The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1854-03-15
Ira ding with Slaves.

The laws of South Carolina in regard
to trading with slaves are very rigid
The penalty is not less than one months
Imprisonment, and one hundred dol
lars, and may be, in the discretion OF
the Court, one Thousand dollars, and
twelve months imprisonment. The
law requires. too, that the permit from
the slaves master to trade Shall be in
writing and be produced on the trial.
No shop keeper or d,still, is allowed
tc sell or give spirits to IL slave under
a heavy penalty. n slave seen going
into shop with all article and coming
out without it, or seon going in with
out An article and coming out Of the
shop with it is proof sufficient to convict
the shop keeper oftrading with slave,
These are severe laws and it was found
necessary to pass them to break up
trafficking with slaves.
is known that there is great
number of persons who do not seem
to regard these laws. They trade with
slaves without thinking Of the mischief
they are doing. Chickings, eggs and
fruits Of all kind nre purchased of
slaves without rejecting that it is OF:
ten stolen property they are purcilas-
ing. 1t is seldom that poultry or fruit
is sold in tho village Of Grcenville by
slaves that is not stolen from their
owners or some one else. Every cor
rect man, and women, too. should be
exceedingly careful to purchase nothing
OF slave without written permit 10
sell.
Merchants especially should be care
tul to observe this well. Otherwise
they are encouraging the slave to steal
1t may be true that merchant or shop
keeper would not trade for any article
of produce with slave. But if he will
sell his wares and goods to slave for
money, he thereby encourages the
slave to steal the money or something
else to get the money with. 1t mat.
ters not that the trader may know the
slave to be honest. He should consid-
er that he is violating the law, and
running the risk of criminal prosecution
and likewise he may be mistaken as
to honesty Of the slave.
The facility which slaves have of
stealing f:om their owners and others
makes it the sacred duty Of every,
well disposed and honest man to be
particular in receiving or purchasing
any thing from savo without the
written consent of his owner. This
particularly, the other day, on pnrt
OF townsnan, saved US peicc Of sill
yer. And II few months ago this same
honest sort of particularly saved us IL
fine shont which had been captured by
u neighsbor's slave and carried into
market. We understand likewise, if
some others had been equally careful
and prudent, ano,hcrs peicc ofpropcrty
might have been saved, which was
sold by one of our slaves. We have
frequently heard of the complaint in
the country amongst our farmers that
they could not keep their turkeys and
chickens and eggs until they saw prop
or to sell them or cat them, that they
were all stolen and carried to the vii.
lage. In connection with thisIvcry evil
of which we are now complaining, w c
remember good joke which happened
many years ago. y negro fellow came
into the village with fat turkey COB
bier, and sold it. In few moments
afterwards he stole the turkey again
and sold it again. This he repeated till
he had sold the gobbler three times,
and then he took him back home and
left him where he had first stolen him
from his mistress. fall roguish ne.
groes were as shrewd and considcratc,
this kind Of trallicking would soon be
broken up .-Souhern Patriot