The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1840-09-05
AN ORDINANCE .
To establish and regulate Town Guard.

1. Be it Ordained by the. .Intendant and War.
dens of the Town of Camden, now met and sitting
in Council, That four persons shall be elected by
the Council, who shall constitute and be the Town
Guard, in aud for the said Town, in lieu and
place of the patrol of said Town, who shall per-
of the said State and Town now of force, or here
after to be passed. and shall be subject to all the
penalties. and shall have oil the rights and autho-
ty, Of the patrol, and the protection extended to
the patrol, contained in the Laws of the said Town
and State now of force, or hereafter to be enacted
g. Be it further enacted by the authority afore-
sad That the Council shall designate two of the
said four Guardmen, who shall be Sergeants OF
the Guard, and shall be responsible for the con-
tinuance on duty, and the due performance,
duty, of the man on duty with him, and shal
report to the Recorded, at the end of each calsh
der, month, oil absences from, and neglect
duty, by the man of his squad, and Of the sergean
of the other squad, and all violations of the provl-
sions of this Ordinance by them, or either OF them,
and the Recorder shall report the same to the Coun-
Gil at their first meeting thereafter.
In the absence OF any one of the sergeants, the
man of his squad shall perform all the duties and
be subject to all the penalties of his sergeant
g. BE it further ordained by the authority aforc-
said, That it shall be the duty of said four guard,
men, to assemble every night, at the ringing OF
the nine o'clock bell, in the guardroom, which
Market House, and while not on duty, shall re-
main in the said guardroom until day light. IL
shall be the duty oil the said two sergeants to divide
the night into equal watches, and If they cannot
agree thereon then 10 decide by lot, which of said
watches shall be performed by each sergeant and
the man of his squad respectively. 1t shall be the
duty Of one of said sergeants, at nine o'clock
every night, together with the man of his squad,
to proceed forthwith to patrol the streets OF said
Town, according to tho laws of the said State and
Town, as are now of force, or may hereafter be
passed, and the sergeant shall take one rar OF said
Town, and the man of his squad, the other part,
which the sergeant shall designate, in which they
shall respectively perform duty. and the sergeant
shall appoint certain places and times at which ne
shall meet the man Of his squad, during the said
watch. But the sergeant on duty may require the
man Of his squad to accompany him to any part OF
said Town, ii he shall deem the same necessary
Is the performance Of his duty. And so soons
the FERN of watch of the squad on duty shall ex-
pre, the sergeant duty shall return 10 the guard
room and wake up the relief guard, who shall be
the other sergeant and man, and who shall proceed
forthwith 10 perform the same duties required above
of the relieved squad.
For each violation, Of any of tho provisions
this section, the guardman offending, shall be fined
not more than Eve dollars, at the discretion OF the
Council.
q. Be it further ordained by the authority afore
said, That the sergeant Of the squad which shall
apture any free white person for a violation OF
tie laws of the State or Town, shall commit such
prisoner to Jail, and give notice 10 the Intendnnt
and conlne all slaves or free negroes captured TO
being without legal permit, in the stocks at thr
auard room, until next morning eight o'clock, un
less sooner discharged by the other provisions o
this clause, and the guardman who made the
siezure, shall give notice to the owner o' sucn
slave before eight O'Clock, and if one dollar shall
,t,.- Lo .,;,I to t,, cai1 ruardmon Such slave or
free nero shall he set at liberty, but if tile said
sum of one dollar be not then paid to the said
guardman, such free negro or slave, shall be forth
with whipped by said guardman, according to law;
and The sergeant Of the squad which shall seize any
free negro or slave for any other violation OF the
laws Ct the said Town or State. shall forthwith
commit such prisoner to Jal and give notice 10 the
Intendapt next morning.
5. Be it further ordained by the authority afore.
said, That on each and every Sunday, one squad
of said guard, shall perform duty from nine o'clock
in the morning, till such time before nine o'clock
at night, as the Council may direct by Resolution,
each member of which squad shall be on duty one
halt of said period; and all slaves and free negroes
seized on Sunday, shall be dealt with according to
law.
g. Be it further ordained by the authority atore-
said, That each member of said guard shall be fur
nishcd Ivy the Council with stout stick and ratte
leather belt with scabbard attached thereto, anu
n bayonet and the sticks shall be 30 made that the
bayon?t NAV fas!cn thereon which articles the said
quarJ shall wear while on duty, under the penalty
Of one dollar for each offence therein and the said
Guard shall be further armed with musket and
sufficient powder aud balls when SO directed by the
Intendant or Council. And in case any one OF
the said guard on duty should need assistance IN
performance of the duties of his watch, he shall
spring his rattle, when The whole guard both,
those on duty and those at the guard room, shall
promptly repair TO his assistance.
T. Be il further ordained by the authority afore-
said, That in case of fire occurring at night. the
fire bell shall be rung by the guard, and the whole
of the guard shall turn out and patrol tor the re.
mainder of the night, in all arts of the Town.
s. BE it further ordained by the authority atore'
said, That any one of the said guard may he re.
moved from Office, by vote oil the Council, and
the SAID guard while on duty or at tho guard house,
shall he subject TO the orders of the lntendant, or
any member of the Town Council.
g. Be il further ordained by the authority aiore-
sad That each member Of said guard shall re-
ceive, out of the Town Treasury, compensation,
be paid at the end of each calender month, by or
der OF the Council; and any one of the said guard
quitting the guard, without the consent Of the
Council first obtained, shall forfeit his pay OF the
then current month; and no member oil the said
guard shall quit the service, until ailer the exPlra-
ton of two weeks notice in writing to The Council
under penalty of ten dollars
TO- he it further ordained by the authority afcre-
said That no deputy shall be allowed or received
in the place of any member Of said guard, except
by the permission of the Jntendant, in case Of the
sickness of said guardman or some member OF his
immediate family, and then only, at the expense