1624.] 



6. That tlie said protector and guardian 

 of slaves is lieieby declared to \>e, a iDa- 

 gistrate in and tor the said island of Trini- 

 dad, and all such powers and authorities, 

 of what nature or kind soever, as are now 

 by law vested in tiie commandants of tlie 

 several quarters of the said island, shall be 

 vested in him. 



7. That the commandants of the several 

 quarters within the said island shall be, 

 and are hereby declared to be, assistant 

 protectors and guardians of slaves, in their 

 several and respective quarters. 



8. 'Ihat in all actions, suits, and prose- 

 cutions, which may at any time hereafter be 

 brought or commenced in any tribunal or 

 court of justice within the said inland, 

 wherein any slave may be charged with any 

 ofience punishable by death or transporta- 

 tion, orwheiein any question may arise as 

 to the right of any alletjed slave to 

 freedom, or wliercin any per-on may be 

 charged with the murder of any slave, 

 or with any offence against the person of 

 any slave, or wherein any question may 

 arise respecting the rijiht of any slave to 

 any such property as he or she is herein- 

 after declared competent to acquire; then 

 and in every such case such notice shall 

 be given to the protector and guardian of 

 slaves of every such action, suit, or prose- 

 cution, as according to the law of the sai<l 

 island v»ould be given to the said slave, if he 

 orshe were of free condiiion. And the pro- 

 tector anil guardian of slaves shall, and is 

 hereby required, to attend the tiial or 

 hearing, and all other the proceedings in 

 every si ch action, suit, or prosecution, as 

 the protector of such slave, and on his or 

 her behalf, and to act therein in such man- 

 ner as may be most conducive to the be- 

 nefit and advantage of any such slave. 



9. That Sunday maiUets shall be ut- 

 terly alloli,^hld thicughont the said island. 



to. That if any jierson or persons within 

 the said island shall work or employ any 

 slave, at any time between the time of 

 sunset on any Saturday, and sunrise on 

 any Monday, or shall, during that period, 

 jirocure, induce, or compel, any slave to 

 perfoini or eii;;age in any labour, for the 

 profit or advantage of his or her owner, 

 manager, or employer, the person or per- 

 sons so oiieuding shall incur and become 

 liable to a fine not exceeding fifty nor 

 less than five dollars. 



It. That it is and shall henceforth be 

 illegal for any person or persons within 

 the said island of Trinidad to carry any 

 wjiip, cat, or other instrument of the like 

 nature, while superintending the labour of 

 any slaves or slave in or upon the fields or 

 cane-pieces iqion any plaiilatioii within the 

 saifl island ; or to use any such whip, cat, 

 or other iiisirunient for the purpose of im- 

 pelling or coeicing any slaves or slave to 

 perform any labour of any kind or nature 

 vfhatevcr> or to caiTy or exhibit upon any 



British Les:iiil&lion. 



245 



plantation, or elsewhere, any sncli whip, 

 cat, or other instrument of the like nature, 

 as a mark or emblem of the authority of 

 the person or persons so carrying or ex- 

 hibiting the same over any slaves or slave; 

 and in case any person or persons shall 

 carry any whip, cat, or other instrument 

 of the like nature, while superintending the 

 labour of any slave or slaves in or upon 

 any plantation or caiie-piece within the 

 said island, or shall use any such whip, cat, 

 or other instrument as aforesaid, for the 

 pu: (lose of impelling or coercing any slave 

 or slaves to peilbrin any labour of any 

 kind or nature whatsoever, or shall cany 

 or exhibit upon any plantation, or else- 

 where, any such whip, cat, or other in- 

 Btrument as aforesaid, as a mark or emblem 

 of their, his, or her, authority over any slave 

 or slaves ; the person or persons so of- 

 fending', and each and every person who 

 shall or may direct, authorize, instigate, 

 procure, or be aiding, assisting, or abet- 

 ting, in any such illegal driving, or use, or 

 exhibition of any such whip, cat, or other 

 inslrurueut as aforesaid, shall be, and be 

 deemed adjudged and taken to be, guilty 

 of a inisdemeaniiiir. 



12, That it is and shall henceforth be ille- 

 gal for any persons or person to inflict in 

 any one day upon any male slave, for any 

 crime or offence, or upon any ground or 

 for any reason whatsoever, any number of 

 stripes or la-'hes exceeding t.vtnty-tive in 

 the whole, or to inflict upon any such male 

 slave any punishnipnt or correction by the 

 whipping, stuiuging, or beating', of his per- 

 son, unltsi the person of sr.cli slave shall, 

 at the time of such puiii-hmeiit or cor- 

 rection, be fiee from any laceration oc- 

 casioned by any lorinei whipping.sconrging., 

 or beating, or to inflict upon any sucli 

 male slave any punishment or correction 

 by the whipping, scourgins, or beating, of 

 his person, until twenty-four hours at the 

 least shall have elapsed ftoni the tune of 

 the commission of the ofi'ence for, or in 

 respect of, which any such punishment or 

 correction may be so inflicted; or to in- 

 flict upon any stich male slave any such 

 piinisUment or correction as aforesaid, un- 

 less one pi rsoii of free condition shad be 

 present at, and witness the infliction of, 

 such punishment, other than and besides 

 the person by or by the authority of whom 

 the same may be so inflicted; and in case 

 any person or persons shall inflict, in any 

 one day upon any male slave, any number 

 of stripes or lashes exceeding twenty-five 

 in the whole, or shall whip, scourge, or 

 beat, any such male slave at any time when 

 there may be upon liis person any lacera- 

 tion occasioned by any foinier whipping, 

 scourging, or beating, or shall inflict n|)oii 

 any such male slave any such punishment 

 or correction as aforesaid within twenty- 

 four liimrs next after the commission of 

 the olfcucc, for or in respqct of which the 



staiue 



