The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-03-04 00:00:00, page 1

WHEREAS the ^raßice of domeftk slavery, so
highly detrimental to morality, industry, and the
arts, has been, in the indance of the natives of Africa
and their defendants in modern ages, revived among
Chriflians; and America is made the scene of this new
invasion of the rights of m nkiud, after the spirit of Chri
stianity had abolished it from the greater part of Europe :
And whereas it becomes those, who contend for their own
freedom, to promote the liberty of others as far as the
fame is practicable and lawful; and whereas the mod re
markable deliverance from thraldom, which God, the
great disposer of all events, has graciously vouchf.fed to
grant to Pennfyirania, in common with the other free unit
ed states of North America, callcth fcr suitable returns of
gratitude to the author of all falvaticn, and at the fame
time, by eftablifhiug the independence of this country,
has enabled the good people of America to do justice to
those oppressed people. Wherefore
Be it enacted, and it is hereby enabled, by the Repre
sentatives of the Freemen of the commonwealth of Penn
sylvania, in General Assembly met, and by the authority
of the fame, That all persons, as well negroes and mu
lattoes, as others born within this Rate, on or after the
firft day of next ensuing the date hereof,
In GENERAL ASSEMBLY of Pennfylvanfa,
Tuesday February 23d, 1779.
The bill intitled “ An Aft for the gradual abolition of
“ slavery,” being read a second time, and debated by
paragraphs, was thereupon ordered to be transcribed for a
third reading, arid printed in tl e mean time for public con
sideration. Extras from the minutes,
'hall be deemed and considered as free men and free wo
men, and not servants for life or slaves; but that all ser
vitude for life, or slavery of infants, thereafter born with
in this Rate, in consequence of the slavery of the mothers
of such infants, or otherwise, be utterly taken away, ex
tinguished, and for ever abolished.
Provided always, That every negro and mulatto in
fant, born in this Rate, after the said firft day of
next, who would, in case this ad had not been made,
have been born a servant for years, or for life, or a fiave,
shall be deemed the servant of such person, or his or her
assigns, who would, in such case, have been intitled to
the service of such infant; if a male until the age of
twenty-one years; and if a female until the age of eigh
teen years, and no longer, in the manner, and on the
conditions, whereon servants bound by indenture for f@ur
years are, and may, by law, be holder. ; and shall be liable
to like correction and puniihment, and intitled to like relief
in case they be evilly treated or abused by the matter or
mistress, and to like freedom dues and other privileges,
as servants by indenture for four years are by law intitled,
and to no other; unl-fs the persons, to whom the service
of such infants, or any of them, shall abandon all claim to
the service of such infant ; in which case, the Overseers of
the Poor of the city, diftriß, ©r township, lhall, by inden
ture, bind out such infant so abandoned as an apprentice,
for a tiring not exceeding the ages before limited for the
Service of such infants.
And be it further enabled by the authority aforefaid,
That every person, who is or shall be owner of any ne
gro or mulatto slave, servant for life or years, now with
in this state shall, on or before the said firft day of
next, deliver, or cause to be eftvered in writing, to the
Clerk of the Sessions es the Peace of the county, or Clerk
of the Court of Record fcr the city of Philadelphia; in
which he or the shall refpe&ively inhabit, the name and
occupation or profeffion of such master, mistress, or own
er, the name of the county and township, diftrift or ward
wherein he or flie refideth, and the name and names of any
such slave and slaves, servant and servants for life and
years, with their ages and sexes, refpeßively set forth
and annexed by such person usually and flatedly owned,
employed, ant then being within this state, in order to
afeertain and distinguish the slaves and servants for fife
and years of this state, who shall be such on the said firft
day of from all others ; which particulars
shall, by fafd Clerk of the Sessions, or Clerk of the said
City Court refpeßively, be entered and recorded in a book
to be provided by said Clerks for that purpose : And that
no negro, mulatto, or other person, foall be deemed a
slave or servant for life or years, except his or her name
be entered on such record; except as is herein after ex
cepted. The said Clerk to receive for each slave or ser
vant so entered as a fee Five Shillings, from the owner or
master.
Provided always, That any person in whom the own
ership of any negro or mulatto shall be vefled at the pass
ing " '™ s ""' ™ s ° r ' ier executors, administrators and
assigns, or all or any of them, shall be liable to the Over
seers of the Poor of the city, diftriß, township, and place
to whom any such negro or mulatto shall become charge
able, fcr such necessary expence, with costs of fait there
in, as they may be put to, through the negled of the
O^^
O^M^l
OR
GENERAL
THURSDAY,
JOHN MORRIS, Junior,
Clerk of the General Assembly.
An ACT for the graf^ abolition of Slavery.
[Price Fifteen Pence single, One Shilling by the quantity. Published every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.]
PHILADELPHIA.
owner, master, or mistress, to provide for and maintain
such negro or mulatto, altho' such negro or mulatto be
not recorded as aforefaid, unless such negro or mulatto be
at the passing this a& under the age of years.
And be it further enabled by the authority aforefaid,
That the offences and mifdemeanours and crimes of ne
groes and mulattoes,as well slaves as freemen, fliall be en
quired of, adjudged, corrected and punished after the'
manner in which the offences, mrfdemeanors and crimes
of freemen of this state are and shall be enquired of, ad
judged, corrected and puniflied ; except that a slave lhall
not be admitted as a witness against a freeman.
And be it further enabled by the authority aforefaid,
That in all cases in which sentence of death shall be pro
nounced on any slave, the Court flxall appraise such slave ;
and in case such sentence be executed, make ah order ori
the State Treafuter, payable to the owner, or his legal re
presentative, for the sum at which such slave lhall be esti
mated.
And be it further enabled by the authority aforefaid,
That no marriage shall be had, or any marriage contrast
be valid, between a negro and a white person; and if any
negro man or woman do cohabit or dwell with any white
man or woman, under pretence that they are married, such
negro shall, upon conviction thereof, be fold for a servant
for seven years, by order of the Court of Quarter Sessions
of the Peace of the county or City Court refpeftively : and
the white person shall forfeit and pay one hundred pounds ;
or failing to pay that fura, up®n conviftion m such Court,
shall be adjudged to serve seven years as a servant, and
fold as such accordingly by the said Court. And that for
nication or adultery, Committed by negroes with white
persons, shall be punished, as in the case of white persons.
And be it further enabled by the authority aforefiid,
That the reward for taking up runaway and abfeonding
negro and mulatto slaves and servants, and the penalties
for enticing av+ay, dealing with, or harbouring, conceal
ing and employing negro and mulatto slaves and servants;
lhall be the fame, and recovered in like manner, as the
like reward and penalties are recoverable in the case of
white servants bound for four years.
And be it further enaded by the authority aforefaid,
That if any free negro or mulatto, able to work, flnll
loiter and mifpend his or her time, and be likely to become
chargeable, it lhall and may be lawful, upon the complaint
of the Overseers of the Poor of the city, township, or place,
for any two Judices of the Peace of the neighbourhood,
to order such free negro to be bound out as a servant for
one year; and so from year to year as to them may feern
meet : whereupon the said Overseers of the Poor shall, by
indenture, bind out such free negro or mulatto accordingly.
And be it further enaded by the authority aforefaid,
That no man or woman of any nation or color, not regi
stered as aforefaid; coming or brought into the territories
of this commonwealth, at ahy time hereafter, shall be
deemed, adjudged or holden, as slaves or servants for life,
but shall be intitled unto all the privileges of a freeman,
who is not a citizen of this state, allowed to free negroes
bythis a& ; except the domestic slaves attending upoa
Delegates in Congress, Foreign Ministers, and persons,
not resident, pafliiig thro' or sojourning in this state, and
seamen employed in flips, not belonging to any inhabit
ant, nor employed in any ship or vessel owned by the in
habitants of this state; provided that such domestic slave
(ex ept those of Members of Congress or. Foreign Mini.
Iters) be not retained in this state longer than fix months,
nor aliened nor fold to any inhabitant.
Provided always, and be it further enabled by the au
thority aforefaid, That this aft, nor any thing in it con
tained, shall not give any relief or shelter to any abscond
ing or runaway negro er mulatto slave or servant, who
lias absented himfelf, or lhall absent himfelf, from his own
er residing in any @thbr state or country ; but fu;h own
er shall have like right and aid to claim, seize, and take
away his slave, as he might have had if this ad had not
been made: And that all negro and mulatto slaves own
ed in this state, who have heretofore absented, or bc^n
carried away clandestinely from their owners, nfay be
brought back and registered, as is ordered by this aft as
to those present, on due proof made before one Justice of
the Peace, of such absenting or taking away.
And be it further enabled by the authority aforefaid,
That an aft of Assembly of the province of Pennsylvania,
puffed in the year One thousand seven hundred and five,
intitled, " an act for the trial of Negroes ;" and another
act of Assembly of the said province, passed in the year
One thousand seven hundred and twenty-five, intitled,
"An act for ,he better regulating of Negroes in this pro
v'°fei" an ° another aft of Assembly of said province,
passed in the vear One thousand seven hundred and fixty
one, intitled, " An aft for laying a duty on negro and
mulatto slaves imported into this province ;" and also a
nother aft of Afiembly of said province, passed in the
year One thousand seven hundred and seventy-three, in
titled, “ An aft for making perpetual An aft for laying
a duty on negroes and mulatto slaves imported into this
province, and laying an additional duty on the said
slaves;” shall be, and are hereby repealed, annulled, and
made void.
u Ixi^a^m 4,w^ 'VM^^W?'
l^hfr^w^^
THE
P#^^oWW
THE
ADVERTISER
^ ROBBERY!
FIF TY POUNDS REWARD.
IL, ^ °Rb into the hoafe or the fulfuriber, at the
P sign of the Buck, in the town of Berlin, in Ber
wick tuwmliip, York county, and state cf Pennfilva ~
on Friday night the eleventh of December last, feme
person or perlons unknown, who took away about One
Hundred and Fifty Pounds in gold aid fiver, and Two
Hundred and Eighty one Pounds in paper money, to
gether with D^^, Mortgage, and the fallowing
8 nils and Notes, viz.—A Bond on George M%l
W. on Frederick Shever forsook on Samuel Neely for
19b los. on Valentine Fickes, jun. for 30L on Isaac
F 'k, for 2 5 \ on John Albert for rzl. Gn ditto fcr 301.
on Pmhp Shriver for iol. on ditto for zol. en Henry
Chronifter for 7L ,os on Daniel Ycther for iool. or.
d tto for 25!. on Henry Kelbert for 20L on Michael
glider fcr 60!. on Jolin P.cher for 61. on Michael Coal
fcr 31. on John Ovechcltzer fcr iol. on ditto for 20k
on Awhory Knifelv for 50]. on John Deardorfe for
Tool, on ditto for 81. on Peter Myers for 9 1. on ditto
a °°, °-^ Ma ch f ?r >9l. 16^. cm John
Aughmbougn for £l. on John Frankeberger, f en . for
zoo on Henry Frenkeberger for iol. on ditto for 161
on Philip Haberftock for 4 01. on John Keli for id°
°V° h ",F"' e> fen - for 3^- cn J^m Lane, jun. for
201. on Conrad Henery for iol. on ditto for 81. on $&.
muel Bowler sot iool. on Peter Lsm, for 20L on ditto
for ,9 . 9 ;. on p,ft r Stewthebaker for 401. on David
Stewthebuker for if. on Anthony Deardorfe for
R^femparger for ml. A bond from
Karf.rir.tr icob f,om ditto for ?01. from ditto for 31.
, Bond on E lerick Linker for iol. on George Whir.:
60!. or ditto for 301. Eleven Bonds, each yearly,
±,'-d Mj ers for 6001. in all together, with a Note on
Pete: Vermuth for 3!. A Note on Henry Mull for 61.
01 Mortain Blackford for 3 1. on Gecrge H-iks tor
if. los. on John L. ne, jun. for 5 1. on B ruet Aughin
bougli for sl. on Peter P fley for 5!. en William Mum
mart for il. los. on Christian Himes sot 5 1 on Valen
"? e Riekes, jun. for 3b on Isaac Fickes lor 3! cp Da
™'''°'h' r '° r ''• ° n ditto f>r 31. Four Notes on Mi
cha^l Snider for 51. each : Two Notes on Perer Myers
to 4.0 ros. each: A Note on John Overhebzer for $1
together with sundry ether Bonds, Notes and P so
which cannot be remembered at present: Therefor.; all
per sons are hereby warned not to take an alignment of
a fy f the Jame; and whoever takes up and secures the
. or '°i &ves 1° that he or they may tie brought to
justice, lhall receive Twenty Five Pounds reward, and
rjafinablecha ge, or the above reward for the thief or
thieves, and money, bonds, notes, &c. and will be fur
'JjjJl!!^^ d^it^Hh, bv henry sealey.
, . Baltimore, February 32, i 7 ?;
HE ouofctibcr propefing, in the course
X of a few months, to remove with his f mily to
Fiance, efrers his House and Lot in tewn for file The
fortunate situation of this lot, bounded by Gay, Market
and r rederiuk-lheets, and dire&ly oppofit the Market
houle, being so well known, requires little description,
either for its superior advantages in any public busi
ness, its agreeableness and conventney, or extensive ca
parity for improvement. The house may well hoaft two
or the best flores in Baltimore, either in the retail or
whojefale way, for iize cr ufefulnefs ; there are apart
ments lufficiently capable of accommodating the l?r^eft
family, and the whole so contrived as to admit oFtwo
or three divisions without injury. Any person wifhinr
to purchase this eft.ite, may treat with the fubferiber on
the premises, who has three Copper Stills, Coolers and
M thing-tubs to fen, and Flax feed. Cerent Conti
rental money, gold, filv% or bills of exchange on
France or England, will be taken in payment.
THOMAS USHER.
To ue uOL D by Public Vendue,
On Wednesday the tenth day cf March, at the Coffee
houle, at Six o'clock in the evening, if net fold sooner
by private fair,
AL ° F of Ground in Southwark, fifuate on the
south fide of Christian-street, between S cond and
Thud Greets: There are on the lot a two-flmy brick
houle sixteen feet front, and a two story brick kitten
behind the houle, alto a frame ftahle on the front:
There areon the lot two early cherry-trees 2nd five ap
ple-trees, all in good fence, and a pump of good water
near the door: 1 he whole fubje& to a ground-rent of
three pounds tweve shillings currency per annum. For
further particulars enquire of PETER DICK, ia
Front ftrect, near Chefnut- Greet.
N. B. He likewise has for file, a number cf young
grafted apple-trees.
AP ERSON acquainted with making
FLAA)EEDOIL may hear of employment
by applying to James Sidth, in Burlington, or Ri
chard WELLS, in Arch-ftrzet, Philadelphia.
MA RCH 4, 177^.