Edward H. Nabb Research Center for Delmarva History & Culture Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva's Black History

Record Detail

Record #4 from Laws and Legislation Related to Slavery and Free Blacks in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia (1642-1860)

Date 1825 (24? according to MSA)
Law/Legislation Law
Jurisdiction MD
Title An act to prohibit the transportation of absconding slave to Hayti, or elsewhere
Description/Full Text Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That no master or officer of a vessel shall hereafter receive on board said vessel, or transport from this state any negro or mulatto, until such negro or mulatto shall produce a regularly authenticated certificate of freedom from some clerk or register of the county courts of this state, accompanied by a duly authenticated certificate by the clerk of the county court, where such vessel may clear out, said certifi- cate to have a description of said negro or mulatto, his or her name, age, place of birth, height, colour and residence previous to applying for the same. Register of certificates— Fee 2. And be it enacted, That said clerk of court shall keep a regis- ter with description list of all applicants receiving certificates, and shall be entitled to receive one dollar for each person who may ap- ply to inspect said register and list of applicants. Master of vessel to keep and shew re- gister. 3. And be it enacted, That it shall be the duty of every master or officer of such vessel to keep a register and description list of each and every negro or mulatto received on board, which he shall ex- hibit to any person applying to see the same, and give every facility of search, under a penalty of one hundred dollars for each refusal or neglect to do the same, to be recovered by action of debt in the county court, one half to the use of the state, the remainder to the plaintiff. Penalty for neglect. 4. And be it enacted, That if any master or officer of vessels shall transport from this state any negro or mulatto without having com- plied with the requisites of this act, shall incur a penalty of one thousand dollars to be recovered by action of debt in any county court of this state; one half of the sum to the use of the state, the other half to the owner or party who shall sue for the same,
Additional Information
Source http://slavery.msa.maryland.gov/html/research/histlaw.html https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000629/html/am629--69.html
Transcriber Notes

If you are citing this record, please use the following format:

[Author (if known)], Laws and Legislation Related to Slavery and Free Blacks in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia (1642-1860), [Date (if known)], Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva’s Black History, Nabb Research Center, Salisbury University.

Pinned records can be viewed at any time by clicking the More menu in the top right corner of the page, then selecting My Pinned Records.