Page:Notes on the History of Slavery - Moore - 1866.djvu/34

 "1. According to the laws and contant practice of this colony and all other plantations, (as well as by the civil law) uch perons as are born of negro bond-women are themelves in like condition, that is, born in ervitude. Nor can there be any precedent in this government, or any of her Majety’s plantations, produced to the contrary. And though the law of this colony doth not ay that uch perons as are born of negro women and uppofed to be mulattoes, hall be laves, (which was needles, becaue of the contant practice by which they are held as uch,) yet it aith exprely that 'no man hall put away or make free his negro or mulatto lave,' etc., which undeniably hows and declares an approbation of uch ervitude, and that mulattoes may be held as laves within this government."

The value of this tetimony on the ubject is enhanced by the character and poition of the witnes. He was Gurdon Saltontall, born in Maachuetts, the on of a magitrate, educated at Harvard College, and afterwards Governor of Connecticut,—"at that time the popular miniter of the New London church, and nearly as ditinguihed at the bar as in the pulpit. The friend and confidential advier of the governor (Winthrop), who was one of his parihioners, his influence was already felt in the Colonial Councils, and he was largely entruted with the management of public affairs. In general cholarhip, and in the extent of his profeional tudies, both in divinity and law, he had probably no uperior in the colony: as an