Daily Republican., 1878-11-22
0LD LAWS Or DELAWARE.

VLw kAWbVF DkAA " ABks
ssme Of tAs Old Celestial Iaws-
Punishment for Grimes -FWrfeis
ure Of Property ssd Drsnaiss
and MasliAtisk tlsp nsAiss sr Pris
omers.
We have been handed the following
account Of the old laws OF Delaware by
Francis Vincent ths. Treasurer Of our
State. They ars taken hom hia notes. |.
No vessel was allowed 10 sAil higher
mp the Delaware than New Castle and
discharge hsr cargo {1'his was before
the arrival Of Psnn.) This Law was en-
acted for the benefit Of that town. Buy
ing land BY the citizens from ths In.
dians was prohibited, and the titles OF
land 10 purchased was rendered void.
Two Sherifis' we're elected by the pso-
pie annually from which the Governor
chose one. II was death 70 lay in
wait for any ons and cut out their
tongue, TO slit Or out Oh their nose or
lip, or TO cut of or disable any limb or
member.
II was forbidden to deal with sva or
wieked spirits, or engaged In coJsraiion
or wifchrrati, Under the psnslty Of the
English law Of King James, which said.
THAT all psrsons.invoking any evil
spirit Of consulting, eoyensnting with, :,
entertaining, employing, feeding, or
rswarding any evil spirit; or taking up
dead bodies from their graves, to b..
used in any witchcraft, sorcery or
charm, or enchxntlnsnt: or killing or
otherwise Ii urting any person by such
infernal arts, should bs guilty OF felony
without benefit Of the clergy, and sui.
fer death. And II any person should
attempt to discover hidden treasurs, or to
restore stolen goods, or TO provoke w.
iamtM Love, or TO hurt any man Or
beast, through the same were not Of.
fscted, he, or she shall suffer imprison-
nsnt, and pilory for the first offence,
and death for tn. second offence.
1t twas death to burn q dwelling hons
barn or sable, OF outhouse, having
corn or hay therein. Persons conceal
ing robbers, or burglars, we're burnt ! n
the hand. Persons indicted for felony
who did not appear At the Sheriff pros
81 lamation forfeited all their lands and
goods. Persons, guilty Of felony were
burnt in the left thumb, with the let
ters "M" or "T." They were also to
stand in the pil!ory In the market or
some other pnblic plAce
All debts In case Of execution, or from
the estates Of persons deceased, were to
bs paid first TO citizens Of Delaware.
fwo Justices Of the Peace and six free
holders wers empowered 70 try all OF.
'ences committed by negroes or mulat-
.oss. Slaves condemned to death were
valued, and twothirds Of their value
paid to the owner by the STATE.
Slaves attempting rape on white f..
males had their ears nailed to The pitiory
md before they we're taken from IL, had
10Th ears cut off close to aes head. Any
slave carrying any description Of arm
even a club) was whipped with q
lashes. 'Fs" tsS" ST.
Whoever committsd adultery, was dned
20 pounds, or else he Or shs received 2l
ashes on the bare back publicly. Who
,ver committed fornication, received 81
ashes On his on her bare back, or paid
) pounds. Persons who entertained
swd women, we're deemed tornicators,
md received the same punishment.
White women giving birth to mulatto
were fined ten pounds, and
publicly with 80 stripes on
he bare back. A negro committing
ornication with white female, stood
n the pillorv for two hours, with one
ar nailed to The pillory, which when hs
vas taken away, wds cutoF close to his
,ead, and received 80 lashss. A white
nan committing fnrnication with ne
,ro woman, was fined 20 pounds, and
publicly whipped with q lashss. For
! woman tO conceal the death Of her IL.
egitimste babe was death. Negroes
white people, we're whipped
IN the bare back, ,sud placed In the pill 1
ory. ,..n fla. xae.a .r4 n4 g,f 81 n
Whoever forged Or passed . forged
.ots knowingly Of the Bank Of Della
ware or Of the Bank Of North America,
vas whipped with 20 lashes On his or
Ter bare back, had the soft part of their
ars cutoff, and were placed In the pill.
ory for an hour. Any President, Dr.
ector or other officer Of the Bank OF
Delaware, ,sscr.ting, embezzling or run-
ling away with the money or bonds Of
he bank was also whipped with 20 =.
ashes on his bare back, placed in the
'illory, and had the soft psft Of his
ars cut of. g..r,saAsrs Ags. -
i, Treason received the same punish.
aent as under the old English law, viz:
NJ offender was dragged To the gallows,
nd was not to be allowed to bs carried
! walk. He was then to be hanged !
y the neck, and cut down alive. His
ntrails we're cut out whilst he was yet
live, and burned. His head was then
at Oft and his body divided into four
arts. We never had . trial for treason
n Delaware. n
Any person committing blasphemy was ,
laced in ths pillory two hours, was
randed on the forehead with the letter I
\, and whipped on his or hsr bare back +
Nth 80 lashes, we'll laid ON. i
Whoever killed 4 deer between the
IL of January and the LIST Of August
Indians excspted) was fnsd 40 shil-
ngs. Slaves committing the same Of. '
'nce we're whipped with 2l lashes. =
Whoever killed rolf and brought ',
d head to Justice Of the Peace, re-