A Sketch of the Laws Relating to Slavery in the Several States of the United States of America (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1827 edition. Excerpt: ...county of which he is a judge or justice." The barbarous severity to coloured persons which pervades the whole of the laws of Maryland on this subject, has at length been somewhat softened by an act passed February third, 1818. It is in these words: " Hereafter, when any servant or slave shall be committed to the gaol of any county in this state, as a runaway, agreeably to the laws now in force, and the notice required to be given by law by the sheriff shall have been given, and the time for their detention expired, and no person or persons shall have applied for and claimed said suspected runaway, and proved his, her or their title to such suspected runaway, as is now required by law, it shall be the duty of the sheriff forthwith to carry such slave or slaves before some judge of the county court or judge of the orphans' court, with his commitment, and such judge is hereby required to examine and inquire, by such means as he may deem most advisable, whether such suspected runaway be a slave or not, and if he shall have reasonable grounds to believe that such suspected runaway is a slave, he may remand such suspected runaway to prison, to be confined for such further or additional time as he may judge right and proper; and if he shall have reason to believe that such suspected runaway is the slave of any particular person, he shall cause such notice to be given by the sheriff to such supposed owner, as he may think most advisable; but if said judge shall not have reasonable ground to believe such suspected runaway to be a slave, he shall forthwith order such suspected runaway to be released; and if no person shall apply for such suspected runaway after also, provided " for the education of the poor gratis." In several, perhaps in all of the free...