| Date | 1810 |
|---|---|
| Law/Legislation | Law |
| Jurisdiction | DE |
| Title | An act concerning negroes and mulattoes |
| Description/Full Text | Section 1. Be it enacted and declared , by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Delaware , in General Assembly met , That where by any deed of manumission executed agreeably to 12 To be free the form prescribed by the Act entitled An Act concerning ne- at future day , gro and mulatto slaves or by any last will and testament , any Slaves in mean tiine negro or mulatto slave hath been or hereafter shall be declared to ( II . ) be free after serving a limited time , such negro or mulatto shall in the mean time , until the term for which he or she shall be held to service , be deemed and taken to be a slave , but nevertheless after the expiration of such term to be entitled to his or her freedom and to all the immunities and privileges which a free negro or free mu ( 3 , 4 ) latto may or can enjoy by the laws of this State . Sect . 2. And be it further enacted and declared , That the chil- 13 issue of dren of any such female negro or mulatto born within the said females , born term of service and the issue of such female children shall be in during inter mediate time like manner deemed and taken to be slaves ; the males until they severally arrive at the age of twenty - five years , and the females until they severally arrive at the age of twenty - one years ; and after they shall have arrived at the respective ages aforesaid , they shall be free and be entitled to all the immunities and privi leges of free negroes or free mulattoes . Sect . 3. And be it further enacted and declared , That any negro 14 To be free or mulatto manumitted as aforesaid , who liath heretofore been or at future day , hereafter shall be brought into this State from any other State , brought from State shall in like manner be deemed and taken to be a slave until the same prin expiration of the term , for which he or she shall be held to service ciple by the terms of such manumission ; provided that the said negro or mulatto shall not be older than thirty - five years of age at the expiration of the said term . Sect . 4. And be it further enacted and declared , That the chil dren of any such female negro or mulatto born within the said such temales- term of service and the issue of such female children shall be in born in inter mediate time like inanner deemed and taken to be slaves ; the males until they severally arrive at the age of twenty - five years , and the females until they severally arrive at the age of twenty - one years ; and after they shall have arrived at the respective ages aforesaid , they shall be free and be entitled to all the immunities and privileges of free negroes or free mulattoes . 16 Satisfact'n Sect . 6. And for the prevention of such manumitted person or by servitude persons or their issue as aforesaid absenting themselves from their for absence master's or mistress ' service ; -For such time , as any such slave as aforesaid shall absent him or herself from his or her master's or mistress ' service without leave first obtained for the same , every such slave as aforesaid , for such absence and expenses of taking up , securing and other necessary charges , shall at the expiration of the time of his or her servitude make satisfaction by servitude according to the judgment of any court of law or cquity within this State , before which such slaves as aforesaid shall be brought for that purpose . 17 Issue of Sect . 7. Every person being an inhabitant of this State , who temales as shall be entitled to the services of any child hereafter born of any aforesaid negro manumitted as aforesaid or of the issue of such manumitted ( 13 , 15 ) cer tified by Mas , negro as aforesaid , shall within twelve months after the birth of ter to Recor- such child cause to be delivered to the Recorder of the county , der within 12 months after whereof such person shall be an inhabitant , a certificate in writ birth ing containing the name , age and sex of the child so born ; which certificate shall be by such Recorder entered in a book to be by him provided for that purpose ; and such record or a certified copy thereof under the hand and seal of such Recorder shall be received in evidence in all courts of law or equity in this State and be deem ed and taken as evidence of the age of such child : and such Re 18 Recorder's corder , by whom such certificate shall be recorded , shall have and receive from the person giving such certificate twenty - five cents 19 Penalty for for recording the same ; and if any person shall neglect to deliver neglect such certificate to said Recorder within the said twelve months such person shall forfeit and pay for every such offence the sum of five dollars , and the further sum of one dollar for every month , such person shall neglect to deliver the saine , to be sued for and recovered by any person who will prosecute for the same , one moi ety thereof to the use of such persons who will sue for the same , and the residue to the use of the poor of the county , where such person so neglecting shall reside , to be recovered before any Justice of the Peace in like manner , as debts under thirty - two dollars are recoverable . Passed at Dover , February 1 , 1810 . |
| Additional Information | – |
| Source | https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=XyJEAAAAYAAJ&pg=GBS.PA410&hl=en |
| Transcriber Notes | – |
If you are citing this record, please use the following format:
[Author (if known)], Laws and Legislation Related to Slavery and Free Blacks in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia (1642-1860), [Date (if known)], Enduring Connections: Exploring Delmarva’s Black History, Nabb Research Center, Salisbury University.
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