The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1780-03-30 00:00:00, page 2

* This ronfi be underflow] of those possessions that
yiel Ino profit to the puff ffm, such a$ carriages, plate;
and the like. I
PHILADELPHIA:
An ACT for the gradual abolition of Slavery.
¥l7 H E N wr contemplate our abhorrence of that
V 7 con litiou to which the armsand tyranny of Great-
Britain were exerted to reduce us; when we look jack
on the variety 0 dangers to whioh we have been exposed,
and how miraculously our wants in many inHances have
b:en supplied, and our deliverances wrought; when even
hope and human fortitude have become unequal to the
confi :1 ; we arc unavoidably led to a serious and grate
ful fenfeof the manifold bleifings which we have unde
servedly received from the hand of that Being from whom
every food and perfetl gift cometh, fmprefed with theft
ideas, we conceive that it is our duty, and we rejoice that
it is in our power, to extend a portion of that freedom to
others, which hath been extended- to as; and a release
from rnat date of thral lom, to which we ourselves were
tyrannically doomed, and from which we have now every
prolped of toeing delivered. It is not for us to inquire, why,
in thecreation of m inKind, the inhabitants of tae several
parts of th^ eartu were distinguished by a diff rente in
feature or complexion. It is fufficient to know that di are
the w >rk of an Almighty hand. We find ia the distribu
tion of the human feecies, that the molt fertile as well
as the most barren pirts of the earth are inhabited by
men of complexions different from ours, and from each
other, from whence we may reasonably as well as religi
ouflv infer that He, who placed them in their various si
tuations, hath extended equally His care and protection
to all, and that it becometh not us to counteract His
mercies. We esteem it a peculiar bluffing granted to us,
that we re enabled this day to add one more step to uni
versal civilization, by removing as much as possible, the
fo-rowsef those who nave lived in undelerved bondage,
and rom which, by the affemed aut ority of the K nis
of Britain no effectual legal rebel couid be obtained.
Weaned by a long course of experience from those nar
row prejudices and partialities we bad fob bed, we find
our hearts enlarged with Kindness and benevolo nee towards
men of all conditions and nations; and we conceive our
selves at this partis elar period extraordinarily ca ea upon
by the blessings which we have received, to mamfeft the
foreign growth or manu&aure ; because, such taxes are
IcG felt by tie public. They seen to be in some measure
v da vary, firice a man may choose how far he will use the
corn o) iity which is taxed : T.^ey are paid gradually and
ijienfibi„ and being compounded with the natural price of
th" commodity, tney are fcarc^ly perceived by the consu
mers. Their only disadvantage is that they are expen
fi/" in ,hetevyiig. ' faxes upon * possessions re levied
without expence, but have every other disadvantage Most
States, however, are obliged to have recourse to them, in
order to supply the deficiencies of the other." "As the
benefit of taxes to t,e public results only from the nett in
come, and the evil to individuals extends not only to the
gross produce, but to every othpr expence and loss, inci
dent and cons qneiitial, that tax is most beneficial to the
public, and lead mj irioua to the fubjed, which produ
ces a large sum through a cheap collection and whi^h is
exempt from every other eventual charge." " Certain it
is, that no good to the nation can be produced by taxes
upon commo lities. They in y starve the industrious,
but they never will induce the idle and extravagant to la
bour, and save for the ben fit of his landlord. And the
wisdom of such landlords, who, under such pretence,
would lighten their own burthens, by laying infopportable
weights on thir tenants, is of a piece with that ce 'onomy,
which, to fivell a large rental beyond its natural size, lo
ses, by a rife of rents, much more money than is gained
upon paper; And it does not require much logic to de
monstrate, that where the tenant *s undone, the landlord
most proportionably fuffer." Mr, Locke treating of a
land-tax, fays, " it is in vain, in a country whole fund
is land, to mpe to liy the charge of the government on
any thing else: There, at last, it will,terminate. The
merchant, do whit you can, will not bear it, the labour
er cannot, and therefore the landholder mufti And whe
ther he were best to do it, by laying it directly where it
will at laid fettle, or by letting it come to him, by the
finking of his rents, which, when they once are fallen,
everyone knows, are not readily railed again, let him
confidr.' Mr Pofl'etliway t, after taking notice of the
fatal effects of taxes upon commodities, concludes thus.
" Had they, according to Mr. Locke's intimation, been
rattier railed wholly upon the land, how many millions
would have been saved to the nation, by the different man
ner of collection ; and how would the landed interest have
proffered ?" He lays this down as a proposition in full
force, " that a tax upon land is more advantageous to the
community in general, and the landed interest in parti
cular, than that upon commodities ; and mure effectual
for thde purpufes which render t xes necessary."" Taxes
cf ail kinds ( ontinues the fame author,) cannot be too
equally laid, nor too unexpenfively railed: And there
fore, that the land, as well as commodities, might beef
feßually eased of their weighty incumbrances, it becomes
the wisdom of the Legislature to think seriously of one sin
gle tax, that will aofwer that great end." " Customs
(fays a learned Jud. e) are a tax immediatelypaid paid by
t e merchant although ultimate yby thecenfumer. And
yet tbefe are the duties felt lead by the people; and if
prudently men iged, the people hardly confider that they
p y them at all ; for the merchant is easy, being fenfble he
does not pay tuem for himfeif; and the consumer who
realty pays tie.n, confo/mis them with the price of the
com nod.ty." I Biick, Corn, 316.
Tas [ have ventured to offer to the public my private
fenti nenta, on a fubjed of the highest national impor
tance, impelled to it by the mod ardent zeal for my coun
try's welfare —ln a free State it is the privilege of every
citizen to Jo 0; nor should he be deterred from it, when
there is a poHibility of its being of service, by a diffidence
of his own abilities, or from Me apprehenfioa of being
thought to have obtru leihis opinions upon the world from
motives of vanity a:J felf conceit. —A true patriot feels
afuHicient gratification; in the reflection of having exert
ed those talents, with whica nature has endowed him, in
the cause of his country. ARISTIDES.
March 16th, 1780.
AND WHEREAS the condition of those persons who
have heretofore been denominated Negroe and Mulatto
Hives, has been attended with circumstances which not
only deprived them of the common blessings that they
were by nature entitled to, bet has cast them into the
deepest afflictions by an unnatural reparation and sale of
husband and wife from each other, and from their child
ren ; an injury the greatness of which can only be con
ceived, by fuppefine that we were in the fame unhappy
case. In justice therefore to persons so unhappily circum
flanced, and who, having no profpea before them where
on they may rest their furrows and their hopes, have no
reasonable inducement to render that service to society,
which they otherwise might; and also in grateful comme
moration of our own happy deliverance from that State
of unconditional submission, to which we were doomed
by the tyranny of Britain:
Be it enabled, and it is hereby enacted, by the Repre
sentatives of the Freemen of the Commonwealth of Penn
sylvania, in Gener 1 Assembly me:, and bythe authority
of the fame, That all persons as well Negroes and Mu
lattos as others, who shall be born within this State from
and after the p/ffitig of this ACt, shall not be deemed and
confi Jered as servants for life or Haves ; and that all servi
tude for life or slivery of children in consequence of the
slavery of t>eir mothers, in the case of all children boro
within this State, from and after the puffing of this ACt
as aforefaid, shall be, and hereby is utterly taken away,
extinguished ahd for ever abolished.
Provided always, and be it further enabled by the au
thority aforefaid, That every Negroe and Mulatto child
born within this State after the paffng of tnis ACt as a
forefaid, who would, incafe this A& had not been made,
have been born a fervaut 'or years or life, or a flive,
mill be deemed to be and shall be by virtue of this Aft
the servant of such person er his or her affigos, who would
in such case have been entitled to the hrvice of such child,
until such child shall attain unto the age of twenty eight
years, in the manner and on the conditions whereon ser
vants bound by indenture for four years, are or may be
retained and holder ; and shall be liable to likecoirefti
on and punifhaent/and intitled to like relief in case heor
she be evilly treated by his or her mailer or miftref# ; and
to like freedom dues and other privileges as (truants bound
by indenture for four years, are or way be intitled un
less the person to whom the fervicetif any such child shall
belong, shall abandon his or her claim to the fame, in
which case tue Overseers of the Poor of the city, town
ship or diftrift respectively, where such child shall be so
abandoned, shall by indenture bind out every child so a
bandoned, as an apprentice fer a time not exceeding the
age herein before lirnite 1, tor the service of such children.
And be it further enabled by the authority aforefaid,
That every p^rfen who is or fh.ll be the owner of any
Ne roe or Mulatto Have or servant for life, or till the
age of thirty one years, now wirtiin this State or his law
ful attorney, shall on or before the laid firft day of No
vember next, deliver or cause to be delivered in writing
to the Clerk of the Peace of the county, 0: to the Clerk,
of th: Court of Record of the city of Philadelphia, in
which he or the shall refpsDivaly inhabit, the name and
firname and occupation or profeffi&n o- such owner, and
the name of the county and township, diftri& or ward,
wherein he or the refideth and also the game and names
of any such Have and Gives, and servant and servants for
life or till the age of thirty-one years, together with
their ages ^nd foxes fever^lly and reflectively set forth
and annexed, by such person owned or flatedly employed,
and then being within this State, in order to afeertaia
and diftiugepfli the Haves aid servants for life and years,
till the age of thirty-one ye&rs, within t; is State, who
shall be such on the said firft day of November next,
from all other persons, which particulars shall by said
Clerk of the Sessions and Clerk of said City Court be en
tered in books t& be provided for that purpose bythe said
Clerks; and that 110 Negroe or Mulatto now within this
State, shall from ahd after ths said firft day of November,
be deemed a Have or servant for life or till the ageof thir
ty-one years, unless his or her name thall be entered as
aforefaid on such records, except such Negroe and Mu
latto Haves and fervent# as are her in after excepted, the
foid Clerk to be entitled to a fte of Two Dollars for each
Have or fervantfc entered asaloref id, from the Treasurer
of the county, to be allowed to him in his accounts.
Provided always, That any perfoo in whom the owner
flip or right to the service of any Negroe 0; Mulatt ofhall
be vested, at the puffing cf this Alt, other than such as
are herein before excepted, his or her heirs, executors
administrators and affi^ns, and alland every of them, se
verally Hiall be liable to the Overseers of the poor of the
city, township or diftri& to which any such N^roe or
Mulatto thill become chargeable, for such ne effary ex
pence, with costs of suit thereon, as such Overseers may
be pat to through the ^egl*a of the owner, master or
mistress of such Negroe or Mulatto, not with handing the
name and other descriptions ,f such Negroe or Mulatto,
shall not be entered and recorded as aforefaid-,uule^nis
or her mafler or owner ftiail, before such fl ve or servant
attain his or her tw city eighth year, execute and record
in the proper county, a deed or instrument, securing to
such Have or servant his or her freedom.
And be it further ensiled by the authority aforefaid,
That the offences and crimes of Negroes and Mulattoes,as
well Haves and ferva^ts and freemen, shall be enquired of,
adjudged, corrected arid punished in like manner as the
offence&and crimes of the other inhabitants of this State
are, and ihall be enquired of, adjudged, corrected and
punished, and not otherwise ; except that a slave shall not
be admitted to bear witness against a freeman.
And belt further en*&ed by the authority aforefaid,
That in all cases wherein sentence of death shall be pro
nounced against a Have, toe Jury before whom he or Hie
sh II be tried, shall appraise and declare the value o' such
Have, and in cate such Sentence be executed, the Court
shall make an order on the State Treasurer, payable to the
owner for the fame, and for the coftsof prosecution, but
io case of a remiffi^n or mitigation for the costs only.
And be it tv taer enabled by the authority aforefaid,
That the reward for taking up runaway and absconding
Negroe,and Mulatto Haves and servant, and the penalties
for enticing away, dealing with, or harbouring, conceal
ing or employing Negroe and Mulatto slaves and servants
fha Ibe the fame, and shall be recovered in like manner,
as in case of servants bound for four years.
6icerity of our profeffion, and to givea fubflantial proof
of onr gratitude.
AND WHEREAS attempts may be made to evade tbis
Alt by introducing into this St te, Negn es ano Mulat
tos, bound by covenant to serve for long and unreasona
ble terms of years, if the fame be not prevented ;
Be it therefore enafted by the authority aforef id, That
no covenant of personal Servitude or apprentice sh p what
soever shall be valid or binding on a Negroe or Mulatto
for a longer time than (even years, unlef> such fervent or
apprentice were at the commencement of such servitude
or apprenticeship under age the of twenty one years in
which case such Negroe or Mulatto may be bolden as a
servant or apprentice refp«aively, according te the
csvenaat, as the case shall be, until he or she shall
attain the age of twenty-eight years, be: do longer.
And be it further tn>Hed by the authors tatore'aid,
That an Aft of Assembly of the Provin e of Pnmfyl/a
nia, paffid in the year One thousand seven hundred , nd
five, intitled, " An Aft for the trial of Negroes ;' 'and
another A& of Assembly of the said Province, passed 1Q
the year One thousand seven hundred and twenty five,
intitled, " An Acl far the better regulating of Negroes
in this Province ;" and another Alt of Assembly of the
said Province, passed in the year One thousand seven bun.
dred and sixty-one, intitled “ An Alt for laying a du
ty on Negroe and Mulatto Haves imported iuro this Pro
vince ;" and also another Alt of Assembly of the fid
Province, passed in the year One thousand seven hundred
and seventy-three, intitled, “ An Aft for making perpe
.tual an A& for laying a duty on Negroe and Mulatto
Haves imported into this Province, and for laying an ad
ditional duty on said Haves," shall be and are hereby re
pealed annulled and made void.
JOHN BAYARD, Speaker.
Enabled into a Law, at Philadelphia, on
Wednesday, the firft ^ay of March,
Anno Domini, One thousand seven
hundred and eighty.
THOMAS PAIN E,
deiri of the General Assembly.
And be it further enabled by the authority aforefaid,
That no man or woman of any nation or colour, except
the Negroes or Mulattos, who shall be registered asafore
faid, shall at any time hereafter be deemed, adjudged or
holdem, within the territories oithis Commence Ith, as
Haves er servants for life, but as freemen and ireewomen,
and except the domestic Haves attending upon Delegates
in Congress, from the other American States, foreign
Miniflers and Consuls, and persons passing through, or
sojourning in this State, and not becoming refideot there
in, and seamen employed in Hups, not belonging to any
inhabitant of this State, nor employed in any Hripowned
by any such inhabitant. Provided, such domestic Haves
be not aliened or fold to any inhabitant, nor (except in
the case of Memb rs of Congress, foreign Mmifterg and
Consuls) retained in this State longer than fix months
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 reliefer fh^er to any abound
ing or runaway Negroe or Mulatto Have or servant, who
has absented hitnfelf pr fliall absent himfelf from his or
her owner, master or raiftrefs, refidiog in any other State
or country, but such owner, master or mistress, shall have
like right and aid to demand, claim and take away his
Have or servant, as he might have had in case this All had
not been made: And that all Negroe anti Mulatto Haves,
now owned, and heretofore refideot in this State, who have
absented themselves, or been clandeftintly carried away,
or who may be employed abroad as seamen, and have not
returned or been brought back to their owners, makers or
miflreffes, before the palling of this Alt may within five
years be regiflered as eff dually as is ordered by this
All, concerning t^ofe who are now within tue State, on
producing such Have, before any two Justices of the Peace,
and fatisfying the said Judices by due proof, of the for
mer residence, abfeondmg, taking aw-y, or abfen e of
such Hive as aforefaid ; who thereupon shall direct
and order the said Have to be entered on the record as a
forefaid.
TO THE PUBLIC
WHEREAS sundry estates have been
advertised to br fold on the ,2 h of April n x.,
and -through f me mistake made by the Clerk: The tae
is portioned to a future 4.-%
GEORGE SMITH, ] Agents fcr
WILLIAM M'MULLIN.] P.cour ty.
March 29th, 17^0.
AL L persons indebted to the estate of E~
MANUEL JOSIA H, ctceaf&d; are on.ee
more cifiered to mKe fyeedy payment. Anriall per
sons having a^y demands against the frid estate ate de
fined to bring in their accounts, on or before the firft
day of Muy next, to
JAMES JOSIAH, Administrator.
WAS L 0 S T,
ON Monday last on the Lancaster road, be
twden Downings town, and the Three Crown Ta
v-t,Eighty four Half Johannefa apt Sev^Mui cm,
dueled, Capt. Clayton, Lancaster, No. 1 filched up
in a piece of oznaburgs. Whoever has found tht fame,
and will deliver it to the Printer hereof, or to Capt,
Clayton at L^nclfter, shall be well rewarded.
March 281 b, 1780.
One Thousand Dollars Reward.
STOLEN on the 25th inft^nt, out of the fubferi
be;'s Counting-Houfc, in Water-street, five doers
below Chefnut- street, one piece of deep blur BROAD
CLOTH, of the fecund quality, containing twenty
eight yards. Whoever will give information of the faihe,
that the owner may recover it, shall receive Five Hun
dred Dollars, or in proportion for any part thereof ;
and for the Cloth, Thief or Thieves the above reward,
paid by\
WILLIAM GRAHAM.
March 28, 1780.