Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-12-08
From the Nsw Orleans Bee, lNou. 81.

AN ACT relative to the introduction OF slaves.
SEQ 1st Be il enacted, &c. That from and
after the promugation Of this act, no slaves shall
| be introduced into the State Of Louisiana, ex-
cept in accordance with the provisions Of this
| act.
SEC. 81. Be 1t further enacted, &c. That all
persons emigrating into this State, who shall &C
tually settle and reside therein, shull be permit.
ted to introduce such slaves as are for their own
And any citizen of this State, who may become
the lawful owner&proprietorO Of anysiaye or slaves,
without the limits of this State, may IN like man.
ner, and for similar purposes, Introduce such
slave or slaves: provided, that the slave not pur-
chased in the States Of Mississippi or Alabama.
or in the territory Of Arkanas, or in Florida; and
if anv slaves purchased in the aforesaid States,
by any citizen of this State shouldIbe introduced,
the person or persons so introducing them shall
be subject to- the pains and penalties provided
for in the Sd section Of this act.
Sec. Sd. find Be itfurther enacted, &c. That
any inhabiant Of this State, or any person emf
grating thereto, who shall introduce therein, for
his own use, any slave or slaves purchasedin any
State or Territory Of the Union not already ex-
cluded, shall, within days after the arrival OF
said slaves in the parish 10 which he resides and
within 90 days after their arrival in this State,
file IN the Office of any Parish Judge, an entry
on his oath, Of all the slaves thus introduced. de-
signaling the name, age, sex, and, as tar as pos
| sble, the mark, size and color of each; and he
shall further declare, oath, that he has intro
duced them for bis use, and that he will not sell,
give, hire, loan, exchange, mortgage, or in any
other manner dispose of or affect the same, or
connve with others, to have them seized or sold
with view to evade the provisions Of this act
during five years next following the introduction
of said slaves; and that he will not violate the
provisions of this act; and whoever introduces
any slave without complying with the above for
maties, shall, on conviction thereof, be fined in
sum not less than $500 aud not more than
$1,000, at the discretion of the court. for each
| slave, and Imprisonment till fine and costs be
paid, and all slaves SO introduced shall, by the
mere operation of this law, be entitled to his
| freedom, and placed under the control OF the
executive to be disposed of as hereinafter enact
ed. 1t shall. however. be lawful for said pro-
prietors to take the above oath before any COM
peten officer IN any other State, which oath shall
! be filed in manner and delay above prescribed.
SEQ. 4. Belt further enacted. SC. That no per-
| son mentioned in the second section OF this act,
as authorised to introduce slaves. shall, tor the
space Of ) wears after the introduction OF such
slaves, be permitted to sell, mortgage, hire, loan,
or otherwise dispose OF any such slave or slaves,
| and if any such slave or slaves should be sold,
mortsaged, hired, loaned or otherwise disposed
of, the contract, whether written or verbal shall
be null and void, and the said slave or slaves shall
be entitled to their freedom as aforesaid. and eve
~ person who shall knowingly and ~ilfully be.
come party to. any such unlawful contract, shall
be liable to be prosecuted for the same. and shall.
on conviction, be fined IN a sum OF not less than
$500 and not more than $1,000. for each slave,
at the discretion of the Court, and shall be I'm.
prisuned until the fine and costs are paid.
| Sec. 5th Rcit further enacted. &c That all
slaves who NAV become entitled to their freedom,
as aforesaid, shall be sent out Of the State; and
the executive of this State ishereby invested with
full power TO cause SAID slaves to be SO transport
ed, and to direct all officers and magistrates TO
assist him therein. and to instruct them in the
mode in which they can hest enable him to carry
these provisions into effect: and all such officers
and magistrates shalr comply with said instruc-
tons, as far as the scope Of their duties, under
existing laws, will permit. and where said instruc-
tons are not in violation of some law now existing
under penalty of removal from Office
SEC 9th. BE IL further enacted, &c. That no
slaves introduced under this law shall be liable
to be seized and sold under any execution issu-
| ing from any Of the courts of this state-or tor
duction Of such slaves; and if such sale shond
take place, the same shall be considered as null
and VOID, and the slaves SO sold, shall be emit
tied to their freedom, but subject to transpOrta-
! ton in the manner above provided.
| Sac. 9TH. BE IL further enacted, II any person
shall remove, or cause to be removed beyond the
limits Of this State, except as above provided, any
slave who shall and may be entitled to his free
dom under the provisions Of this law, they shall,
on conviction thereof, be fined in the sum OF one
thousand dollars, and be imprisoned at hard labor
for the space Of five years.
Sec, 8. BE 4, further enacted, &c. That no.
thing in this act contained shall be so construed
as to prevent the persons who shall become own
ers and pruprietors of slaves as provided in this
act, from afterwards removing such slaves be-
yond the limits of this State. and selling the same;
but if ever the said slaves shall he brought back
into this State, it shall be under the provisions
of this act, as If said slaves had never before been
introduced therein.
SEC. 9. Belt further enacted, That the attorney
General, and the different District Attorneys OF
this State shall see this act carried into effect,