BOOK III. CHAP. III. 463 



The afTcmbly, upon the lieutenant governor's recommendation, 

 proceeded to frame and pafs an aft, to remedy the evils arifing from 

 irregular meetings of flaves ; to prevent their carrying arms, or having 

 ammunition, or going from place to place without tickets ; to prohibit 

 the praftlces of obe'iah (or the arts of pretended conjurors) ; to reftrain 

 overfeers from leaving eftates under their management on certain days 

 (Sundays and holidays); aad to oblige all free Negroes, Mulattoes, and 

 Indians, to regifter their names in the veftry books of their refpeftive 

 pariflies, and carry about them a certificate, and wear (the crofs) a 

 badge of thrir freedom ; and, laftly, to prevent any captain, mailer, 

 or fupercargo, of any veffel, from bringing back convift tranfported 

 flaves. All thefe regulations were extremely prudent and necefTary ; 

 but they explain the defeSls hinted in the lieutenant governor's fpecch 

 to the houfe, and evince the abufe which has been made by the Ne- 

 groes of the indulgencies hitherto allowed them. The aflembly further 

 voted, that the feveral flaves, fent out againfl: the rebels during the late 

 rebellion, fliould receive the fame rewards for killing, or taking them 

 alive, as the Marons were entitled to, iipon producing a certificate to 

 the commanding officer, of their having etfefted luch fervice. They 

 alfo pafled an adl, for purchafing from their owners, and granting 

 freedom, to about twenty Negroe flaves, for their fidelity to the pub- 

 lic ; they fettled upon each of them an annuity for life, and gave them 

 a circular badge, or medal of filver, on which was engraved the date 

 of the year, with the words, " Freedom for bchig Honejl" on one fide, 

 and on the reverfc, " By the Country T 



As thefe infurreflions and confpiracies had, for the mofl: part, ap- 

 peared upon eftates belonging to perfons refident in England, and the 

 expences attending their fupprefl^on occafioned a very enormous fum 

 to be levied in taxes, it was thought but equitable, that the propri- 

 etors, who, by their abfence, had left their flaves in want of a due 

 controul, and the perlonal influence of a mafter, and their eftates to be 

 defended by the perfonal fcr vices and hardfliips of other men, while 

 they themlelves were repofing in eafe and affluence, beyond the reach 

 of danger, ought to compenfate for their non-re(idence, by paying a 

 larger fli^re of the public charges, incurred in iom -- meafuic through 

 their means. They accordingly refjlved to double the deficiency 

 tax for the year 1761 ; and allow every proprietor refident wlthia. 



the 



