duty thereby enjoined and prescribed, would have been, in all probability, entirely frustrated and lost, had any Event happened by which the Men on Duty had been called into actual Service: And whereas it is absolutely necessary and proper, that the Indulgence of Holidays given to our Slaves, for their Re­creation and Relaxation at Christmas, should be continued; and that a strict Watch should be kept over the Conduct of the said Slaves during that Period, to prevent the Mischiefs that might ensue, from their being then unusually idle and dissipated; We, therefore, Your Majesty's dutiful, loyal, and obedient Subjects, the Governor in Chief of Your Majesty’s Leeward Caribbee Islands in America, and the Council and Assembly of this Your Majesty’s Island Antigua, pray Your Most Excellent Majesty that it may be enacted and ordained; and be it, and it is hereby enacted and ordained by the Authority of the same, That during the Continuance of this Act, all Owners, Renters, or Possessors of Slaves, within this Island, or the Islands adjacent and thereunto belonging, shall allow all their Slaves, (except as hereinafter excepted,) as Holidays for their Re­creation and Relaxation from their Work, the whole Time from Sun-set on Christmas Eve to Sun-rise of the twenty-eighth Day of December, in each Year, and no more, nor any other Days in the twelve Christmas Days Holidays; and every Owner, Renter, or Possessor of Slaves, as aforesaid, who shall not allow each and all of their said Slaves, (except as hereinafter excepted,) the whole Time aforesaid, on being thereof convicted, before any one of His Ma­jesty’s Justices of the Peace of this Island, by the Oath of one or more credible White Witness, shall, for the said Offence, be, by the said Justice, fined the Sum of one hundred Pounds, Gold and Silver, current Money; and if such Offender shall not immediately pay such Penalty, the same shall be levied by Distress and Sale of the Goods and Chattels of such Offender, by Warrant under the Hand and Seal of such Justice, directed to any Constable; rendering the Overplus (if any) on Demand, after deducting the Charges of such Distress and Sale, to such Offender upon whom such Distress shall have been made as aforesaid; and for want of sufficient Distress such Justice shall commit such Offender to the Common Jail, there to remain until the said Fine is paid, one half whereof shall go and be paid to the Person who shall make Information of the said Offence, and the other half shall be paid into the Treasury of this Island, and applied to the keeping in repair His Majesty’s Forts and Fortifications therein: Provided always, that the Slaves employed by their Owners, Renters, or Possessors, about their Houses or Person, shall not be allowed the Holidays above mentioned, without the Consent and Permission of their said Owners, Renters, or Possessors, nor shall such Slaves be deemed, or taken to be within the Meaning or Intention of this Act.

II. And be it enacted and ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That during the Time given as aforesaid to the Slaves, as Holidays, the Martial Law of this Island shall be in force; and that Military Duty shall be executed by the several Corps of Militia of this Island (viz.) The Squadron of Dragoons, the Red and Blue Regiments of Foot Militia, the Independent Company, and the Train of Artillery, in such Manner, and under such Orders and Regulations, as shall be, from time to time, made and appointed by a Council of Officers, consisting of the Captain General, or, in his Absence, the Person presiding in Chief Command in this Island, with the Field Officers and Captains of all the Corps of Militia, and the Colonel of the Forts and Fortifications; and every Man who shall refuse or neglect to pay due Obedience to the said Orders and Regulations, shall be tried by a Court-martial, agreeable to the Directions of the Militia Law of this Island now in force, and shall be fined, or imprisoned, for such Refusal or Neglect, as the said Court shall determine: Provided always, that the Secre­tary, Provost Marshal, Treasurer, Powder-officer, and Register of Deeds of this Island, and the Collectors, Comptrollers, Searchers, and Waiters of His Majesty’s Customs, not being Commissioned Officers in the said Militia, shall be, and are hereby exempted from doing any Military Duty whatever during the said Holidays: Provided always, and it is the Intent and Meaning of this Act, that the said Martial Law being in force, shall be construed and taken to be only in force, over those who are on Military Duty as aforesaid, during the Time they shall continue thereon, and no longer, nor shall the Course of the Civil Law be any Way stopped or impeded, nor shall any Person whatever be protected or exempted therefrom, except only those on Duty as aforesaid, each of whom, during the Time he shall be going to do Duty as aforesaid, or shall be thereon, or coming there­from, shall not be liable or subject to have his Body taken, or his Slave attending him, or his Horse, Furniture or Accoutrements levied upon, by Virtue of any Process or Writ issuing in any Civil Action or Suit in any Court whatsoever.

III. And be it enacted and ordained, That when it so happens that Christmas Eve falls on Sunday, the said Martial Law and Mili­tary Duty shall commence and be executed as above directed, from Sun-set on the twenty-third Day of December; and when it so hap­pens, that the twenty-eighth Day of December falls on a Sunday, the said Martial Law and Military Duty, shall continue and be executed; as above directed, until Sun-rise on the twenty-ninth of the said December.

IV. And be it enacted and ordained by the Authority aforesaid, That if the Council of Officers as aforesaid, shall order any standing Guard, or Guards, to be mounted and kept in any of the Towns of this Island, a proper House, or Houses, shall be hired at the Pub­lic Expence, by the Treasurer of this Island for the time being, to serve as a Guard-house, or Guard-houses, for. the Reception of the Officers and Men on Duty; and the said Treasurer shall, and is here­by required to issue Candles, and such other Necessaries for the said Guards, as shall be ordered and directed by the Council of Officers as aforesaid, and to charge the Expences thereof in the Treasury Books; for which the Receipt of the Officer appointed to receive the same, shall be a sufficient Voucher to the said Treasurer in pass­ing his Public Accounts.           

Dated at St. Christopher's, the thirtieth Day of November, in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight, and in the nineteenth Year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth.

GEORGE LEONARD, Speaker pro tempore.

Passed the Council the six­teenth Day of July, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight.

By Command,

George William Jordan,

Deputy Secretary.

Passed the Assembly the nine­teenth Day of November, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight.

Edward Gamble, Jun.

Clerk to the Assembly, pro tempore.

Passed the Governor in Chief, this thirtieth Day. of November, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight.

WILLIAM  MATHEW (L.S.) BURT.

Published the eighth Day of December, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-eight.

JOHN ROSE, Deputy Provost Marshal.