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of this state; and that the children of free negroes and mulattoes
have been kidnapped from their masters, protectors and parents,
and transported to distant places, and sold as slaves for life; to
prevent therefore such heinous offences, and to punish them when
committed,
Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That
from and after the publication of this act, no person shall sell or
dispose of any servant or slave, who is or may be entitled to free-
dom after a term of years, or after any particular time, or upon
any contingency, knowing the said servant or slave to be entitled
to freedom as aforesaid, to any person who shall not he at the time
of such sale a bona fide resident of this state, and who has not
been a resident therein for the space of at least one year next pre-
ceding such sale, or to any person whomsoever who shall be pro-
cured, engaged or employed, to purchase servants or slaves for
any other prison not being resident as aforesaid, and if any per-
son claiming, possessing, or being entitled to such servant or
slave, shall sell or dispose of him or her to any person who is not
a resident as aforesaid, knowing that such person is not a resident
as aforesaid, or to any person who shall be procured, engaged or
employed, to purchase servants or slaves for any other person not
being so resident, knowing the person so buying or receiving such
servant or slave to be so procured, engaged or employed, or who
shall sell or dispose of such servant or slave for a longer term of
years, or for a longer time than he or she is bound to serve, every
such person making any such sale or disposition contrary to the
meaning and intention of this act, shall be liable to indictment in
the county court of the county where such seller or sellers shall
reside, or sale be made, and on conviction shall be sentenced to
undergo confinement in the penitentiary for a term not exceeding
two years, according to the discretion of the court; and such ser-
vant or slave who may have been sold contrary to the provisions
of this act, to any person who is not resident as aforesaid, or to any
person who shall be procured, engaged or employed, to purchase
servants or slaves for any other person not a resident as aforesaid,
shall be sold by the order of the court for the time he or she may
have to serve, for the benefit of the county where such conviction
shall be had, or for the. use of the mayor and city council of Balti-
more if the conviction shall be had in Baltimore city court.
2. And be it enacted, That if any person who is not a bona fide
resident of this state, and who has not resided therein for the space
of at least one year next preceding such purchase, shall purchase
or receive on any contract any such servant or slave, who is or
may be entitled to freedom as aforesaid, knowing that such servant
or slave is entitled to freedom as aforesaid, or if any person whom-
soever who shall be procured, engaged or employed, to purchase
servants or slaves for any other person not being resident as afore-
said, shall purchase or receive on any contract any such servant
or slave entitled to freedom as aforesaid, knowing that such ser-
vant or slave is entitled to freedom as aforesaid, with an intention
to transport such servant or slave out of the state, every such per-
son making any such purchase or contract, contrary to the mean-
ing of this act, shall be liable to be indicted in any county court in
this state where he may he found, and on conviction shall undergo
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Dec. Ses. 1817
Slaves entitled
to freedom not
to be told to
any person not
a resident of
the state.
Persons not
residing in the
state may be
punished for
purchasing a-
ny such slave.
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