Middletown transcript., 1897-07-10
SLAVERY IN PENNSYLVANIA.
COLONIAL AND STATE LEGISLATION.

W.
At an early date the Colonial Legislature
was called upon to pass acts for regulating
the negroes, and for laying imposts upon
them to help defray the expenses of the
government. On June Sd, 100 William
Penn, the governor and proprietor ap-
pointed committee to draw up 'bill
about the trying and Furnishing of ne
groes.n The committee reported bill the
same day, and on June 7th it became a
law. The first laws were soon amended,
repealed, or they expired before England
annulled them.
In 1705 an act was passed entitled an
"Act for the Trial of Negroes" This law
was rather severe. For rape, murder, or
burglary, slaves were to be punished by
death; and for attempt of rape, and for
robbing and stealing, they were to be
whipped with thirty-nine lashes. and
branded on the forehead with the letter
R or T and exported out of the Province.
For stealing. however, if the value did not
amount to five pounds, the penalty was
only thirty-nine lashes. For carrying gunsS
swords, pistols, or any kind of weapons
whatever, without the masters consent,
each slave received thirty-one lashes on the
bare back. If m ore than four slaves met at
the same place without permission ..(unless
they all belonged to one MASTERY they were
punished with thirty-one lashes upon the
bare back.
The same year, 1905, an act was passed
preventing the importation of Indian slaves;
also an act "for Ora nting an Impost and
laying on Sundry Liquors of negroes I'm
ported into this Province for the support of
the Government, and defraying the neces-
sary Publick Charges in the Administra-
ton thereof" This law having expired, a
similar one was enacted in 1708, and in
ITO an "Impost act laying Duty on me-
groes. Wine. Rum and other spirits. Slider
and vessels" was passed. which was sup
plemented by an act in 1T12.
In 1712 an "act to prevent the Importa-
ton of Negroes and Indians into this Prov
ince'' was enacted. This was the famous
act which laid the enormous sum of twenty
pounds upon every slave that might be inn
ported into the province As some have
mistaken the purpose of this act and have
make wrong application of it, the causes
leading up to its passage will be set forth
herewith, although the main facts have al
ready been given. In 1712 some slaves
burnt house in New York and killed sew /.
eral whites. There were rumors of organ
lied insurrection, and many negroes were
arrested and nineteen were executed. The
excitement and terror which seized upon
the people,of New York spread to the other
colonies; and the Inhabitants of Pennsylya-
mia immediately sent up to the Assembly a
petition signed by many hands," praying
that body to prohibit the further importa
ton Of slaves. Their prayer was granted.
The preamble furnishes sufficient explar a.
ton of the whole proceedings, which is as
follows: "Whereas divers Plots and Insur
rections have frequently happened, not
only in the Islands, but on the Main Land
of America. by Negroes. which have been
carried on so far that several of the inhabi-
tants have been thereby barbarously MUIR
thered, an Instance whereof we have lately
had in our Neighboring Colony Of New
York; &C. The preamble lthis part of it
was similar to the preamble to the act of
17o5) then recited the reasons for prohibit
ing the importation Of Indian slaves. This
police act, 1t was nothing more-Eas re-
pealed by the Grown the following year,
regardless Of the safety and interests of the
Province.