The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-03-24
SLAVE LAWS OF MARYLAND.

49, f
| Not more than one-fortieth part of the in
habitants of Maryland are at all interested in
| slave property, and Slavery exists there in a
milder form than in any of the States south of
Mason aud Dixon's line. Yet some idea of the
benefeent effects of the peculiar institution can
be formed from the laws which remain in full
force and virtue upon her statute books. By
the act Of 1851, chapter Is, section Z, it is en-
acted: |a
Whereas many negroes and other slaves
absent themselves from their masters service,
and run into the woods, and there remain, kill
ing and destroying of hogs and cattle belonging
unto the people Of this Province, if that such
negro or negroes, or other slaves so outlying as
aforesaid, shall refuse to surrender themselves,
making resistance against such persons as pur-
sue to apprehend and take them, being there
unto legally empowered, it shall be lawful to,
and for such pursuers, upon such resistance
made, to shoot, kill, and destroy such negro or
negroes or other slave as aforesaid
By the act of 1851, chapter IA, section 9,
persons okilGng any slave are indemnifed from
prosecution; and the slave so killed is to be
valued, and the value paid to the owner by the
State This thing of shooting unruly negroes
must be rare sport, and the idea of being paid
good round sum for the game no doubt adds
zest to the amusement. Dead white men are
generally considered rather poor stock; but it
seems that in Maryland dead negro isn't to
be sneezed at The act of 1909 chaper 238,
section Fl, provides: XII
. 1t any slave or servant be convicted of any
crime, the punishment whereof may be death
or confinement in the penitentary, the court
before whom such condemnation and conviction
shall take place shall Immediately thereafter
proceed to value such slave, or the time of such
servant, and enter the same in their proceed
ings, and such value shall be assessed and col
lected with the county assessment, and paid to
| the owner of such slave or servant"
Under this act, slave girl was tried in Cecil
county, last winter, for arson, convicted, and
sentenced to the penitentiary. For the priv
lege, however, of furnishing this vicious chattel,
| the Taxpayers of the county had to nav her
owner $3.50. The difference between slaves
and free persons in Maryland is this: when a
| slave commits crime, he has to be paid for
before he can be punished; when free person
| commits one, he is sent to the penitentiary or
hanged, and nobody foots the bill. Rather a
serious difference to the taxpayers. But here
is another law. 1t reads thus:
A further supplement the act entitled an act relating
10 free negroes and slaves
SEC. l. Be 1t enacted 6y the General Assem-.
oily Of Maryland, That after the passage of this
act, it shall be deemed high offence against
the supremacy of this State for any person
knowingly to circulate, or in any way knowing
ly assist in circulating, among the inhabitants
thereof any pictorial representation, or any
pamphlet or newspaper, handful, or other
paper, printed written, of an inlammatory
character having tendency to create discon-
tent among, and stir up to Instruction, the
people OF color of this State; and that every
person that shall be duly convicted of this Of:
fence shall be guilty offs felony, and shall be
sentenced to undergo confinement in the PEN
ltentiary OF this State, for period of time not
less than ten nor more than twenty years from
the time OF sentence pronounced on such of.
fender. tn
SEC. 2. And be 1t enacted, That hereafter it
shall not be lawful for any citizen of this State
knowingly to make, print, or engrave or aid in
the making, printing, or engraving, within this
State, any pictorial representation, or to write
or PRINT, or aid In the writing or printing, any
pamphlet, newspaper, handful, or other paper
OF an infammatory character, as having ten
dency to excite discomfort or stir up insurrec-
ton among the people of color Of this State or
OF either of the other States or Territories of the
United States, or knowingly to carry or send,
or to aid in the carrying or sending, the same
for circulation among the inhabitants of either
OF the other States or Territories of the United
States; and any person so offending shall be
guilty of felony, and shall, on conviction, be
sentenced to confinement in the penitentiary
OF this State, for period not less than ten nor
more than twenty years from the time of SEN
tence pronounced on such person." LAWS of
Maryland, 1885, chapter 1851
This is the act under which, some eight wears
ago, The Blue Hens Chicken, paper pub
lished at Wilmington, was indicted in Cecil
county; and also under which Green, the col
ored Methodist preacher, was convicted. some
eighteen months ago, in Dorchester county, and
sentenced to ten years in the penitentiary, for
having in his possession copy of Uncle TOMS
Cabin. The shareholders on the Eastern Shore
of Maryland, however, think these laws do not
afford them protection enough, and have called
Convention, to meet in few weeks, to devise
some more efectual means of preventing the
bloody AbolitiOnists" from enticing their prop-
erty away The press of country or State
generally utters the sentiments of the commu.
nifty; and as there is not newspaper in the
State which objects to this proposed Conven.
ton, or ever publishes a line in condemnation
of these iniquitOus laws it is to be presumed
the inhabitants of Maryland fancy themselves
living under the most LIBERAL as we'll as most
perfect, system of laws ever framed.-TriJ,une.
Who ARE THE AGIrAroRs ?-The Admins
parry nave DctH Two years ucplOrlng
the agitation of Slavery, and ever since last
spring have insisted that the Slavery question
was finally and conclusively settled. There has
been no new attempt at agitation on the part
of the Opposition. But how is it with them
selves?
The President sends in his message, and two
mortal columns of it are devoted to tanning
the flames of Slavery agitation.
Congress meets, and on the first day of the
session, Mr. Mason, chairman Of the Committee
on Foreign Relations, acting in behalf of the
Administration, takes the earliest moment to
revive the Slavery agitation, by calling up the
claim of the owners of the Amistad negroes.
The South Carolina Legislature assemblies
with conceded Administration majority in
both Houses. Its whole time is taken up with
discussion of proposition to reopen the slave
trade, and the revival of agitation"
The Arkansas Legislature, also in session,
devotes its time to ProSlavery resolutions, for
the express purpose of keeping up Agitation"
The North Carolina Legislature is agitating
the subject of reducing free egroes to Slavery.
The Alabama and Florida Legislatures are
agitating the slave trade. The Mississippi
politicians are issuing manifestoes, all to a
greater or less extent agitating the Slavery
question. All these are Democratic bodies
Who are the "Agitators ?"-Alb. Ec. Jour-
TUE aOyrTurpN nU A mUs0pM