46. Virginia: Law of 1670 amended.
1686, October. Act I. Slight change in making out the certificate for apprehension of runaway.—Statutes at Large. Hening, Laws of Virginia, III. 29.
47. South Carolina:—Inhibition of trade with runaways.
1691. An act inhibiting the tradeing with Servants and Slaves. "And it is alsoe enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if any servant or servants shall at any tyme or tymes hereafter absent or withdraw him or themselves from his, her, or their master or mistresses service, such servant or servants soe offending shall for every naturall day they shall soe absent themselves serve one whole weeke, and for every weeke, if they shall att any one tyme soe long absent themselves, one whole yeare to theire master or mistresse, over and above their contracted tyme of servitude."—0 Statutes at Large of South Carolina, II. 53.
48. Pennsylvania:—Regulation of servants.
1700. An Act for the better Regulation of Servants in this Province and Territories. "And for the Prevention of Servants quitting their masters Service, Be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, that if any Servant shall absent him or herself from the Service of their Master or Owner for the Space of one Day, or more, without Leave first obtained for the same, every such Servant shall, for every such Days absence, be obliged to serve Five Days after the Expiration of his or her Time, and shall further make such Satisfaction to his or her Master or Owner for the Damages and Charges sustained by such Absence as the respective County Courts shall see meet, who shall order as well the Time to be served, as other Recompence for Damages sustained. And whosoever shall apprehend or take up any Runaway Servant, and shall bring him or her to the Sheriff of the County, such Person shall for every such Servant, if taken up within Ten miles of the Servants abode, receive Ten Shillings; and if Ten miles or upwards, Twenty Shillings Reward of the said Sheriff, who is hereby required to pay the same, and forthwith to send Notice to the master or Owner, of whom he shall receive Five Shillings Prison Fees upon the Delivery of the said Servant, together with all other Disbursements and reasonable Charges for and upon the same."—0 Province Laws of Pennsylvania, I. 5.
49. New York:—Regulation of slaves.
1702. An Act for regulating Slaves. "And be it further enacted, etc., That no Person or Persons whatsoever do hereafter Employ, Harbour, Conceal or Entertain other Men's Slaves at their House, Out-house, or Plantation, without the consent of their master or mistress, either signified to them verbally, or by Certificate in writing, under the said Master or Mistress' Hand upon Forfeiture of Five Pounds for every Night or Day, to the Master or Mistress of such Slave or Slaves, so that the Penalty of such Slave do not exceed the value of the said Slave. And if any Person or Persons whatsoever shall be found guilty of Harbouring, Entertaining, or Concealing of any Slave, or assisting to the Conveying them away, if such Slave shall happen to be lost, dead, or otherwise distroyed, such Person or Persons, so Harbouring, Entertaining, Concealing, Assisting or Conveying of them away, shall be also liable to pay the Value of such Slave to the master or mistress, to be recovered by Action of Debt, in manner aforesaid."—0 Acts of Province of New York from 1691 to 1718, p. 58.
50. New York:—Punishment of runaways to Canada. [§ [8.]]
1705. An act to prevent the Running away of Negro Slaves out of the City and County of Albany, to the French at Canada. "Whereas the City and County of Albany are the Frontiers of this Province toward the French of Canada; and that it is of great concern to this Colony, during this time of War with the French, that no Intelligence be carried from the said City and County to the French at Canada: ... Be it enacted, and it is hereby enacted by his Excellency the Governor, Council and Assembly, etc., that all and every Negro Slave or Slaves, belonging to any of the Inhabitants of the city and county of Albany, who shall from and after the First Day of August of this present year of our Lord, One thousand seven hundred and five, be found traveling Forty miles above the City of Albany, at or above a certain place called Sarachtoge (unless in Company of his, her, or their Master, Mistress, or such employed by them, or either of them), and be thereof convicted by the Oaths of Two or more credible Witnesses, before the Court of Sessions of the Peace of the said City and County (which Court of Sessions are hereby Authorized and Impowered to hear and determine the same, in manner aforesaid, and thereupon to award execution), he, she, or they so Convicted, shall suffer the Pains of Death, as in cases of Felony."—Acts of Province of New York, 77.
51. New York:—Act of 1702 revived.
1705. An act for Reviving and continuing an Act, Intituled, An Act for Regulating Slaves, 1702 (expired in 1712).—Acts of the Province of New York, 79.
52. Virginia:—Runaway servants and slaves.
1705, October. Chap. XLIX. An Act concerning Servants and Slaves. XXI. Penalty for entertaining runaway servants without a certificate shall be for every day sixty pounds of tobacco. XXIII. Persons rewarded for taking up runaway according to the distance.—Hening, Laws of Virginia, II. 447.
53. Massachusetts Bay:—Regulation of free negroes. [§ 4.]
1707. An Act for the regulating of free negroes. "Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, that every free negro or mulatto who shall harbour or entertain any negro or mulatto servant in his or her house, without the leave or consent of their respective masters or mistresses, shall forfeit and pay the sum of five shillings to the use of the poor of the town, for each offence."—Charters and General Laws of the Colony and Province of Massachusetts Bay, 386.
54. South Carolina:—For the better ordering of slaves.
1712. Statutes at Large of South Carolina, II. 381.
55. New Jersey:—Regulation of slaves.
1713. An Act for Regulating of Slaves. Sec. 2. "Negroes, etc., not having a pass may be taken up if 5 miles from Home whipped, and Persons so taking up have 5s." Sec. 3. "Negro belonging to another Province not having license, to be whipped, and the Taker of them to have 10s."—Acts of the Assembly of New Jersey, 18.
56. New Jersey:—Regulation of white servants.
1713. An Act for regulating of White Servants, and taking up Soldiers and Seamen deserting Her Majestys Service, and coming into this Colony. Sec. 2. "Servants absenting without leave to be adjudged by any one Justice to serve double the time, and pay or serve for costs." Sec. 3. "Those who counsel, aid, etc. such Servants to runaway, to forfeit 10£" etc. Sec. 4. "Those who knowingly conceal them, to pay 10s. per Day." Sec. 5. "Those who take up Runaways and carry them back to have 15s. and 6d. per mile for so doing." Sec. 8. "Any Boatman, etc., who shall carry them into or out of this Province, etc., not having Passes, as aforesaid, and Publick-House-keepers entertaining them to forfeit 40s.," etc.—Acts of the Assembly of New Jersey, 24.
57. Rhode Island:—Ferriage of runaways. [§ [4.]]
1714, Oct. 27. "Whereas, several negroes and mulatto slaves that have run away from their masters or mistresses, under pretence of being sent or employed by their masters or mistresses upon some service, and have been carried over the ferries, out and into the colony, and suffered to pass through the several towns under the aforesaid pretence, to the considerable damage and charge of their owners, and many times to the loss of their slaves;—Be it therefore enacted by this Assembly, and by the authority thereof it is enacted, that no ferryman or boatman whatsoever, within this colony, shall carry or bring any slave as aforesaid over their ferries, without a certificate under the hands of their masters or mistresses, or some person in authority, upon the penalty of paying all costs and damages their said masters or mistresses shall sustain thereby; and to pay a fine of twenty shillings for the use of the colony, for each offence, as aforesaid. The said fine to be recovered by any two justices of the peace, upon confession or conviction of the said fact; and all persons in authority, and other His Majesty's Subjects in this colony knowing of any such slaves traveling through their township, wherein they dwell, without a certificate, as aforesaid, they are hereby required to cause such slave to be examined and secured so as the owner may be notified thereof, and have his slave again, paying the costs and charges that shall accrue thereon."—Proceedings of General Assembly, Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Providence, 177; Records of Colony of Rhode Island, 177.
58. South Carolina:—Additional Act to Act of 1712.
1714. Statutes at Large of South Carolina, II. 620.
59. New York:—Act of 1705 revived. [§ [8.]]
1715. An Act for Reviving and Continuing an Act, Intituled an act to prevent the Running away of Negro Slaves out of the city and county of Albany to the French at Albany, 1705.—Laws Province of New York, 218.
60. North Carolina:—Servants and slaves.
1715. An Act concerning servants and Slaves. Title only given.—Laws of North Carolina, 21, 27.
61. New Hampshire:—Runaway minors and servants.
1715. An Act for preventing Men's Sons or Servants absenting themselves from their Parents or Masters Service without Leave.—"That no commander of any private man of war, or master of any merchant ship or vessel coming into, tarrying or abiding in, or going forth of any port, harbour, or place within this province, shall receive, harbour, entertain, conceal or secure on board such ship or other vessel, or suffer to be there harbour'd or detain'd any man's son, being under age or apprentice or covenant servant (knowing him to be such, or after notice thereof given) without license or consent of his parent or master in writing under his hand first had and obtain'd, on pain of forfeiting the sum of five pounds per week, and so proportionably for a longer or shorter time, that any son, apprentice, or servant shall be held, harbour'd, conceal'd, or detain'd on board any such ship or other vessel, as aforesaid, without license and consent as aforesaid; the one moiety thereof to her Majesty, to be employed toward the support of the government of the province, and the other moiety unto the parent or master of such son, apprentice or servant that shall inform, or sue for the same, in any of her majesty's courts of record, within this province, by bill, plaint, or information, wherein no essoign, protection or wager of law shall be allowed. § 2. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that every apprentice or covenant servant who shall unlawfully absent himself from his master, and enter himself on board any ship or vessel, as aforesaid, with intent to leave his master's service, or incline there more than the space of twenty-four hours, and be thereof convicted before any two of her majesty's justices of the peace, or in general sessions, within this province, shall forfeit unto his master such further service, from and after the expiration of the term which his said master had in him at the time of his departure as the said court shall order, not exceeding one year."—0 Acts and Laws of His Majesty's Province of New Hampshire, 40.
62. South Carolina:—Additional Act against runaways.
1717. Statutes at Large of South Carolina, III. 39.
63. Massachusetts Bay:—Transportation of apprentices and servants.
1718, October. An Act for the preventing of persons under age, apprentices or servants, being transported out of the province without the consent of their masters, parents, or guardians. "Every master of any outward bound ship or vessel that shall hereafter carry or transport out of this province any person under age, or bought or hired servant or apprentice, to any parts beyond the seas, without the consent of such master, parent or guardian, signified in writing, shall forfeit the sum of fifty pounds," etc.—Charters and Laws of the Colony and Province of Massachusetts Bay, 750.
64. South Carolina:—Regulation of Slaves.
1722. An Act for the better ordering and governing of slaves.—Statutes at Large of South Carolina, 193.
65. Pennsylvania:—Regulation of negroes.
1725. An Act for the better Regulating of negroes in this province. "And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that no Person or Persons whatsoever shall imploy, or knowingly harbour, conceal, or entertain other Peoples slaves at their Houses, Out Houses, or Plantations, without the Masters or Owners consent, excepting in stress of weather or other Extraordinary Occasion, under the Penalty of Thirty Shillings for every Twenty four Hours he or they shall entertain or harbour him or them as aforesaid."—Province Laws of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 1725.
66. Virginia:—Earlier act amended.
1726, May. Chap. III. The clause in regard to imprisonment when slave would not give name of master has proved very inconvenient. Chap. IV. An Act for amending the Act concerning Servants and Slaves; and for the further preventing the clandestine transportation of Persons out of this colony. IV. The sheriff or under sheriff to whom the slave is committed shall cause a notice containing a full description of the runaway to be posted on the door of the court-house, and shall send a copy to each church or chapel within the county which shall be set up "in some open and convenient place" on every Lord's day for two months. Neglect on part of the sheriff shall be fined five hundred pounds of tobacco; on the part of the clerk, two hundred pounds. VI. Provisions in regard to transportation. VIII. Runaways may be let out to hire by the keeper of the gaol. IX. When demanded by the owner, the person hireing shall deliver up the servant. X. "Provided also, that where the keeper of the said public gaol shall, by the direction of such court or courts, as aforesaid, let out any such negro or runaway to hire to any person or persons whatsoever, the said keeper shall, at the time of his delivery, cause a strong iron collar to be put on the neck of such negro or runaway, with the letters (P. G.) stamped thereon; and that thereafter the said keeper shall not be answerable for any escape of the said negro or runaway." XII. Fees of the gaolers given. XIII. Runaways from Maryland or Carolina shall be committed to any public gaol, and the fees shall be according to the laws of the province wherein the master dwells. XIV. The keeper of the gaol shall send descriptions of the runaway to such places of this dominion bordering on Maryland or Carolina as shall be agreed upon. XV., XVI. Fees described. XVIII. Masters of vessels shall take the following oath: "I, A. B., master of the ship (or vessel), do swear that I will make diligent enquiry and search in my said ship (or vessel), and will not knowingly or willingly carry, or suffer to be carried, in my said ship, out of this dominion, without such pass as is directed by law, any person or persons whatsoever, that I shall know to be running hence in order to deceive their creditors; nor any servant or slave that is not attending his or her master or owner, or sent by such master or owner." XX. For forging a pass persons offending shall stand two hours in the pillory, and receive thirty lashes at the whipping-post. XXI. A white servant who shall run away, change his name, or disguise himself with intent to escape, shall serve six months longer than his term for running away.—Statutes at Large. Hening, Laws of Virginia, IV. 168.
67. Connecticut:—Runaway servants and slaves.
1730 (probably). An Act concerning Indian, Molatto, and Negro Servants and Slaves. "That whatsoever Negro, Molatto, or Indian Servant, or Servants shall be found wandering out of the Bounds of the Town, or Place to which they belong, without a Ticket or Pass in writing, under the Hand of some Assistant or Justice of the Peace, or under the Hand of the Master, or Owner of such negro, molatto, or Indian Servants shall be deemed and Accounted to be Run-aways, and may be Treated as such; and every Person Inhabiting this colony, Finding or Meeting with any such Negro, molatto, or Indian Servant or Servants, not having a ticket as aforesaid, is hereby impowered to Seize and Secure him, or them, and Bring him or them before the next Authority to be Examined, and Returned to his, or their master or Owner, who shall satisfy the Charge Accruing thereby. And all Ferry-Men within this colony, are hereby Required not to suffer any Indian, molatto or negro servant without certificate, as aforesaid, to pass over their Respective Ferries, by Assisting them therein Directly or Indirectly, on Penalty of paying a Fine of Twenty Shillings for every such Offence." —0 Acts and Laws of His Majestie's Colony of Connecticut, 229.
68. New York:—Slave insurrections, etc.
1730. An Act for the more effectual preventing and punishing the conspiracy and Insurrection of negroes and other Slaves; for the better regulating them, and for repealing the acts therein mentioned, relating thereto. Passed the 29th of October, 1730. No fugitive slave provision. Penalty for entertaining Slaves as in 1702. Also Persons who do not discover those that entertain slaves shall pay Forty Shillings.—Acts of Province of New York, 193.
69. South Carolina:—Regulation of slaves.
1735. Statutes at Large of South Carolina, III. 405.
70. Delaware:—Regulation of servants and slaves.
1740. An Act for the better regulation of Servants and Slaves within this government (a). Sec. 5. "Be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, that from such time as any servant shall absent him or herself from his or her masters or mistress' service, without leave first obtained for the same, every such servant, for such absence, and the expenses of taking up, shall at the expiration of the time of his or her servitude, make satisfaction by servitude, according to the judgement of any court of Quarter Sessions within this government." Sec. 6. "And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that if any person shall apprehend or take up any runaway servant and carry him or her before the next Justice of the Peace of the county where such servant shall be so taken up, in order to be sent to and secured in the gaol of the said county, for his or her master's or mistress' service." The sheriff or gaoler shall then send notice to the servant's owner, if known; if not, the servant shall be advertised in some newspaper in the city of Philadelphia. The reward for taking up runaways shall be, "if ten miles distant from the place of the said servants last abode, or under, the sum of Ten Shillings, if upwards of ten miles, the sum of Twenty Shillings." "And if the master or owner of such servant so imprisoned shall, for the space of six weeks next after notice had of his or her servants imprisonment, neglect or refuse to release such servant, it shall and may be lawful for the said Sheriff, and he is hereby required and commanded, upon affidavit made of the due service of such notice, to expose every such servant to sale at public vendue, and him or her to sell to the highest bidder, for such term and sum as shall be sufficient for the defraying the costs and charges arising upon the apprehending and imprisoning the said servant." Sec. 7. "Suspicious persons travelling without a pass shall be deemed runaway servants and treated as such."—Laws of Delaware, 211, 212.
71. Delaware:—Regulation of servants and slaves.
1740. An Act for the better regulation of Servants and Slaves within this Government. "Sec. 14. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that who so ever shall take up any negro or mulatto slave at above ten miles distance from his or her masters or mistress' dwelling or habitation, and not having leave in writing from his or her master or mistress, or not being known by the taker-up to be about his or her master's or mistress' business or service, and shall convey him or her to the habitation of his or her said master or mistress, if known, such taker-up shall receive of the said master or mistress, for his reward, the sum of Five Shillings, with reasonable charges. Sec. 15. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that no person shall employ or knowingly harbour, conceal or entertain another's servant or slave at his or her house or plantation without the master or owner's leave and consent, except in distress of weather or other extraordinary occasion or accident, under the penalty of Forty Shillings for every twenty four hours he or she shall entertain any such servant or slave, as afore said, and so in proportion for any lesser time."—0 Laws of the State of Delaware, 215, 216.
72. South Carolina:—Regulation of slaves.
1740. Statutes at Large, South Carolina, III. 568.
73. North Carolina:—Entertainment of runaways, etc. [§ [3.]]
1741. XXVII. Any person harbouring a runaway shall be prosecuted and compelled to pay the sum of twenty-five pounds or serve the owner of the slave or his assigns five years. If he actually carry away the slave, he shall be convicted of felony and suffer accordingly. XXVIII. Seven shillings and sixpence, Proclamation money, reward for taking up runaways. For every mile over ten, threepence. XXXIV. Runaways when taken up shall be whipped. XXXV. Constables must give a receipt for runaway. Any failure shall be fined twenty shillings, Proclamation money, to be paid the church warden. XXXVI. Sheriff who shall hold a runaway longer than the act directs shall forfeit five pounds. Sheriff who allows a runaway to escape is liable to action from the party grieved. XXXVIII. This article takes up the fees of the jailor, etc.—Laws of North Carolina, 89.
74. Virginia:—Ferriage of runaways.
1748, Oct. An Act for the Settlement and Regulation of Ferries, and for the Despatch of Public Expresses. VI. All constables and their assistants charged with conducting any runaway servant shall be passed ferry free. The ferriage shall then be paid by the owners of the runaways.—Statutes at Large, Hening, VI. 22.