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At a Session of ASSEMBLY begun and held at the
City of Annapolis, in the County of Ann-Arundel,
the 14th Day of May, in the 4th Year of
the Dominion
of the Right Honourable CHARLES, absolute
Lord and Proprietary of the Provinces of Maryland
and Avalon, Lord Baron of Baltimore,
&c. and
ended the 8th Day of June following, in
the 5th
Year of his Lordship's Dominion, Annoq; Domini
1719, were Enacted the Laws following,
viz. |
Preamble.
Sheriffs to
give Notice
to the Owners
of Runaway
Servants
or
Slaves committed
to
their Custody.
Owners neglecting
to
appear within
the Time limited,
and
satisfy Imprisonment
Fees,
&c.
the Sheriff
may sell such
Servant or
Slave by public
Vendue,
and pay himself,
&c. out
of the Produce,
and only account
to
the Owner
for the Residue. |
WHEREAS by the Act of Assembly relating to Servants and Slaves,
there is not any Provision made what shall be done with such runaway
Servants or Slaves that now are, or hereafter shall or may
be taken up and committed to the Custody of any Sheriff within this
province,
where the Master or Owner of such Servant or Slave, having due Notice
of such Servant's or Slave's being in the Custody of such Sheriff,
refuses
or delays to redeem such Servant or Slave, by paying their Imprisonment
Fees,
and such other Charges as has, or may accrue, for taking up such Servant
or
Slave.
II. Be it therefore
Enacted, by the Right Honourable the Lord Proprietary,
by and with the Advice and Consent of his Lordship's Governor and
the upper and
Lower Houses of Assembly, and the Authority of the same, that
from and after
the End of this present Session of Assembly, every Sheriff that now
hath, or
hereafter shall have committed into his Custody, any runaway Servants
or
Slaves, after One Month's Notice given to the Master or Owner thereof,
of
their being in his Custody, if living in this province, or Two Months
Notice,
if living in any of the neighbouring Provinces, if such Master or Owner
of such Servants or Slaves do not appear within the Time limited as
aforesaid.
and pay, or secure to be paid, all such Imprisonment Fees due to
such Sheriff, from the Time of the Commitment of such Servants or Slaves,
and also such other Charges as have accrued or become due to any Person
for
taking up such other runaway Servants or Slaves, such Sheriff is hereby
authorized
and required (such Time limited as aforesaid, being expired) immediately
to
give Public Notice to all Persons, by setting up Notes at the Church
and
Court-house Doors of the County where such Servant or Slave is in Custody,
of the Time and Place for Sale of such Servants or Slaves by him to
be appointed,
not less than Ten Days after such Time limited as aforesaid, being
expired;
and at such Time and Place by him appointed as aforesaid, to proceed
to
sell and dispose of such Servant of Slave to the highest Bidder, and
out of the
Money or Tobacco which such Servant or Slave is sold for, to pay himself
all
such Imprisonment Fees as are his just Due, for the Time he has kept
such
Servant or Slave in his Custody, and also to pay such other Charges,
Fees or |
