The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1854-05-06
Caws Of 4flarnlan0.
PASSED AT THE LAST SESSION.

fPmedY d10iHS' persons IrhO nidY fmpfOv SnCh
free negroes, wih The knowinioe hW Mpg hnl
preriomiy hred 10 another, or eneaetg in an-
others Serricc.
SECTION |. BE It enacted bj Tie General rs
scmbly Of Mmy'ond, That if any free negro
who shall hire himself or herself to any per-
son, and shall leave his or her home. and quit
the service of the employer before the expira-
ton of the time the hiring is to terminate
without reasonable and proper cause, he or she
Shall be deemed guilty of amisdcmeanor, and
may be punished or dealt with as hereinafter
provided; the said employer may have Il war;
rant to be issued by any justice of the peace,
on application, to DC directed to any one of
the conStabcs in the county, in the name of
the State Of Maryland, for the apprehension of
such free NJ gro, rcturnablc on or before Il day
to lie named therein, or not exceeding ten
days from the issuing thereof; and on the APP
prchension of such free negro, immediate no.
lice shall be given Ivy the constable to the en-
ploycr, and the said justice of the peace, or in
case of his absence, resignation or DEATH any
other justice Of the peace. convenient to the
parties, shall hear and try the said complaint,
and give judgment rs TO the right and equity
| aprtrtailling, each party to have the b,ntiit
Of witnesses, to be Summoned as i'll other ca
scS before justices, and attached for non attcn-
dance, il attachments be demanded; and if the
Judgment Of the justice shall lie in favor of the
State, it shall he that the said negro shall
serve the said employer for the residue of the
time stipulated OF agreed upon between them,
and that the costs and expenses shall be paid
by the said negro, and that the lost time shall
be deducted from the wages agreed upon, and
that such costs and expenses and allowances
for lost time shall be lien on the wages, and
shall be retained thcrcout, and costs paid by
the cmploycrto the persons entitled to receive
the same; that the oath of employer to the
contract, and the evidence ofsome other per-
son that the negro acted and engaged III such
service Shall be taken as prima tacia evidence
Of the contract; Pror,ded, that the said JUS
ticc, before he renders judgment against the
negro, Shall be satisfied that the wages are
reasonably secure, and that the said negro did
not quit thescrviCe Of the employer on account
of improper usage, or treatment, or without
sufficient cause; that the constable arrcsting
Such person shall have TIE same right to Sc
Cure his or her appearance by confinement,
as in ordinary cases Of msdemcanor, till the
hearing can he laid before the justice, and
| which shall ,,1nfr Iy
Die.
SEC. .. And be ii enacted, That if any free
negro shall hereafter contract or agree, in
writing, to hire to any white person for a
year, or less time, and for certain wages, and
shall afterwards refuse to enter into the ser
vice of such person, and shall hire to another
person, the first person shall have process of
summons in such case without delay against
such free negro and upon trial and proof,
shall have judgment against such free negro
for two-ifths of the amount ofwagcs contract
cd to be paid, which Judgment shall be lien
on the wages in the hands of the person in
whose service he may be engaged, from the
time notice Of such judgment Shall be given
TO said employer, and Shall be paid when due
TO the person recovering judgment, and may
be recovered by an action of debt before any
justice of the peace, as in ordinary eases Of
debt; but i'll case the said employer shall hire
the said negro with a full knowledge of the
previous hiring, and shall refuse to deliver him
to the first claimant on demand made, the
party first hiring may have process ofreplcv-
III to recover possession of the said negro, to
be obtained from justice of the peace, and
which shall be heard and tried, judgment rem
dcrcd, and execution awarded and executed,
as in ordinary cases of replcvin; Pror'dcd,
that before any judgment he given against the
negro or the employer, under this section,
the justice shall be satisfied that the wages,
agreed to be paid by the party first hiring
was reasonably secure, and that the said ne
gro had not sufficient and just cause to re-
fuse to enter into the service of the said party.
SEC. ;. Ind be 1t enacted, That in case any
free negro shall leave the service of his EN-
ployer after Judgment rendered against him,
as provided for in the first section Of this act,
and refuse Or fail to return to the service the
employer the said employer may take posses
sion of the sad negro wherever found, and
coniine him in the public Jail for a period not
exceeding one week at any one time, and may
exercise, in such case, all the power
and authority over him as master may
lawfully exercise over his free negro apprcn-
ticc; the expenses of such arrest and imprison-
mcnt may be deducted from the wages of the
said negro; Prorided, justice of the peace,
on hearing of both parties, shall certify that
the said negro left the services of the employ
er without just and sufficient cause; Proridcd
,fur'hcr. that proceeding under this act shall
not dcbar any free negro from prosecuting
any action he may have for cruel or ill or inn
proper usage and treatment by his employer,
either before a justice of the peace or in the
Circuit Court; and Prorided further; that be.
fore the employer shall take possession ofthe
said negro under this section, if found in the
pcaceable employment of another lie shall ey.