378 HISTORY OF THE [boos it, 
parish, until such time as there maybe a legal meeting of the justices' 
ami vestry cf such parish; which justices and vestry so met, are here¬ 
by created and appointed a council of protection of such slave or 
slaves : And the said justices and vestry, so met, are hereby.directed 
and empowered to make further and full inquiry, upon view, into the 
commitment of the mutilation of such slave or slaves 5 and, if to 
them it shall appear proper, the said justices and vestry are hereby em¬ 
powered and required to prosecute to effect such owner or owners } the 
expense of which prosecution shall be paid by the parish where such 
offence shall be committed : And in case the owner or owners of such 
slave or slaves shall appe?r capable of paying the costs and cnarges of 
such before mentioned prosecution, the said justices and vestry are 
hereby empowered to commence suit or suits against such owner or 
owners of such slave or slaves, and recover all costs and charges out ok 
purse, by them la d out and expended in such suit or suits : And the 
keeper or supervisor of the work-house where such mutilated slave or 
slaves shall have been first committed, is hereby directed and required, 
upon due notice of the first meeting of the justices and vestry of the 
parish where the offence was committed, to produce such mutilated 
slave or slaves, for the inspection and direction of such justices and 
vestry, under the penalty of twenty pounds for every neglect, in not 
producing before such justices and vestry such slave or slaves. 
(Justices to issue their warrants to bring mutilated slaves before them.) 
XI. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid. That in 
case any justice of the peace shall receive any complaint or probable 
intelligence from any slave or otherwise, that any slave or slaves is or 
are so mutilated, or is or are confined without sufficient support, it shall 
and may be lawful for such justice of the peace, and he is hereby em¬ 
powered and required, forthwith to issue his warrant to any consta¬ 
ble, ordering him immediately to proceed to the place where such 
slave or slaves, so mutilated, are confined, and such slave or slaves 
to release and bring before such justice, who, on view of the fact, is 
hereby authorised to send such slave or slaves to the work-house for pro¬ 
tection, and who is there to be kept, but not to be worked, mtiil inquiry 
shall be made into the fact according to law. 
