The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1840-09-19
AN ORDINANCE
To establish and regulate Town Guard

l. 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 and for the said Town, in lieu and
place of the patrol of said Town, who shall per-
form all the duties required of the PATROL by Laws
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 all the rights and autho-
rity, Of the PATROL and the protection extended 10
the patrol, contained in the Laws of the said Town
and State now of force, or hereafter to be enacted
said, 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 o
duty, of the man on duty with him, and shal
report TO the Recorded at the end of each calsn
der, month, all absences from, and neglect o
duty, by the man of his squad and of the sergean-
of the other squad, and all violations of the Provi
sions of this Ordinance by them, 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 oil the penalties of his sergeant.
8. BE it further ordained by tho authority afore-
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 guatdroom, which
shall be the south room of the second story of the
Market House, and while not on duty, shall re-
main in the said guardroom until day light. 1t
shall be the duty Of the said two sergeants to divide
the night into equal watches, and if they cannot
agree thereon, then TO 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, ut nine o'clock
every night, together with the man of his squad
to proceed forthwith to patrol the streets of said
Town, according to the laws Of the said State and
Town, as are now of force, or may hereafter be
passed. and the sergeant shall take one rat 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 lie
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
aid Town, if he shall deem the same necessary
in the performance Of his duty. And SO soons a
the term of watch Of the squad on duty shall cx-
pire, the sergeant on duty shall returnto the guard
room and wake up the relief guard, who shall be
the other sergeant and man, and who shall proceed
forthwith to perform the same duties required above
of the relieved squad.
For each violation, Of any Of the provisions o
this section, the guardman offending shall be fined
not more than five dollars, at the discretion OF the
Council.
4. Be it further ordained by the authority afore
said, Th,, the sergeant Of the squad which shall
apture any free white person for violation Of
the laws of the State or Town, shall commit such
prisoner to Jail, and give notice TO the Intendant
and confne all slaves or free negroes captured 70
being without legal permit in the stocks at thr
guard room, until next morning eight o'clock, un
less sooner discharged by the other provisions
this clause, and the guardman who made the
siezure, shall give notice to the owner et such
slave before eight o'clock, and if one dollar shall
then be paid to the said guardman, such slave or
free negro shall be set at liberty, but if the 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;
free negro or slave for any other violation of the
laws Ct the said Town or State, shall forthwith
commit such prisoner to Jail, and give notice to the
next morning.
S. Be it further ordained by the authority ufore-
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
half of said PERIOD and all slaves and free negroes
seized on Sunday, shall be dealt with according to
law.
6. Be it further ordained by the authority afore-
said, That each member of said guard shall be fur
nshed by the Council with stout stick and rattle,
leather belt with scabbard attached thereto, and
bayonet, and the sticks shall be so made that the
bayonet may as.en thereon, which articles esaid
guard 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 nerd 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.
Z. Belt further ordained by the authority afore-
said, That in case of fire occurring at night, the
Gre bell shall be rung by the guard, and the whole
Of the guard shall turn out and patrol for the re.
mainder of the night, in all Parts Of the Town.
8. Be it further ordained by the authority afore'
said, That any one of the said guard may be re.
moved from piIice, by vote Of the Council, and
The SAID guard, while on duty or at the guard house,
shall be subject to the orders of the lntendant, or
any member of the Town Council
9. Be it further ordained by the authority atore-
said, That each member of said guard shall re-
seive, out of the Town Treasury, compensation,
1t the rate Of two hundred dollars per annum, to
be paid at the end of each calender month, by or
Her of the Cornell; and any one of the said guard
luitting the guard, without the consent of the
Council first obtained, shall forfeit his pay Of the
hen current month; and no member of the said
guard shall gait the service, until after the expira
ion of two weeks notice in writing to the Council
lnder penalty Of ten dollars.
10. Be it further ordained by the authority afcre
,aid, That no deputy shall be allowed or received
n the place of any member of said guard, except
" the permission of the Intendant, in case of the
sickness of said guardman, or some member of his
immediate family, and then only, ut the expense
f such guardmah.
II. Be il further ordained by the authority afore
Iaid, That it shall be the duty of each member OF