| Date | Jan 8, 1803 |
|---|---|
| Law/Legislation | Law |
| Jurisdiction | MD |
| Title | An ACT relating to runaway servants and slaves |
| Description/Full Text | Sheriff to ad- vertise runa- ways, Sec. BE IT ENACTED, by the General Assembly of Maryland, That it shall be the duty of the sheriffs of the several counties of this state, and they are hereby respectively required and directed, upon any runaway servant or slave being committed to his custody, to cause the same to be advertised in some public news-paper or papers printed in the city of Baltimore, the city of Washington, and the town of Easton, and in such other public manner as he shall think proper, within fifteen days after such commitment, and to make particular and minute description of the ctoathing, person and bodily marks, of such runaway. If not applied for, to sell them, &c. II. AND BE IT ENACTED, That if the owner or owners, or some person in his, her or their be- half, shall not apply for such runaway within the space of sixty days from the time of advertising as aforesaid, and pay, or secure to be paid, all such legal costs and charges as have accrued by reason of apprehending, imprisoning and advertising such servant or slave, it shall be the duty of such sheriff, and he is hereby required and directed, to proceed to sell such servant or slave, and imme- diately to give public notice by advertisements, to be set up at the court-house door and such other public places as he shall think proper, in the county where such servant or slave is in custody, of the time and place for sale of such servant or slave, by him to be appointed, not less than twenty days after the time limitted as aforesaid has expired, and at such time and place shall proceed to sell and dispose of such servant or slave to the highest bidder. And make out and return an account, &c. III. AMD EE IT ENACTED, That the sheriff shall, under the penalty of fifty dollars for every such offence, make cut, on oath, and return to the justices of the levy court, at their next session after the sale of any servant or slave, an account, stating the time of the commitment, the time of sale, the name of the purchaser and terms of sale, and the expences and costs of advertising, securing and keeping, and the amount for which such servant or slave has been sold, and out of the money arising; from, such sale to retain the amount of such costs and charges as he is by law entitled to, and no more, and the balance, if any, to be paid to the justices of the levy court, who are here- by authorised and directed to pay the same to the owner of such servant or slave, if such owner shall apply for it within two years from the time of such sale, and If it shall not be applied for with- in two years as aforesaid, then the money so paid to the levy court shall be applied to the use of the county; provided, that any servant or slave sold as aforesaid shall not be carried or transported out of this state until after two years have elapsed from the time of such sale and any person or persons who shall carry, or cause to be carried out of this state, within the time limitted as afore- said, any such servant or slave, shall incur and be subject to the like penalties as persons are who shall transport or carry any free negro out of this state. Penalty for neglect IV. AND BE IT ENACTED, That if any sheriff shall refuse or neglect to comply with the directions of this act, he shall, for every such refusal or neglect, forfeit and pay the sum of one hundred dol- lars. Acts repealed. V. AND BE IT ENACTED, That an act, entitled, A supplement to the act relating to servants and slaves, passed May session, seventeen hundred and nineteen, and an act, entitled, An act to restrain the ill practices of sheriffs, and to direct their conduct respecting runaways, passed November ses- sion, seventeen hundred and ninety-two, be and they are hereby severally repealed. |
| Additional Information | – |
| Source | https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/speccol/sc2900/sc2908/000001/000559/html/am559--50.html http://slavery.msa.maryland.gov/html/research/histlaw.html |
| Transcriber Notes | – |
If you are citing this record, please use the following format:
[Author (if known)], Laws and Legislation Related to Slavery and Free Blacks in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia (1642-1860), [Date (if known)], Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva’s Black History, Nabb Research Center, Salisbury University.
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