Page:An Appeal in Favor of that Class of Americans Called Africans.djvu/75

Rh pass; the same for being found in another negro's kitchen, or quarters; and every negro found in company with such vagrant, receives twenty lashes.

For hunting with dogs, even in the woods of his master, thirty lashes.

For running away and lurking in swamps, a negro may be lawfully killed by any person. If a slave happen to die of moderate correction, it is likewise justifiable homicide.

For endeavoring to entice another slave to run away, if provisions are prepared, the slave is punished with ; and any negro aiding or abetting suffers.

Thirtynine stripes for harboring a runaway slave one hour.

For disobeying orders, imprisonment, as long as the master chooses.

For riding on horseback, without written permission, or for keeping a dog, twentyfive lashes.

For rambling, riding, or going abroad in the night, or riding horses in the day without leave, a slave may be whipped, cropped, or branded on the cheek with the letter R, or otherwise punished, not extending to life, or so as to unfit him for labor.

For beating the Patuxent river, to catch fish, ten lashes; for placing a seine across Transquakin, and Chickwiccimo creeks, thirtynine lashes by order of a justice.

For advising the murder of a person, one hundred lashes may be given.

A runaway slave may be put into jail, and the jailer must forthwith send a letter by mail, to the man whom the negro says is his owner. If an answer does not arrive at the proper time, the jailer must inflict twentyfive lashes, well laid on, and interrogate anew. If the slave's second statement be not corroborated by the letter from the owner, twentyfive lashes are again administered.—The act very coolly concludes thus: "and so on, for the space of six months, it shall be the duty of the jailer to interrogate and whip as aforesaid."

The letter may miscarry—the owner may reside at a great distance from the Post-Office, and thus long delays may occur—the ignorant slave may not know his