The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-10-02

Exemption OF Slaves from Forced Sales.
Gal Percy Walker, Of Alabama. writes to the No
bile Tribune as follows, relative TO the proposition
to exempt slaves from debit
As the author Of the minority Report on this
subject submitted to the Legislature at the session of
lS47S, IL seems to be taken for granted that stall
renew the proposition at the ensuing session.
II may, therefore, not be unbeooming In me to
express my op mons upon the subject and partci-
pate in the argument to which it has given rise.
With the view of directing the discussion to the
shape in which the proposition will be presented to
the General Assembly, | have prepared o bill,
which 1t If my intention to ntrOdu ,e into that body
Hereafter (f you will allow me to use your paper as
edium) will consider its essential features, and
endeav0r TO show that the enactment of the bill into
law will be wise and conservative measure,
stimulating the energies Of the individual citizen,
encouragng his hacits o. thrift and economy,
Strengthening the institution Of slavery by adding to
the value OF the slaves and asing the number of
slave owner, rendering the rale of the master more
benignant aiding the cause OF public education by
raising ali additional fund for its advancement, aud
ultimately adding to the power and dignity of the
State 10y the increased comfort the general ntelli
gence and active patriotism of its people.
The bill is published ia full ia the Tribune. Its
main features are as follows
Any owner of slaves in this State desiring to OBJ.
tain the exemption Of such slaves must furnish to
the Judge Of PROBATE Of the county ia which said
slaves are. statement of their names age aud SEX
and pay to sale Judge the sum Of twenty dollars for
each slave designed to be exempted Upon receiv-
ing said statement and said sum or sums, it shall he
the duty of said Probate Judge to enter in book to
be kept for that purpose. and to be known as the
Record Of Exempt Slaves" the names, ages and
sex OF said slaves by whom exempted, and the date
thereof 1t shall moreover be the duty of said Judge
to furnish the appi cant with certificate. setting
forth that the above provisions have been duly exc
cuted The form Of The certificate is given.
Sec. provides that If any exempt slave shall be
moved from the county in which the exemption shall
have been obtained, said exemption shall not con-
tinue unless the owner of such slave shall, within
III 0Q
OF Probate Of said county the certificate of the Judge
OF Probate OF the county from which said slave may
have been removed. Upon the presentation of such
certificate the Judge OF Probate of the county to
which such slave may have been removed shall ep-
ter the name of the owner and the names, ages and
of such slave slaves in the Record Of Exempt
Slaves, in his Office, and shall give to the owner
certificate of the same.
Sec 4. Not more than five slaves shall be exempt
by any one person or head of a family. But if any
exempt shall become vicious or unmanageable, it
may be Ia full for the owner thereof, by an appca
ton to the Judge Of Probate to substitute another
slave in his stead and such substitution shall be en-
tered Ia the "RecoId of Exempt Slaves" by said
judge, and certificate stating the fact given by him
to the applicant.
Sec. S. Whenever slaves shall be exempt under
this act by the head of family, they shall he re-
tanned for the use of the family, and neither the
head nor other member of family shall have power
to sell such slaves without first making appica-
ton in writing to The Judge of Proba.e. alleging
under oath that sale Of such slaves is to the inter
est Of the family. The Judge Of Probate upon being
satisfied Of the truth of such alteration, shall make
an order, authorizing the applicant to sell such
slaves.
Sec. 6. The exemption obtained in this act. shall
be c0nfir cd to the person obtain ng the same and
shall not be transferable by sale of the slaves.
Sec. z. Nothing in this act exempts any slave from
liability for debts contracted before the date Of the
exemption and the rights of such creditors shall be
in nowise effected by this act.
Sec. 8 requires the Judge of Probate t, report
semi annually to the State Comptroller the number
of exempt slaves, and to pay over TO him the money
received for such slaves 1t also prescribes penalties
for failure Of duty by said Judges, and the mode Of
enforcing them.
Sec. declares the fund so received by the Comp
troller, special educational fund.- to be applied to
the purposes of public education in the several
ties, in proportion to the number of children in said
counties.
Sec 10 provides tina. the records and certificates
shall be evidence in all the courts Of the State.
Sec. IL provides that the record of exempt slaves
shall be open to the inspection OF all
Sec II provides the duties and liabilities of sher-
ifs in case OF levying on exempt slaves