The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-01-29

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indentured servant and their contract
to another employer.
/ #**
The same liberal spirit which Gre
ated for colonial Maryland it's general
policy of liberation not only in relig-
ion but in social and moral relation
ships as well, and which nodded its
Indian policy of peace and friendship
which spared Maryland the horrors of
savage warfare, also conceived la
Dor policy remarkable for its thought
full and generous consideration for the
welfare of the neediest element among
the settlers. All of this was in strict
fulfillment of the letter and spirit of
Calvert's Instructions" which closed
with the injunction that they edo JUS
tice to every man."
AS cases of individual abuse devel-
oped, laws and regulations were
} drawn up to protect the servants from
exploitation and in justice. It was,
for instance, required after 1852 that
anyone intending to transport an in
dentured servant into Maryland
should first have him registered in
England before competent legal au-
thority, record kept in fair book"
there and copy given to the servant
himself as evidence of his status. If
the servant were minor, or seemed
to be So" action was postponed for
three months in order to make sure
by investigation that no abuse was
being perpetrated upon child.
After arrival in Maryland, cases
arose in which individual masters at
tempted to extend illegally the period
of indenture and because the servants
were generally illiterate and careless
they frequently were without legal
proof of the exact period of their SER
vice. Accordingly it was enacted that
within six months after arrival in
Maryland both master. and servant
must appear before the county court
of the masters residence and here es-
tablish evidence of their legal agree
ment. A severe penalty was provided
for any master who failed to do this
!. and servants who were unable there
to produce certificates of indenture
were required to serve the customary
period of servitude according to age.
These periods were five years for
those over twenty-five years of age,
seven years for those between fifteen
and twenty-five, and for those under
fifteen the period of service extended
) until they became twenty-five years
of age.
When the above law was adopted by
the Lower House it was sent to the
Council for action and was returned
by that body with the following sig
!. nifcant notation indicating the tender
solicitude with which the leaders of
the Maryland colony were won't to
guard the rights of their humble
| charges: "The Upper House," so read
, the notation, "do consent to this vote
provided the Lower House will con-
slider of some. expedient against any
inconvenience which is conceived will
arise in such case where the servant
by accident hath left his indenture in
England and cannot get a return
: thereof within the time limited, or
where by undue means the master
shall get the servants indenture out
. of his hands and thereby debar him
of the privilege of showing the same
to the court, to the great wrong and
injury of the servant in either case"
. And so it was done.
, ***
Having established the term of SER
; vice on a legal basis, the Maryland
Colonial government was also mind
full of the possibility Of servants be-
, ing abused by INSCRIPTIONS. or cruel
masters during the term of indenture.
1t was enacted, therefore, that "any
: master who should deny sufficient
: meat, drink, lodging. or clothing, OF
J unreasonably burden them beyond
their strength to labor, or debar them
/ of their necessary rest or Sleep
should be fined 1000 pounds Of to-
: bacco for the first and second offense
) and that the servant be freed if the
offense were repeated third time.
The famous case of William Lewis
: and his two Protestant servants who
were protected by the Roman Catholic
Council in their right to read aloud
: however Extensively, their religious
books, however abusive, in the hear
ing of their Catholic master, has been
cited as proof of the extent to which
5 real liberation was carried in Colonial
: Maryland. 1t also demonstrates the
5 sincere determination of the authori-
r ties that servants be given the full
! protection of the government against
: the mere appearance of oppression by
! their masters. 1t was the master who
in every case had to bear the burden
) of proof and all doubtful questions
were resolved in the interests of the