Sec. 38. — No slave may buy, sell, or exchange any kind of goods, or hold any boat, or bring up for his own use any horses or cattle, under a penalty of forfeiting the whole.—p. 110.
Sec. 7.—Slaves or free colored persons are punished with death for wilfully burning or destroying any stack of produce or any building.—p. 115.
Sec. 15.—The punishment of a slave for striking a white person, shall be for the first and second offences at the discretion of the court.[1] but not extending to life or limb, and for the third offence death: but for grievously wounding or mutilating a white person death for the first offence: provided, if the blow or wound is given in defence of the person or property of his master, or the person having charge of him, he is entirely justified.
Act of Feb. 22. 1821. Sec. 2.—A slave for wilfully striking his master or mistress, or the child of either, or his white overseer, so as to cause a bruise or shedding of blood, shall he punished with death.—p. 125.
Act of March 6. 1819.—Any person cutting or breaking any iron chain or collar used to prevent the escape of slaves, shall be fined not less than two hundred dollars, nor more than one thousand dollars, and be imprisoned not more than two years nor less than six months.—p. 64 of the session.
Law of January 8. 1813. Sec. 71.—All slaves sentenced to death or perpetual imprisonment, in virtue of existing laws, shall be paid for out of the public treasury, provided the sum paid shall not exceed $ 300 for each slave.
Law of March 16. 1830. Sec. 93.—The state treasurer shall pay the owners the value of all slaves whose punishment has
- ↑ A court for the trial of slaves consists of one justice of the peace, and three freeholders, and the justice and one freeholder, i.e. one half the court, may convict, though the other two are for acquittal—Martin's Dig., I. 646
