Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1856-03-22
K &c III MOND WHIG.
PROTECTION or SLAVE PROPERTY.

Il HH P'oe'd'"g additional protection for ~, dar,
property II eifisens of Mis commonwealth
l. Bc 1t enscted by the General Assembly, that .h,u
ho' be a"i"l Tor any vessel of any description
whatever, owned ia whole ia part ov av citizen or r.
dent o another state, and about steam from Az,
port place ia thi State for any port or pIac North Of
"d '"'ond the eape- OF Virginia, depart from the
to- 6" h's Commonwealth until said vessel has unIe gun.
te inspection her'i,iier provided for IN this act and
f,r'N' certificate that effect II any such y.s..
-" d'pa STAT" ~ithout such certificate Of inspection
th" cnptrr thereof shall forfeit and nav tb
sum ct nv" hund'cd dollars to be- recovered by any per
sn VII" al SUE "r ihr in court OF record in
this stat ~ the t- Governor of the Conuop.
wealth Pending laid -rit the v,-,. OF .aid can
tain or owner 'l not have the State until bond he gr-
on OS the captain or owner, tcr pt-,n for him paw
able 10 the GovernOr sth iuotr -urut,e- .tac.
tory To tie court, in the penalty 81 o thousand dollar.
Tor the payment OF III. forfeit h- together With the
Cot ana - Iens-s incurred i enforcing tl. same and
Ia default oil such bond, thr vSrl shall he held luhe
provided that nothing contained section sha spply
to vessels belonging the T. : Government or vessel.
American foreign. bound direct any foreign country
other than the Il ii-h American provinces
= The pilot licensed under the las- of Virginia and
~aile attached to vessel regularly employed pilot
oo'' are hereby constituted aud appointed inspectors
execute this act far the be applicable TO
the Chesapeake bay and the waters tibutary thereto
within the jurisdiction OF this State together with such
other inspectors may be appointed by virtue OF this
s. The branch license issued pilot according to
the provisions of the g2d chapter o the Code shall b-
sufficient evidence that be- Is authorized and empowered
To act ~ Inspector a aforesaid
l. 1t shall be the duty of the Inspector other person
authorized 20 under this law TO ex,minp and search
all vessels herebefore described TO see that no slave or
person held to service labor in this State or person
charged with the commission Of any crime within the
state shall be concealed board said vessel such in.
specton shall be made within twelve hours the time o;
departure OF such vessel from the OF Virginia and
may De made in any bay river creek other water course
o the state provided however that steamers pl,inu a
regular packets between ports in Virginia those north
Of aud outside OF the capes Virginia shall be insec
cd al The port oil departure nearest to Old Point Comfort
. vessel 80 inspected and getting under way with
intent 10 leave the waters OF the state il she
al anchorage above Back point or within old Point
Comfort shall be again Inspected and charged as All
original II such vessel be driven back by stress of
weather 10 seek harbor she shall be exempt from nav
men OF second Zee unless she holds intercourse with tc
shore.
O. If after searching the vessel the inspector see no lust
cause to detan her he shall give the captain
cate TO that effect II however upon such inspection or
III any other manner slave person held service or
labor any person charged with crime be found OIL
board Of vessel whatever for the purpose aforesaid r
said vessel be detected in the leaving this common
"eolth with any such slave person board or other
wise violating the provisions of this act he shall attach
said vessel and arrest al persons board be deliver
ed up TO the sergeant sheriff OF the nearest port in this
commonwealth 10 BE- dealt with according to law.
T. II any Inspector other officer be opposed or shall
have reason TO suspect that he will be opposed or obuc
ted in the discharge of duty required OF him under
this act ne shall have power and command the
force oi any county corporation aid him in the dis
charge of such duty ami every person who shall res.
oh-truct refuse aid any inspector or other officer in
Vie discharge OF such duty, shall be deemed guilty
msdemeAnor and conviction thereof shall be fined
and imprisoned as in other cases of misdemeanor
s. For every inspection of vessel under this law the
inspector or other officer sha he entitled to demand and
receive the of five dollars for the payment of which
such vessel shall be liable and the Inspector or other oil
Ger may seize and hold her till the l. paid together
with All charges Incurred In taking of the vessel As
vel ~ ln enforcing the Dayment OF the Provided
that steam packets trading regularly between the waters
the Virginia and north Of and beyond the capes Of
Virginia shall pay not more than five dollars for each in
l ufip fha -, ,I;.
ever that for inspection Of engaged In the
coaade the inspector shall not receive grca sum
than dollars
2. ANY inspector other person apprehending slave
IN the act OF escaping from the ts board vessel tr
ding 10 or belonging TO nonslaveholdng state or who
rha give information that will lead the recovery Of any
slave az aforesaid shall be entitled to reward of one
hundred dollars TO be paid by the of such slave or
10y the hducAry having charge OF the which such
slave belongs aud II the vessel be forfeited under the pro-
Visions ot ih- act he shall, be entitled one-half OF the
proceeds ang from the sale of the vessel: and ii tie
the same amounts TO slO0 he shall receive from the
owner the above reward of $lOn.
To- An Inspector permitting a slave 10 escape for the
want OF proper eXertiou, by neglect in the d-.
charge Of his duty, shall be fined one hundred dol
lar or II for Ike causes he permit vessel which
TIE law requires him 70 inspect to leave the state
without inspection he shall be fined less twenty
nor than fry dollars be recovered by warrant by
any person ~ho will proceed against him
II. No pilot acting under the authority OF the laws of
this State shall pilot out of the jurisdiction Of this State
any such vessel is described ia this act which ha. NOT
atp q
uoii hereby required and If anT pilot shall offend be
shall forfeit aud pas not less than twenty nor more than
hy dollars to be recovered ia the mode prescribed in the
next preceding section OF this act
IL. The the several counties or corporatios
situated Oh the Chesapeake bay tributaries by an or.
der entered OF record may appoint more n-pec
tors at such place places within their respective districts
a tue! may deem necessary to prevent the escape
the recapture Of slaves attempting escape beond the
limits Of the State and search or otherwise examine all
vessels trading such counties or corporations The e,
rasag tn ha &, H- 1.
groes nov taxed by Law, but inspection by county or
corporation officers thus appointed shall supercede the ~.
specou Of such vessel by pilots aud other Inspector. S
| speclly provided FOR in this act
H. IL shall be lawful for the county court Of any coun.
~ upon the application of five shareholders rsi.
dents OF the counties where the application i made by
order entered OF record designate one or more police
stations n their respective counties aud captain and
three other persons police patrol on each sta
ton Tor the ccapurc Of fugitive slaves; which patrol
shall be IN service at such times aud such stations the
court shall direct by their order aforesaid and the sad
court seal allow reasonable compensation 20 be paid TO
the members Of such patro and for that purpose the sd
court may from time time direct lew negroes now
taxed by law ~ such rate per capita the court NAV
think sufficient be collected aud accounted tor by the
sheriff As other county eves, and TO be called he ugi.
tive slave tax The owner oi each fugitive slave n the
act Of escaping bcvOnd the limits Of the Commonwealth
20 slayehoding state aud captured by the patrol
aforesaid shall pay for each slave fifteen ami under
ioty hve years old. reward of one hundred dollars for
each slave FIVE and under fifteen years old the sum
pf sixty dollars aud for all others the OF forty dollars
Which reward shall be divided equally among the members
u the piroI rcakng the slave aud actually duy the
time And TO secure thc payment of said reward. the
said patrol may retain the possession and OF the slave
until she reward j. paid or secured 20 them.
! o. The executive % this State may appoiut one
| or more inspectors for the Rippahaunock and Poo
| mao rivers, II he shall deem 10 expcdent for the
dur execution Of this act The inspectors appointed
90 perform the duties and to be invested with the
powers Zoo their respective dstcts and receive the same
fees pilots acting Inspectors in other parts Of the State
vessel subject 90 inspection under this law departing
b 3D.
voyage sea. shall be exempted ffou the payment Of
Zee 'Ur second Inspection by another officer nproyiisd
wifh certificate irom the proper inspecting officer Of that
district bu f after proceeding on her voysge she
Co the port place Of departure enter any other port
river roli-tcad in the state the said vessel shall be
again inspected aud pay fee oifvc dollars II she had
undergone previous examination aud received no pre-
yous certificate u driven by Of weather 20 seek
harbour. aud she has intercourse with the shore then
sud boz that second fee shall be paid by sad YES
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