Page:Notes on the History of Slavery - Moore - 1866.djvu/62

 viii, 184. We have no knowledge of the efforts made under this inftruction of the town of Boton, but they failed to accomplih anything. Indeed, the very next enactment concerning lavery was a tep backward intead of an advance towards reform—a meaure which turned out to be a permanent and effective barrier againt emancipation in Maachuetts.

The Law of 1703, Chapter 2, was in retraint of the "Manumiion, Dicharge, or Setting free" of "Molatto or Negro laves." Security was required againt the contingency of thee perons becoming a charge to the town, and "none were to be accounted free for whom ecurity is not given;" but were "to be the proper charge of their repective maters or mitrees, in cae they tand in need of relief and upport, notwithtanding any manumiion or intrument of freedom to them made or given," etc. A practice was prevailing to manumit aged or infirm laves, to relieve the mater from the charge of upporting them. To prevent this practice, the act was