492 JAMAICA. 



^735 ^°' Slaves may carry about, and fell, all manner of pro- 

 vlfions, fruits, frefh fifh, milk, poultry, and other fmall 

 ftock of all kinds, having a ticket from their owner, or 

 employer. 

 II. Noflave to be difmembered at the will and pleafure of 

 his owner, mafter, or employer, under penalty of loo/. 

 payable to the informer. 



1 75 1 12. To prevent the bloody, inhuman, and wanton killing 

 of flaves, any perfon, ih offending, to be adjudged, for 

 the firfl offence, on convi£lion, guilty of felony, and 

 have benefit of clergy j and fuffer the further punifhment 

 of imprifonment, as the court Ihall award, not exceeding 

 the term of twelve months ; and, for the fecond offence, 

 luch perfon to fuffer death, but not to work corruption 

 of bloody nor forfeiture of lands, chattels, &c. [_y]. 



SECT. 



«« five days ; and, by means of thefe intervals, have time to recruit their ftrength, fo as, on the 

 " days appropriated to their maflers labour, to go through more work, and perform it better, than 

 " they commonly are able to do under their pvefent regulations ; for it is eafy to conceive, that, 

 *' with moderate intervals of reft, any ma» will better, and with lefs hurt to his body, execute a 

 " eiven quantity of work, than he can poffibiy perform without them ; fo that, at the week's end, 

 " the fame quantity of labour, at leaft, would be gone through, with no injury to their healths, 

 " nor vvafte of fplrits, which is now poflibly performed with injury to both. With a tinfture of 

 *' religious precepts, as far as can be adapted to their capacity, they would grow more honeft, 

 " traftable, and lefs of eye-fervants ; unlefs it can be proved (contrary to univerfal experience), 

 '' that the faniSions of religion, and doflrines of morality, and all the habits ot an early inftruc- 

 •' tion, are of no advantage to mankind." Thefe opinions are founded in policy and truth ; but 

 difficulties would attend the adoption of them in pradice, although far from being infurmountable. 

 If is certain, that the fabbath-day, as at prefent it is paffed, is by no means a day of refpite from 

 labour : on the contrary, the Negroes, either employing it in their grounds, or in traveling a great 

 iiftance to forae market, fatigue themfelves much more on that day, than on any other in the 

 week. The forenoon of that day, at leaft, might be given to religious duties; but I think it ra- 

 ther defirable than otherwife, that the after-part of k ftiould be fpent in their grounds, inilead of 

 bein<^ ufelefsly diflipated in idlenefs and lounging, or (what is worfe) in riot, druukennefs, and 

 wickednefs. If fuch an alteration ftiould take place, Tburfday might be alTigned for the market- 

 day, inftead of the fabbath, and prove of great advantage to all the Cliriftian ftiop-keepers and 

 retailers ; the Jews now eagrofting the whole bulinefs ot trafficking with the Negroes every Sun- 

 day, at which time there is a prodigious refort of them to the towns, and a vaft Rim expended 

 for drams, neceflaries, and manufactures. This alteration would theret'ore place the Chriftian 

 dealers upon an equal, fair footing, which they do not at prefent ehjo)'. The whole number of 

 Negroe holidays in the year would then amomit to one hundred and eleven, which is no more 

 than the Jews at prefent allow to their Haves ; and, by this divifion of the time, thty would pro- 

 bably grow improved in their behaviour, as well as in their ability and wiUingnefs to lerve their 

 c'hriftian owners. 



[ y] So, Exod. xxi, 20, 21.. " If a man fmite his fervatit with a rod, and he die under his 

 " hand, he ihall furely be puniihcd." But in wliat manner the text does not explains though it is 



evident 



