".Our Armageddon is past.

Africa has been reborn as a free

continent and Africans have been reborn as free men.
The blood that was shed and the sufferings that were endured
are today Africa's advocates for freedom and unity.
Those men who refused to accept the judgement passed
upon them by the colonies, who held unswervingly
through the darkest hours to a vision of an Africa emancipated
from political, economic and spiritual domination, will be
remembered and revered wherever Africans meet.
Many of them never set foot on this continent.
Others were born and died here.
hat we may utter today can add little to the heroic
struggle of those who, by their e!ample, have shown
us how precious are freedom and human dignity and
of how little value is life without them.
Their deeds are written in history."
H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I
Britain had outlawed the slave trade with the Slave Trade Act in 1807, with penalties of 100 per slave
levied on British captains found importing slaves. owever, this did not stop the British slave trade! if
slave ships were in danger of "eing captured "# the $o#al %av#, captains were &nown to have ordered
the slaves to "e thrown into the sea to reduce the fines the# had to pa#.
According to the 18'' (c(ulloch)s *ommercial +ictionar#, -America a"olished the slave trade at the
same time as .ngland. But not withstanding what had "een done, further measures were soon
discovered to "e necessar#. The /ortuguese continued to carr# on the trade to a greater e0tent than ever,
and British su"1ects did not hesitate, under cover of their flags, to "ecome partners in their adventures.-
The ne0t step, then, was to ma&e slaver# illegal. A new Anti2Slaver# Societ# was formed in 1834, with
mem"ers including Thomas *lar&son, enr# Brougham, 5illiam 5il"erforce, Thomas 6owell Bu0ton,
.li7a"eth e#ric&, (ar# 8lo#d, 9ane Smeal, .li7a"eth /ease and Anne :night.
The# prevailed ten #ears later with the Slaver# A"olition Act.
Slavery Abolition Act 1833
The Slavery Abolition Act 1833 (citation 3 & 4 Will. IV c. 3! was an 1833 Act of the Parliament of
the United Kingdom abolishing slavery throughout the majority of the British m!ire "with the
notable e#ce!tions $of the Territories in the Possession of the ast %ndia &om!any'$ the $%sland
of &eylon'$ and $the %sland of (aint )elena*$+
Slaver# was officiall# a"olished in the ma1orit# of the British .mpire on 1
August 184'. ;n practical terms, however, onl# slaves "elow the age of si0
were freed as all slaves over the age of si0 were re designated as
-apprentices-. Apprentices would continue to serve their former owners for
a period of time after the a"olition of slaver#, though the length of time
the# served depended on which of the three classes of apprentice the# were.
The first class of apprentices were former slaves who -in their State of
Slaver# were usuall# emplo#ed in Agriculture, or in the (anufacture of
*olonial /roduce or otherwise, upon 8ands "elonging to their <wners-. The second class of
apprentices were former slaves who -in their State of Slaver# were usuall# emplo#ed in Agriculture, or
in the (anufacture of *olonial /roduce or otherwise, upon 8ands not "elonging to their <wners-. The
third class of apprentices was composed of all former slaves -not included within either of the Two
preceding *lasses-. Apprentices within the third class were released from their apprenticeships on 1
August 1848. The remaining apprentices within the first and second classes were released from their
apprenticeships on 1 August 18'0.
"ompensation
The Act also included the right of compensation for slave2owners who would "e losing their propert#.
The amount of mone# to "e spent on the compensation claims was set at -the Sum of Twent# (illions
/ounds Sterling-. =nder the terms of the Act the British government raised 30 million to pa# out in
compensation for the loss of the slaves as "usiness assets to the registered owners of the freed slaves.
The names listed in the returns for slave compensation show that ownership was spread over man#
hundreds of British families, man# of them of high social standing. 6or e0ample, enr# /hillpotts >the
then Bishop of .0eter?, in a partnership with three "usiness colleagues, received 13,700 for @@A
slaves. The ma1orit# of men and women who were awarded compensation under the 1844 A"olition
Act are listed in a /arliamentar# $eturn, entitled Slaver# A"olition Act, which is an account of all sums
of mone# awarded "# the *ommissioners of Slave *ompensation in the /arliamentar# /apers 184728
Bol. '8.
;n all, the government paid out 30 million over '0,000 separate awards, which was eCuivalent to '0D
of the government)s total annual e0penditure.
As a nota"le e0ception to the rest of the British .mpire, the Act did not -e0tend to an# of the Territories
in the /ossession of the .ast ;ndia *ompan#, or to the ;sland of *e#lon, or to the ;sland of Saint
elena.-
<n 1 August 184', an unarmed group of mainl# elderl# %egroes "eing addressed "# the Eovernor at
Eovernment ouse in /ort of Spain, Trinidad, a"out the new laws, "egan chanting! -/as de si0 ans.
/oint de si0 ans- >-%ot si0 #ears. %o si0 #ears-?, drowning out the voice of the Eovernor. /eaceful
protests continued until a resolution to a"olish apprenticeship was passed and de facto freedom was
achieved. 6ull emancipation for all was legall# granted ahead of schedule on 1 August 1848, ma&ing
Trinidad the first British colon# with slaves to completel# a"olish slaver#.
The Slaver# A"olition Act 1844 was repealed in its entiret# under the Statute 8aw >$epeals? Act 1FF8.
owever, this repeal has not made slaver# legal again, as sections of the Slave Trade Act 183', Slave
Trade Act 18'4 and Slave Trade Act 1874 are still in force
manci!ation ,ay is cele"rated in various locations throughout the Americas on various dates in
o"servation of the emancipation of slaves of African origin. ;t is also o"served in other areas in regard
to the a"olition of serfdom or other forms of servitude.
The Slaver# A"olition Act 1844 ended slaver# in the British .mpire on August 1, 184'. .mancipation
+a# is widel# o"served in the British 5est ;ndies during the first wee& of August in man# *ari""ean
countries.
A#$#st 1
Bar"ados ! The cele"ration includes various events held at .mancipation $ounda"out in St.
(ichael. This parish is the site of a statue honoring Bussa, the leader of the slave revolt at
Ba#le#)s /lantation.
Bermuda ! *ele"ration usuall# occurs on August 3, despite August 1 "eing the national holida#.
<n the island the holida# is "etter &nown as the first da# of -*upmatch-, an annual two2da#
cric&et competition "etween the St. Eeorge)s and Somerset cric&et clu"s.
Eu#ana
9amaica
Trinidad and To"ago <n August 1, 1F8A, Trinidad and To"ago "ecame the first re"ulic in the
world to declare a national holida# to commemorate the a"olition of slaver# .
%irst Mon&ay in A#$#st
Some countries o"serve the holida# as August -onday.
Anguilla ! ;n addition to commemorating emancipation, it is the first da# of -August 5ee&-, the
Anguillian *arnival cele"rations. 9)ouvert is cele"rated on this morning, as *arnival
commences.
The Bahamas ! *ele"rations are mainl# concentrated in 6o0 ill Billage, %assau, a former slave
village whose inha"itants, according to fol&lore, heard a"out their freedom a wee& after
ever#one else on the island.
British Birgin ;slands ! The first (onda#, Tuesda#, and 5ednesda# of August are cele"rated as
-August 6estival-.
August .
The Tur&s and *aicos ;slands o"serve .mancipation +a# on August 7.
An Act 'or t(e Abolition o' Slavery t(ro#$(o#t t(e )ritis( "olonies* 'or promotin$ t(e In&#stry o'
t(e man#mitte& Slaves* an& 'or compensatin$ t(e +ersons (it(erto entitle& to t(e Services o' s#c(
Slaves.
#$%th August &%''.(
')*+*A, divers -ersons are holden in ,lavery
within divers of )is Majesty's .olonies, and it is
just and e!pedient that all such -ersons should
be manumitted and set free, and that a
reasonable .ompensation should be made to the
-ersons hitherto entitled to the ,ervices of such
,laves for the /oss which they will incur by
being deprived of their +ight to such ,ervices0
And whereas it is also e!pedient that -rovision
should be made for promoting the 1ndustry and
securing the good .onduct of the -ersons so to
be manumitted, for a limited -eriod after such
their Manumission0 And whereas it is necessary
that the /aws now in force in the said several
.olonies should forthwith be adapted to the new
,tate and +elations of ,ociety therein which will
follow upon such general Manumission as
aforesaid of the said ,laves2 and that, in order to
afford the necessary Time for such Adaptation of
the said /aws, a short 1nterval should elapse
before such Manumission should take effect2'
All -ersons who on the &st August &%'3 shall
have been registered as ,laves, and shall
appear on the +egistry to be ,i! 4ears old or
upwards, shall from that 5ay become
apprenticed /abourers.
6e it therefore enacted by the 7ing's most
*!cellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and
.onsent of the /ords ,piritual and Temporal,
and .ommons, in this present -arliament
assembled, and by the Authority of the same,
That from and after the first 5ay of August One
thousand eight hundred and thirty8four all
-ersons who in conformity with the /aws now in
force in the said .olonies respectively shall on
or before the first 5ay of August One thousand
eight hundred and thirty8four have been duly
registered as ,laves in any such .olony, and
who on the said first 5ay of August One
thousand eight hundred and thirty8four shall be
actually within any such .olony, and who shall
by such +egistries appear to be on the said first
5ay of August One thousand eight hundred and
thirty8four of the full Age of ,i! 4ears or
upwards, shall by force and virtue of this Act,
and without the previous *!ecution of any
1ndenture of Apprenticeship, or other 5eed or
1nstrument for that -urpose, become and be
apprenticed /abourers2 provided that, for the
-urposes aforesaid, every ,lave engaged in his
ordinary Occupation on the ,eas shall be
deemed and taken to be within the .olony to
which such ,lave shall belong.
ho entitled to ,ervices of the ,lave as an
apprenticed /abourer.
11. And be it further enacted, That during the
.ontinuance of the Apprenticeship of any such
apprenticed /abourer such -erson or -ersons
shall be entitled to the ,ervices of such
apprenticed /abourer as would for the Time
being have been entitled to his or her ,ervices as
a ,lave if this Act had not been made.
All ,laves brought into the 9nited 7ingdom
with .onsent of -ossessors, free.
111. -rovided also, and be it further enacted,
That all ,laves who may at any Time previous to
the passing of this Act have been brought with
the .onsent of their -ossessors, and all
apprenticed /abourers who may hereafter with
the like .onsent be brought, into any part of the
9nited 7ingdom of :reat 6ritain and 1reland,
shall from and after the passing of this Act be
absolutely and entirely free to all 1ntents and
-urposes whatsoever.
Apprenticed /abourers to be divided into Three
.lasses, vi;. praedial attached, praedial
unattached, and non8praedial.
-roviso.
1<. 'And whereas it is e!pedient that all such
apprenticed /abourers should, for the -urposes
herein8after mentioned, be divided into Three
distinct .lasses, the =irst of such .lasses
consisting of praedial apprenticed /abourers
attached to the ,oil, and comprising all -ersons
who in their ,tate of ,lavery were usually
employed in Agriculture, or in the Manufacture
of .olonial -roduce or otherwise, upon /ands
belonging to their Owners2 the ,econd of such
.lasses consisting of praedial apprenticed
/abourers not attached to the ,oil, and
comprising all -ersons who in their ,tate of
,lavery were usually employed in Agriculture, or
in the Manufacture of .olonial -roduce or
otherwise, upon /ands not belonging to their
Owners2 and the Third of such .lasses
consisting of non praedial apprenticed
/abourers and comprising all apprenticed
/abourers not included within either of the Two
preceding .lasses0' be it therefore enacted, That
such 5ivision as aforesaid of the said
apprenticed /abourers into such .lasses as
aforesaid shall be carried into effect in such
Manner and =orm and subject to such +ules and
+egulations as shall for that -urpose be
established under such Authority, and in and by
such Acts of Assembly, Ordinances, or Orders in
.ouncil, as herein after mentioned0 -rovided
always, that no -erson of the Age of Twelve
4ears and upwards shall by or by virtue of any
such Act of Assembly, Ordinance, or Order in
.ouncil be included in either of the said Two
.lasses of praedial apprenticed /abourers
unless such -erson shall for Twelve .alendar
Months at the least ne!t before the passing of
this present Act have been habitually employed
in Agriculture or in the Manufacture of .olonial
-roduce.
Apprenticeship of the praedial /abourers not to
continue beyond &st August &%3>.
<. And be it further enacted, That no -erson who
by virtue of this Act, or of any such Act of
Assembly, Ordinance, or Order in .ouncil as
aforesaid, shall become a praedial apprenticed
/abourer, whether attached or not attached to
the ,oil, shall continue in such Apprenticeship
beyond the first 5ay of August One thousand
eight hundred and forty2 and that during such
his or her Apprenticeship no such praedial
apprenticed /abourer, whether attached or not
attached to the ,oil, shall be bound or liable, by
virtue of such Apprenticeship, to perform any
/abour in the ,ervice of his or her *mployer or
*mployers for more than forty8five )ours in the
whole in any One eek.
of the non8praedial /abourers not beyond &st
August &%'%.
<1. And be it further enacted, That no -erson
who by virtue of this Act or of any such Act of
Assembly, Ordinance, or Order in .ouncil as
aforesaid, shall become a non8praedial
apprenticed /abourer, shall continue in such
Apprenticeship beyond the first 5ay of August
One thousand eight hundred and thirty8eight.
6efore the Apprenticeship is e!pired, the
/abourer may be discharged by the voluntary
Act of his *mployer. 1n case of the voluntary
5ischarge of aged or infirm apprenticed
/abourers, tbe*mployer to continue liable for
their ,upport.
<11. And be it further enacted, That if before any
such Apprenticeship shall have e!pired the
-erson or -ersons entitled for and during the
+emainder of any such Term to the ,ervices of
such apprenticed /abourer shall be desirous to
discharge him or her from such Apprenticeship,
it shall be lawful for such -erson or -ersons so
to do by any 5eed or 1nstrument to be by him,
her, or them for that -urpose made and
e!ecuted2 which 5eed or 1nstrument shall be in
such =orm, and shall be e!ecuted and recorded
in such Manner and with such ,olemnities, as
shall for that -urpose be prescribed under such
Authority, and in and by such Acts of Assembly,
Ordinances, or Orders in .ouncil, as herein8
after mentioned0 -rovided nevertheless, that if
any -erson so discharged from any such
Apprenticeship by any such voluntary Act as
aforesaid shall at that Time be of the Age of =ifty
4ears or upwards, or shall be then labouring
under any such 5isease or mental or bodily
1nfirmity as may render him or her incapable of
earning his or her ,ubsistence, then and in every
such .ase the -erson or -ersons so discharging
any such apprenticed /abourer as aforesaid
shall continue and be liable to provide for the
,upport and Maintenance of such apprenticed
/abourer during the remaining Term of such
original Apprenticeship, as fully as is such
apprenticed /abourer had not been discharged
therefrom.
Apprenticed /abourer may purchase his
5ischarge against the ill of his *mployer, on
an Appraisement. )ow Appraisement and
involuntary 5ischarge to be effected.
<111. And be it further enacted, That it shall be
lawful for any such apprenticed /abourer to
purchase his or her 5ischarge from such
Apprenticeship, even without the .onsent, or in
opposition, if necessary, to the ill of the -erson
or -ersons entitled to his or her ,ervices, upon
payment to such -erson or -ersons of the
appraised <alue of such ,ervices2 which
Appraisement shall be effected, and which
-urchase Money shall be paid and applied, and
which 5ischarge shall be given and e!ecuted, in
such Manner and =orm, and upon, under, and
subject to such .onditions, as shall be
prescribed under such Authority, and by such
Acts of Assembly Ordinances, or Orders in
.ouncil, as are herein8after mentioned.
Apprenticed /abourers not removable from the
.olony. -raedial apprenticed /abourers not
removable from the -lantation e!cept by
.onsent of Two ,pecial ?ustices. .onsent not to
be given till the ?ustices have ascertained that
the +emoval will not separate the Members of
=amilies. )ow .onsent to be given and
recorded.
1@. And be it further enacted, That no
apprenticed /abourer shall be subject or liable
to be removed from the .olony to which he or
she may belong2 and that no praedial
apprenticed /abourer who may in Manner
aforesaid become attached to the ,oil shall be
subject or liable to perform any /abour in the
,ervice of his or her *mployer or *mployers
e!cept upon or in or about the orks and
6usiness of the -lantations or *states to which
such praedial apprenticed /abourer shall have
been attached or on which he or she shall have
been usually employed on or previously to the
said first 5ay of August One thousand eight
hundred and thirty8four0 -rovided nevertheless,
that, with the .onsent in riting of any Two or
more ?ustices of the -eace holding such ,pecial
.ommission as herein8after mentioned, it shall
be lawful for the -erson or -ersons entitled to
the ,ervices of any such attached praedial
apprenticed /abourer or /abourers to transfer
his or their ,ervices to any other *state or
-lantation within the same .olony to such
-erson or -ersons belonging2 which written
.onsent shall in no .ase be given, or be of any
<alidity, unless any such ?ustices of the -eace
shall first have ascertained that such Transfer
would not have the *ffect of separating any such
attached praedial apprenticed /abourer from his
or her ife or )usband, -arent or .hild, or
from any -erson or -ersons reputed to bear any
such +elation to him or her, and that such
Transfer would not probably be injurious to the
)ealth or elfare of such attached praedial
apprenticed /abourer2 and such written .onsent
to any such +emoval shall be e!pressed in such
Terms, and shall be in each .ase given, attested,
and recorded in such Manner, as shall for that
-urpose be prescribed under such Authority, and
by such Acts of Assembly, Ordinances, and
Orders in .ouncil, as herein8after mentioned.
+ight to the ,ervices of apprenticed2 /abourers
to be transferable -roperty. /abourer not to be
separated from ife, Ac.
@. And be it further enacted and declared, That
the +ight or 1nterest of any *mployer or
*mployers to and in the ,ervices of any such
apprenticed /abourers as aforesaid shall pass
and be transferable by 6argain and ,ale,
.ontract, 5eed, .onveyance, ill, or 5escent,
according to such +ules and in such Manner as
shall for that -urpose be provided by any such
Acts of Assembly, Ordinances, or Orders in
.ouncil as herein8after mentioned2 provided that
no such apprenticed /abourer shall, by virtue of
any such 6argain and ,ale, .ontract, 5eed,
.onveyance, ill, or 5escent, be subject or
liable to be separated from his or her ife or
)usband, -arent or .hild, or from any -erson
or -ersons reputed to bear any such +elation to
him or her.
*mployer to supply the /abourer with such
=ood, Ac. as the /aw at present reBuires in
case of ,1aves. here the praedial /abourer
shall be maintained by the .ultivation of
-rovision :rounds, a proper Cuantity of
:round with leisure Time to be set apart by the
*mployer. )ow the *!tent and /ocality of the
-rovision :rounds and the Cuantity of Time
are to be regulated.
@1. And be it further enacted, That during the
.ontinuance of any such Apprenticeship as
aforesaid the -erson or -ersons for the Time
being entitled to the ,ervices of every such
apprenticed /abourer shall be and is and are
hereby reBuired to supply him or her with such
=ood, .lothing, /odging, Medicine, Medical
Attendance, and such other Maintenance and
Allowances as by any /aw now in force in the
.olony to which such apprenticed /abourer may
belong an Owner is reBuired to supply to and for
any ,lave being of the same Age and ,e! as such
apprenticed /abourer shall be2 and in .ases in
which the =ood of any such praedial apprenticed
/abourer shall be supplied, not by the 5elivery
to him or her of -rovisions, but by the
.ultivation by such praedial apprenticed
/abourer of :round set apart for the :rowth of
-rovisions, the -erson or -ersons entitled to his
or her ,ervices shall and is or are hereby
reBuired to provide such praedial apprenticed
/abourer with :round adeBuate, both in
Cuantity and Cuality, for his or her ,upport, and
within a reasonable distance of his or her usual
-lace of Abode, and to allow to such praedial
apprenticed /abourer, from and out of the
annual Time during which he or she may be
reBuired to labour, after the +ate of forty8five
)ours per eek as aforesaid, in the ,ervice of
such his or her *mployer or *mployers, such a
-ortion of Time as shall be adeBuate for the
proper .ultivation of such :round, and for the
raising and securing the .rops thereon grown2
the actual e!tent of which :round and the
5istance thereof from the -lace of +esidence of
the praedial apprenticed /abourer for whose
9se it may be so allotted, and the length of Time
to be deducted for the .ultivation of the said
:round from the said annual Time, shall and
may, in each of the .olonies aforesaid, be
regulated under such Authorities, and by such
Acts of Assembly, Ordinances, or Orders in
.ouncil as herein after mentioned.
,ubject to the Obligations imposed hereby, all
,laves in the 6ritish .olonies emancipated
from the &st August &%'32 from which Time
slavery shall be abolished throughout the
6ritish 5ominions.
@11. And be it further enacted, That, subject to
the Obligations imposed by this Act, or to be
imposed by any such Act of :eneral Assembly,
Ordinance, or Order in .ouncil as herein8after
mentioned, upon such apprenticed /abourers as
aforesaid, all and every the -ersons who on the
said first 5ay of August One thousand eight
hundred and thirty8four shall be holden in
,lavery within any such 6ritish .olony as
aforesaid shall upon and from and after the said
first 5ay of August One thousand eight hundred
and thirty8four become and be to all 1ntents and
-urposes free and discharged of and from all
Manner of ,lavery, and shall be absolutely and
for ever manumitted2 and that the .hildren
thereafter to be born to any such -ersons, and
the Offpring of such .hildren shall in like
Manner be free from their 6irth2 and that from,
and after the said first 5ay of August One
thousand eight hundred and thirty8four ,lavery
shall be and is hereby utterly and for ever
abolished and declared unlawful throughout the
6ritish .olonies, -lantations, and -ossessions
Abroad.
.hildren below the Age of ,i! on &st August
&%'3, or born after that Time to any =emale
Apprentice, if destitute, may be bound out by
any ,pecial Magistrate as an Apprentice to the
-erson entitled to the ,ervices of the Mother2
but at the 5ate of such 1ndentures the
Apprentice must be under Twelve 4ears of Age.
@111. 'And whereas it may happen that .hildren
who have not attained the Age of ,i! 4ears on
the said first 5ay of August One thousand eight
hundred and thirty8four, or that .hildren who
after that 5ay may be born to any female
apprenticed /abourers, may not be properly
supported by their -arents, and that no other
-erson may be disposed voluntarily to undertake
1ndentures to continue in force until the .hild
has completed his or her Twenty8first 4ear and
no longer.
the ,upport of such .hildren2 and it is necessary
that -rovision should be made for the
Maintenance of such .hildren in any such
.ontingency2' be it therefore enacted, That if any
.hild who on the said first 5ay of August One
thousand eight hundred and thirty8four had not
completed his or her ,i!th 4ear, or if any .hild
to which any female apprenticed /abourer may
give birth on or after the said first 5ay of August
One thousand eight hundred and thirty8four,
shall be brought before any ?ustice of the -eace
holding any such ,pecial .ommission as herein8
after mentioned, and if it shall be made to
appear to the ,atisfaction of such ?ustice that
any such .hild is unprovided with an adeBuate
Maintenance, and that such .hild hath not
completed his or her Age of Twelve 4ears, it
shall be lawful for such ?ustice, and he is hereby
reBuired on behalf of any such .hild to e!ecute
an 1ndenture of apprenticeship, thereby binding
such .hild as an apprenticed /abourer to the
-erson or -ersons entitled to the ,ervices of the
Mother of such .hild, or who had been last
entitled to the ,ervices of such Mother2 but in
case it shall be made to appear to any such
?ustice that such -erson or -ersons aforesaid is
or are unable or unfit to enter into such
1ndenture, and properly to perform the
.onditions thereof, then it shall be lawful for
such ?ustice and he is hereby reBuired by such
1ndenture to bind any such .hild to any other
-erson or -ersons to be by him for that -urpose
approved, and who may be willing and able
properly to perform such .onditions2 and it
shall by every such 1ndenture of Apprenticeship
be declared whether such .hild shall
thenceforward belong to the .lass of attached
praedial apprenticed /abourers, or to the .lass
of unattached praedial apprenticed /abourers,
or to the .lass of non8praedial apprenticed
/abourers2 and the Term of such Apprenticeship
of any such .hild shall by such 1ndenture be
limited and made to continue in force until such
.hild shall have completed his or her Twenty8
first 4ear, and no longer2 and every .hild so
apprenticed as aforesaid by the Order of any
such ?ustice of the -eace as aforesaid shall
during his or her Apprenticeship be subject to all
such and the same +ules and +egulations
respecting the ork or /abour to be by them
done or performed, and respecting the =ood arid
other ,upplies to be to him or her furnished, as
any other such apprenticed /abourers as
aforesaid0 -rovided always that the said
1ndenture of Apprenticeship shall contain
sufficient ords of Obligation upon the
*mployer to allow reasonable Time and
Opportunity for the *ducation and +eligious
1nstruction of such .hild.
)is Majesty, or any :overnor by )is Authority,
may appoint ?ustices of the -eace by ,pecial
.ommission to give effect to this Act and to all
.olonial /aws to be made in pursuance of this
Act2 and no other Cualification necessary.
,uch ?ustices may also be included in the
:eneral .ommission of the -eace.
@1<. 'And for ensuring the effectual
,uperintendence of the said apprenticed
/abourers, and the *!ecution of this Act,' be it
enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for )is
Majesty to issue, or to authori;e the :overnor of
any such .olony as aforesaid, in the Dame and
on the 6ehalf of )is Majesty, to issue under the
-ublic ,eal of any such .olony, One or more
,pecial .ommission or .ommissions to any One
or more -erson or -ersons, constituting him or
them a ?ustice or ?ustices of the -eace for the
whole of any such .olony, or for any -arish,
-recinct, Cuarter, or other 5istrict within the
same, for the special -urpose of giving effect to
this present Act, and to any /aws which may, in
manner herein8after mentioned, be made for
giving more complete *ffect to the same2 and
every -erson to or in favour of whom any such
.ommission may be issued shall by force and
virtue thereof, and without any other
Cualification, be entitled and competent to act
as a ?ustice of the -eace within the /imits
prescribed by such his .ommission for such
special -urposes aforesaid, but for no other
-urposes0 -rovided nevertheless, that nothing
herein contained shall prevent or be construed to
prevent any -erson commissioned as a ?ustice of
the -eace for such special -urpose as aforesaid
from being included in the :eneral .ommission
of the -eace for any such .olony, or for any
-arish, -recinct, Cuarter or other 5istrict
thereof, in case it shall seem fit to )is Majesty,
or to the :overnor of any such .olony acting by
)is Majesty's Authority, to address both such
,pecial .ommission and such :eneral
.ommission as aforesaid in any .ase to the
same -erson or -ersons.
)is Majesty may grant ,alaries to ,pecial
?ustices.
/ists of such -ersons to be laid before
-arliament.
@<. And be it further enacted, That )is Majesty
shall be and he is hereby authori;ed to grant to
any -erson or -ersons, not e!ceeding One
hundred in the whole, holding any such ,pecial
.ommission or .ommissions as aforesaid, and
so from Time to Time as <acancies may occur,
,alaries at and after a +ate not e!ceeding in any
.ase the ,um of Three hundred -ounds ,terling
per Annum, which ,alary shall be payable so
long only as any such ?ustice of the -eace shall
retain any such ,pecial .ommission, and shall
be actually resident in such .olony, and
engaged in the 5ischarge of the 5uties of such
his Office2 provided that no -erson receiving or
entitled to receive any )alf -ay, -ension, or
Allowance for or in respect of any past ,ervices
in )is Majesty's Daval or /and =orces shall, by
the Acceptance of any such ,pecial .ommission
or ,alary as aforesaid, forfeit or become
incapable of receiving or lose his +ight to
receive such )alf -ay, -ension, or Allowance, or
any -art thereof, any /aw, ,tatute, or 9sage to
the contrary in anywise notwithstanding0
-rovided also, that there be annually laid before
both )ouses of -arliament a /ist of the Dames
of all -ersons to whom any such ,alary shall be
so granted, specifying the 5ate of every such
.ommission, and the Amount of the ,alary
assigned to every such ?ustice of the -eace.
+ecital of various +egulations necessary for
giving *ffect to this Act.
@<1. 'And whereas it is necessary that various
+ules and +egulations should be framed and
established for ascertaining, with reference to
each apprenticed /abourer within the said
.olonies respecively, whether he or she belongs
to the .lass of attached praedial apprenticed
/abourers, or to the .lass of unattached
apprenticed /abourers, or to the .lass of non8
praedial apprenticed /abourers, and for
determining the Manner and =orm in which and
the ,olemnities with which the voluntary
5ischarge of any apprenticed /abourer from
such his or her Apprenticeship may be effected,
and for prescribing the =orm and Manner in
which and the ,olemnities with which the
-urchase by any such apprenticed /abourer or
his or her 5ischarge from such Apprenticeship
without, or in opposition, if necessary, to, the
.onsent of the -erson or -ersons entitled to his
or her ,ervices, shall be effected, and how the
necessary Appraisement of the future <alue of
such ,ervices shall be made, and how and to
whom the Amount of such Appraisement shall in
each .ase be paid and applied, and in what
Manner and =orm and by whom the 5ischarge
from any such Apprenticeship shall thereupon be
given, e!ecuted, and recorded2 and it is also
necessary, for the -reservation of -eace
throughout the said .olonies, that proper
+egulations should be framed and established
for the Maintenance of Order and good
5iscipline amongst the said apprenticed
/abourers, and for ensuring the punctual
5ischarge of the ,ervices due by them to their
respective *mployers, and for the -revention
and -unishment of 1ndolence, or the Deglect or
improper -erformance of ork by any such
apprenticed /abourer, and for enforcing the due
-erformance by any such apprenticed /abourer
of any .ontract into which he or she may
voluntarily enter for any hired ,ervice during
the Time in which he or she may not be bound to
labour for his or her *mployer, and for the
-revention and -unishment of 1nsolence and
1nsubordination on the -art of any such
apprenticed /abourers towards their *mployers,
and for the -revention or -unishment of
<agrancy or of any .onduct on the -art of any
such apprenticed /abourers injuring or tending
to the 1njury of the -roperty of any such
*mployer, and for, the ,uppression and
-unishment of any +iot or combined +esistance
of the /aws on the -art of any such apprenticed
/abourers, and for preventing the *scape of any
such apprenticed /abourers, during their Term
of Apprenticeship, from the .olonies to which
they may respectively belong0 And whereas, it
will also be necessary for the -rotection of such
apprenticed /abourers as aforesaid that various
+egulations should be framed and established in
the said respective .olonies for securing
-unctuality and Method in the ,upply to them of
such =ood, .lothing, /odging, Medicines,
Medical Attendance, and such other
Maintenance and Allowances as they are herein8
before declared entitled to receive, and for
regulating the Amount and Cuality of all such
Articles in .ases where the /aws at present
e!isting in any such .olony may not in the .ase
of ,laves have made any +egulation or any
adeBuate +egulation for that -urpose2 and it is
also necessary that proper +ules should be
established for the -revention and -unishment
of any =rauds which might be practiced, or of
any Omissions or Deglects which might occur,
respecting the Cuantity or the Cuality of the
,upplies so to be furnished, or respecting the
-eriods for the 5elivery of the same0 And
whereas it is necessary, in those .ases in which
the =ood of any such praedial apprenticed
/abourers as aforesaid may either wholly or in
part be raised by themselves by the .ultivation
of :round to be set apart and allotted for that
-urpose, that proper +egulations should be
made and established as to the *!tent of such
:rounds, and as to the 5istance at which such
:rounds may be so allotted from the ordinary
-lace of Abode of such praedial apprenticed
/abourers, and respecting the 5eductions to be
made from the .ultivation of such :rounds, from
the annual Time during which such praedial
apprenticed /abourers are herein8before
declared liable to labour0 And whereas it may
also be necessary, by such +egulations as
aforesaid, to secure to the said praedial
apprenticed /abourers the *njoyment for their
own 6enefit of that -ortion of their Time during
which they are not hereby reBuired to labour in
the ,ervice of their respective *mployers, and
for securing e!actness in the .omputation of the
Time during which such praedial apprenticed
/abourers are hereby reBuired to labour in the
,ervice of such their respective *mployers2 and
it is also necessary that -rovision should be
made for preventing the 1mposition of Task8work
on any such apprenticed /abourer without his or
her free .onsent to undertake the same2 but it
may be necessary by such +egulations in certain
.ases to reBuire and provide for the
AcBuiescence of the Minority of the praedial
apprenticed /abourers attached to any
-lantation or *state in the 5istribution and
Apportionment amongst the whole 6ody of such
/abourers of any Task8work which the Majority
of such 6ody shall be willing and desirous
collectively to undertake2 and it is also
necessary that +egulations should be made
respecting any voluntary .ontracts into which
any apprenticed /abourers may enter with their
respective *mployers or with any other -erson
for hired ,ervice for any future -eriod, and for
limiting the greatest -eriod of Time to which
such voluntary .ontract may e!tend, and for
enforcing the punctual and effectual
-erformance of such voluntary .ontracts on the
-art both of such apprenticed /abourers and of
the -erson or -ersons engaging for their
*mployment and )ire2 and it is also necessary
that +egulations should be made for the
-revention or -unishment of any .ruelty,
1njustice, or other rong or 1njury which may be
done to or inflicted upon any such apprenticed
/abourers by the -ersons entitled to their
,ervices2 and it is also necessary that proper
+egulations should be made respecting the
Manner and =orm in which such 1ndentures of
Apprenticeship as aforesaid shall be made on
behalf of such .hildren as aforesaid, and
respecting the registering and -reservation of all
such 1ndentures0 And whereas it is also
necessary that -rovision should be made for
ensuring -romptitude and 5ispatch, and for
preventing all unnecessary *!pence, in the
5ischarge by the ?ustices of the -eace holding
such ,pecial .ommissions as aforesaid of the
jurisdiction and Authorities thereby committed
to them, and for enabling such ?ustices to decide
in a summary ay such Cuestions as may be
brought before them in that .apacity, and for the
5ivision of the said respective .olonies into
5istricts for the -urposes of such ?urisdiction,
and for the freBuent and punctual <isitation by
such ?ustices of the -eace of the apprenticed
/abourers within such their respective 5istricts2
and it is also necessary that +egulaitons should
be made for indemnifying and protecting such
?ustices of the -eace in the upright *!ecution
and 5ischarge of their 5uties0 And whereas
such +egulations as aforesaid could not without
great 1nconvenience be made e!cept by the
respective :overnors, .ouncils, and Assemblies,
or other local /egislatures of the said respective
.olonies, or by )is Ma jesty, with the Advice of
)is -rivy .ouncil, in reference to those .olonies
to which the /egislative Authority of )is Majesty
in .ouncil e!tends2'
This Act not to prevent the *nactment, by
.olonial Assemblies or by )is Majesty in
.ouncil, of the /aws necessary for establishing
such +egulations. -rovisions repugnant to this
Act contained in any such .olonial /aw void.
be it therefore enacted and declared, That
nothing in this Act contained e!tends or shall be
construed to e!tend to prevent the *nactment by
the respective :overnors, .ouncils, and
Assemblies, or by such other local /egislatures
as aforesaid, or by )is Majesty, with the Advice
of )is -rivy .ouncil, of any such Acts of
:eneral Assembly, or Ordinances, or Orders in
.ouncil as may be reBuisite for making and
establishing such several +ules and +egulations
as aforesaid, or any of them, or for carrying the
same or any of them into full and complete
*ffect0 -rovided nevertheless, that it shall not be
lawful for any such :overnor, .ouncil, and
Assembly, or for any such local /egislature, or
for )is Majesty in .ouncil, by any such Acts of
Assembly, Ordinances, or Orders in .ouncil as
aforesaid, to make or establish any *nactment,
+egulation, -rovision, +ule, or Order which
shall be in anywise repugnant or contradictory
to this present Act or any -art thereof, but that
every such *nactment, +egulation, -rovision,
+ule, or Order shall be and is hereby declared to
be absolutely null and void and of no effect.
,uch .olonial Acts may not authori;e the
whipping or other -unishment of the /abourer
by the *mployer's Authority.
@<11. -rovided also, and be it further enacted,
That it shall not be lawful for any such
:overnor, .ouncil, and Assembly, or other
.olonial /egislature, or for )is Majesty in
.ouncil, by any such Act, Ordinance, or Order
in .ouncil, to authori;e any -erson or -ersons
entitled to the ,ervices of any such apprenticed
/abourer, or any other -erson or -ersons other
than such ?ustices of the -eace holding such
,pecial .ommissions as aforesaid, to punish any
such apprenticed /abourer for any Offence by
him or her committed or alleged to have been
committed by the whipping, beating, or
1mprisonment of his or her -erson, or by any
other personal or other .orrection or
-unishment whatsoever, or by any Addition to
the )ours of /abour herein8before limited2 nor
to authori;e any .ourt, ?udge, or ?ustice of the
-eace to punish any such apprenticed /abourer,
being a =emale, for any Offence by her
committed, by whipping or beating her -erson2
and that every *nactment, +egulation,
-rovision, +ule, or Order for any such -urpose
in any such Act, Ordinance, or Order in .ouncil
contained shall be and is hereby declared to be
absolutely null and void and of no effect0
-rovided always, that nothing in this Act
contained doth or shall e!tend to e!empt any
apprenticed /abourer in any of the said .olonies
from the Operation of any /aw or -olice
+egulation which is or shall be in force therein
for the -revention or -unishment of any
Offence, such /aw or -olice +egulation being in
force against and applicable to all other -ersons
of free .ondition.
.olonial Acts or Orders in .ouncil not to
authori;e any ?ustices, e!cept those having
,pecial .ommissions, to act in e!ecution
thereof.
@<111. -rovided also, and be it further enacted,
That it shall not be lawful for any such
:overnor, .ouncil, and Assembly, or for any
such local /egislature, or for )is Majesty in
.ouncil, by any such Acts of :eneral Assembly,
Ordinances, or Orders in .ouncil as aforesaid,
to authori;e any Magistrate or ?ustice of the
-eace, other than and e!cept the ?ustices of the
-eace holding such ,pecial .ommissions as
aforesaid, to take cogni;ance of any Offence
committed or alleged to have been committed by
any such apprenticed /abourer, or by his or her
*mployer, in such their +elation to each other,
or of the 6reach, <iolation, or Deglect of any of
the Obligations owed by them to each other, or
of any Cuestion, Matter or Thing incident to or
arising out of the +elations subsisting between
such apprenticed /abourers and the -ersons
respectively entitled to their ,ervices2 and every
*nactment, +egulation, -rovision, +ule, or
Order in any such Acts, Ordinances, and Orders
in .ouncil to the contrary contained shall be
and is hereby declared to be null and void and of
no effect.
?ustices having ,pecial .ommissions to
e!ercise e!clusive ?urisdiction between
apprenticed /abourers and their *mployers.
?urisdiction of ,upreme .ourts preserved.
@1@. And it is hereby further declared and
enacted, That the several ?ustices of the -eace
having ,pecial .ommissions as aforesaid shall,
within the respective .olonies to which they
shall be respectively appointed, have, e!ercise,
and enjoy a sole and e!clusive ?urisdiction over,
and shall solely and e!clusively take cogni;ance
of, all such Offences or alleged Offences as last
aforesaid, and of every such 6reach, <iolation,
or Deglect of any of the aforesaid Obligations,
and of every such Cuestion, Matter, or Thing as
aforesaid, any /aw, .ustom, or 9sage in any of
the said .olonies to the contrary in anywise
notwithstanding0 -rovided nevertheless, that
nothing herein contained shall e!tend, or be
construed to e!tend to abrogate or take away the
-owers by /aw vested in the ,upreme .ourts of
+ecord, or the ,uperior .ourts of .ivil and
.riminal ?ustice in any of the said respective
.olonies.
Apprenticed /abourers not to be subjected to a
-rolongation or +enewal of their
Apprenticeship, nor to more than &E )ours
e!tra /abour in any eek for their *mployers
6enefit.
@@. -rovided also, and be it further enacted,
That no apprenticed /abourer shall, by any such
Act of Assembly, Ordinance, or Order in .ouncil
as aforesaid, be declared or rendered liable for
and in respect of any Offence by him or her
committed, or for any .ause or upon any
:round or -rete!t whatsoever, e!cept as
hereafter is mentioned, to any -rolongation of
his or her Term of Apprenticeship, or to any new
or additional Apprenticeship, or to any such
additional /abour as shall impose upon any
such apprenticed /abourer the Obligation of
working in the ,ervice or for the 6enefit of the
-erson or -ersons entitled to his or her ,ervices
for more than =ifteen e!tra )ours in the whole
in any One eek, but every such *nactment,
+egulation, -rovision, +ule, or Order shall be
and is hereby declared null and void and of no
effect0 -rovided nevertheless, that any such Act
of Assembly, Ordinance, or Order in .ouncil as
aforesaid may contain -rovisions for compelling
any such apprenticed /abourer who shall,
during his or her Apprenticeship, wilfully absent
himself or herself from the ,ervice of his or her
*mployer, either to serve his or her *mployer
after the *!piration of his or her Apprenticeship
for so long a Time as he or she shall have so
absented himself or herself from such ,ervice, or
to make ,atisfaction to his or her *mployer for
the /oss sustained by such Absence, Fe!cept so
far as he or she shall have made ,atisfaction for
such Absence, either out of such e!tra )ours as
aforesaid, or otherwise,G but nevertheless so that
such e!tra ,ervice or .ompensation shall not be
compellable after the *!piration of ,even 4ears
ne!t after the Termination of the Apprenticeship
of such Apprentice.
Apprenticed /abourers riot to be compelled to
work on ,undays, nor prevented from attending
+eligious orship on ,undays.
@@1. -rovided always, and be it hereby further
enacted, That neither under the -rovisions of
this Act, nor under the Obligations imposed by
this Act, or to be imposed by any Act of any
:eneral Assembly, Ordnance, or Order in
.ouncil, shall any apprenticed /abourer be
compelled or compellable to labour on ,undays,
e!cept in orks of Decessity or in 5omestic
,ervices, or in the -rotection of -roperty, or in
tending of .attle, nor shall any apprenticed
/abourer be liable to be hindered or prevented
from attending anywhere on ,undays for
+eligious orship, at his or her free ill or
-leasure, but shall be at full /iberty so to do
without any /et, 5enial, or 1nterruption
whatsoever.
Dothing herein to interfere with any .olonial
/aws, by which apprenticed /abourers may be
e!empted from or disBualified for certain
Military or .ivil ,ervices and =ranchises.
@@11. 'And whereas it may be e!pedient that
-ersons in the .ondition of apprenticed
/abourers should, during the .ontinuance of
such their Apprenticeship be e!empted from the
-erformance of certain .ivil and Military
,ervices, and be disBualified from holding
certain .ivil and Military Offices, and from the
*njoyment of certain -olitical =ranchises,
within the said .olonies, and be e!empted from
being arrested or imprisoned for 5ebt2' be it
therefore enacted, That nothing in this Act
contained e!tends or shall be construed to
e!tend to interfere with or prevent the *nactment
by the respective :overnors, .ouncils, and
Assemblies, or by such other local /egislature as
aforesaid of any such .olonies, or by )is
Majesty in .ouncil in reference to such of the
said .olonies as are subject to the /egislative
Authority of )is Majesty in .ouncil, of any Acts,
Ordinances, or Orders in .ouncil for e!empting
any such apprenticed /abourers as aforesaid,
during the .ontinuance of such their
Apprenticeship, from any such .ivil or Military
,ervice as aforesaid, or for disBualifying them
or any of them during the .ontinuance of any
such Apprenticeships from the *njoyment or
5ischarge of any such -olitical =ranchise as
aforesaid, or for e!empting them during the
.ontinuance of such Apprenticeships from being
arrested or imprisoned for 5ebt.
Acts passed by local /egislatures with similar
but improved *nactments to this Act to
supersede this Act on being confirmed by )is
Majesty in .ouncil.
@@111. 'And whereas it would be desirable that
such of the -rovisions of this Act as relate to the
internal .oncerns of the said respective
.olonies should be enacted in such respective
.olonies so far as may be possible by the
Authority of the several local /egislatures of
such .olonies respectively2' be it therefore
enacted, That in case the :overnor, .ouncil, and
Assembly of any One or more of )is Majesty's
.olonies aforesaid shall, by any Act or Acts of
:eneral Assembly for that -urpose made,
substitute for the several *nactments herein8
before contained, or any of them, any
*nactments accomplishing the several Objects
in such herein8before contained *nactments
respectively contemplated as fully and to the like
*ffect, but in a Manner and =orm better adapted
to the local .ircumstances of any such .olonies
or .olony, and in case )is Majesty shall by any
Order or Orders to be by )im made, by the
Advice of )is -rivy .ouncil, confirm and allow
any such Act or Acts of Assembly, and shall in
and by any such Order or Orders in .ouncil
recite and set forth at length the several
-rovisions and *nactments of this present Act
for which such other *nactments as aforesaid
shall have been substituted by any such Act or
Acts of :eneral Assembly, then and in such .ase
so much and such -arts of this present Act as
shall be so recited and set forth at length in any
such Order or Orders of )is Majesty in .ouncil
shall be suspended and cease to be of any =orce
or *ffect in any such .olony from and after the
Arrival and -roclamation therein of any such
Order or Orders of )is Majesty in .ouncil, and
shall continue to be so suspended so long as any
such substituted *nactments shall continue in
force and unrepealed, and no longer.
The Treasury may raise /oans, not e!ceeding
$> Millions.
@@1<. 'And whereas, towards compensating the
-ersons at present entitled to the ,ervices of the
,laves to be manumitted and set free by virtue of
this Act for the /oss of such ,ervices, )is
Majesty's most dutiful and loyal ,ubjects the
.ommons of :reat 6ritain and 1reland in
-arliament assembled have resolved to give and
grant to )is Majesty the ,um of Twenty Millions
-ounds ,terling2' be it enacted, That the /ords
.ommissioners of )is Majesty's Treasury of the
9nited 7ingdom of :reat 6ritain and 1reland
may raise such ,um or ,ums of Money as shall
be reBuired from Time to Time under the
-rovisions of this Act, and may grant as the
.onsideration for such ,um or ,ums of Money
+edeemable -erpetual Annuities or Annuities for
Terms of 4ears Fwhich said Annuities reflectively
shall be transferable and payable at the 6ank of
*nglandG, upon such Terms and .onditions and
under such +egulations as to the Time or Times
of paying the said ,ums of Money agreed to be
raised as may be determined upon by the said
.ommissioners of the Treasury, not e!ceeding in
the whole the ,um of Twenty Millions -ounds
,terling0 -rovided nevertheless, that the +ate of
1nterest at which the said ,ums of Money shall
be from Time to Time raised shall be regulated
and governed by the -rice of the respective
+edeemable -erpetual Annuities or Annuities for
Terms of 4ears on the 5ay preceding For on the
nearest preceding 5ay if it shall so happen that
there shall be no -rice of such said Annuities
respectively on the 5ay immediately precedingG
the 5ay of giving Dotice for raising such ,um or
,ums of Money, and that the +ate of 1nterest to
be allowed to the .ontributors for such ,um or
,ums of Money mall in no .ase e!ceed =ive
,hillings per .entum per Annum above the
current +ate of 1nterest produced by the Market
-rice of any such +edeemable -erpetual
Annuities or Annuities for Terms of 4ears
e!isting at the Time, and in which such
.ontracts shall be made.
Treasury to give Dotice of their 1ntention to
raise the same.
Do .ontract for raising same to be entered into
but during sitting of -arliament.
@@<. -rovided always, and be it further enacted,
That before raising any such ,um or ,ums by
+edeemable -erpetual Annuities or Annuities for
Terms of 4ears Funless the same shall be
subscribed or contributed as herein8after
mentioned by the .ommissioners for the
+eduction of the Dational 5ebt,G the said
.ommissioners of the Treasury are hereby
reBuired to give public Dotice of the 1ntention to
raise such ,um, or such -art thereof as shall not
be subscribed or contributed as aforesaid,
through the :overnor and 5eputy :overnor of
the 6ank of *ngland, of their 5esire to receive
6iddings for any such Annuities, which said
6iddings and the Mode of raising such Annuities
shall be conducted in such and the like Manner
as has usually been practiced with respect to the
raising of Money by way of Annuities for the
,ervice of the -ublic0 -rovided also, that no
.ontract or Agreement for raising any ,um or
,ums by Annuities as aforesaid shall be entered
into e!cept during the sitting of -arliament, and
when the same shall have been entered into all
-roceedings, Tenders, and .ontracts respecting
the same shall be forthwith laid before
-arliament.
Annuities to be granted for such /oans to be of
the same 5escription as some now e!isting.
@@<1. And be it further enacted, That whatever
+edeemable Annuities or Annuities for any Term
of 4ears which shall be created from Time to
Time by the ,ums of Money raised by virtue of
this Act Fwhich said +edeemable Annuities and
Annuities for Terms of 4ears so created shall be
of the like 5escription of some +edeemable
Annuities or Annuities for Terms of 4ears
e!isting at the Time of raising such ,um or ,ums
of Money,G shall be deemed and taken to be
+edeemable Annuities or Annuities for Terms of
4ears of the like 5escription then e!isting, in
which such ,um or ,ums shall be agreed to be
raised.
Annuities created by this Act to form -art of
and be subject to same +egulations as like
Annuities now e!isting.
@@<11. And be it further enacted, That all the
several +edeemable Annuities and Annuities for
Terms of 4ears which shall be created from Time
to Time by virtue of this Act shall be deemed and
taken to be and shall be added to and form -art
of the like +edeemable Annuities or Annuities for
Terms of 4ears in which such ,ums of Money
shall be raised, and shall be subject to all the
.lauses, .onditions, -rovisions, 5irections,
+egulations, and -eriods of -ayment as fully
and effectually to all 1ntents and -urposes,
e!cept as altered and varied by virtue of this Act,
as if the said .lauses, .onditions, -rovisions,
5irections, +egulations, and -eriods of -ayment
were severally repeated and re8enacted in this
Act.
.ommissioners for +eduction of Dational 5ebt
may subscribe towards raising ,um wanted for
this Act,
H :.3 c.H$.
&> :.3. c.EI.
@@<111. And be it enacted, That the
.ommissioners for the +eduction of the Dational
5ebt may subscribe and contribute from Time to
Time towards the raising any ,um or ,ums of
Money to be raised under the -rovisions of this
Act any -art of the Monies which shall be at any
Time )anding in their Dames in the 6ooks of the
:overnor and .ompany of the 6ank of *ngland
under and by virtue of an Act passed in the Dinth
4ear of the +eign of 7ing :eorge the =ourth,
intituled An Act to consolidate and amend the
/aws relating to ,avings 6anks, and of another
Act passed in the Tenth 4ear of the +eign of 7ing
:eorge the =ourth, intituled An Act to
consolidate and amend the /aws relating to
=riendly ,ocieties, and also to sell and dispose
of the 6ank Annuities and *!cheBuer 6ills, or
any -art thereof, which may be now standing or
may hereafter stand in their Dames in the 6ooks
of the said 6ank in pursuance of the said
respective Acts, and with the -roceeds thereof
may subscribe and contribute such Monies from
Time to Time, or any -art thereof, towards the
raising the ,ums of Money which may be
reBuired from Time to Time under the -rovisions
of this Act.
Monies raised to be paid to an Account at the
6ank, called the est 1ndia .ompensation
Account.
@@1@. And be it enacted, That all ,ums of Money
which shall be raised from Time to Time by
virtue of this Act shall be paid into the 6ank of
*ngland to the Account of the .ommissioners
for the +eduction of the Dational 5ebt, under
the Title of "The est 1ndia .ompensation
Account," and the .ashiers of the 6ank of
*ngland are hereby reBuired to receive all such
,ums of Money, and to place the same from Time
to Time to the said Account.
he .ashiers of the 6ank to give +eceipts for
,ubscriptions which may be assigned.
,ubscriptions paid in part, and not completed,
forfeited.
@@@. And be it enacted, That the .ashier or
.ashiers of the :overnor and .ompany of the
6ank of *ngland, who shall have received or
shall receive any -art of any .ontribution
towards any ,um or ,ums of Money raised or to
be raised under the -rovisions of this Act, shall
give a +eceipt or +eceipts in riting to every
such .ontributor for all such ,ums2 and that the
said +eceipts so to be given shall be assignable
at any Time for and during such -eriod as shall
and may be determined upon by the said
.ommissioners of the Treasury2 and the said
+eceipts shall be in such =orm and ords and
under such +egulations as shall be approved by
the said .ommissioners of )is Majesty's
Treasury0 -rovided always, that in .ase any
such .ontributors who have already deposited
with or shall hereafter pay to the said .ashier or
.ashiers any ,um or ,ums of Money, at the Time
and in the Manner specified in the -roposals of
the several /oans, in part of the ,um or ,ums so
by them respectively subscribed, or their
respective *!ecutors, Administrators,
,uccessors, or Assigns, shall not advance and
pay so the said .ashier or .ashiers the +esidue
of the ,um or ,ums so subscribed at the Times
and in the Manner stated in the -roposals, then
and in every such .ase so much of the respective
,um or ,ums so subscribed as shall have been
actually paid in part thereof to the said .ashier
or .ashiers shall be forfeited for the 6enefit of
the -ublic, and all +ight and Title to the said
+edeemable Annuities or Annuities for Terms of
4ears in respect thereof shall be e!tinguished2
any thing in this Act contained to the contrary
thereof in anywise not withstanding.
Interest an& "(ar$es o' t(e ,-enty Millions
c(ar$e& #pon "onsoli&ate& %#n&.
@@@1. And be it further enacted, That all the said
Annuities, 1nterest, 5ividends, and .harges for
Management which shall become payable in
respect of the said ,um of Twenty Millions, or
any -art thereof, shall be charged and
chargeable upon and the same is hereby charged
upon and made payable out of the .onsolidated
=und of The 9nited 7ingdom of :reat 6ritain
and 1reland.
Money for paying Annuities to be issued by
*!cheBuer to .ashier of the 6ank.
@@@11. And be it further enacted, That so much
Money shall from Time to Time be set apart and
issued at the +eceipt of the *!cheBuer in
*ngland out of the .onsolidated =und of the
9nited 7ingdom of :reat 6ritain and 1reland to
the said .ashier or .ashiers of the :overnor
and .ompany of the 6ank of *ngland as shall be
sufficient to satisfy and pay the respective
Annuities to be created in respect of the said
,um of Twenty Millions, or any -art thereof,
together with the .harges attending the same.
.ommissioners to be appointed for distributing
the .ompensation provided by this Act.
@@@111. 'And for the 5istribution of the said
.ompensation =und and the Apportionment
thereof amongst the several -ersons who may
prefer .laims thereon,' be it enacted, That it
shall and may be lawful for )is Majesty from
Time to Time, by a .ommission under the :reat
,eal of the 9nited 7ingdom, to constitute and
appoint such -ersons, not being less than =ive,
as to )is Majesty shall seem meet, to be
.ommissioners of Arbitration for inBuiring into
and deciding upon the .laims to .ompensation,
which may be preferred to them under this Act.
.ommissioners to be sworn. @@@1<. And be it further enacted, That the said
.ommissioners to be appointed by virtue of this
Act shall each of them, previously to his entering
upon the *!ecution of such .ommission, take an
Oath before the .hancellor of the *!cheBuer or
the Master of the +olls for the Time being, which
Oath they are hereby respectively authori;ed to
administer, the Tenor thereof shall be as follows2
Fthat is to say,G
=orm of Oath. '1, A 6. do swear, That according to the best of
my ?udgment 1 will faithfully and impartially
e!ecute the several -owers and Trusts vested in
me by an Act, ' intituled #here set forth the Title
of this Act(.
Meetings of the .ommissioners, and
Appointment of the subordinate Officers.
@@@<. And be it further enacted, That the said
.ommissioners may meet and sit from Time to
Time in such -lace or -laces as they shall find it
Officers to be sworn. most convenient, with or without Adjournment,
and with the .onsent and Approbation of the
.ommissioners of the Treasury for the Time
being, or any Three of them, in riting2 and
shall and may employ a ,ecretary, and .lerks,
Messengers, and Officers, and shall and may
allow such ,ecretary, .lerks, Messengers, and
Officers, with the like .onsent and Approbation,
reasonable ,alaries, and shall and may employ
a ,olicitor, and allow to such ,olicitor a
reasonable ,alary or +eward, and shall and may
give and administer to such ,olicitor or
,olicitors, ,ecretary, .lerks, and Officers
respectively an Oath for their faithful 5emeanor
in all Things relating to the due -erformance of
the Trusts reposed in them by the said
.ommissioners, and in all other Things touching
the -remises2 and the said .ommissioners shall
and may from Time, to Time, at their 5iscretion,
dismiss and discharge such ,olicitor or
,olicitors, ,ecretary, .lerks, Messengers, and
other Officers, and appoint others in their -lace2
and the said ,olicitor or ,olicitors, ,ecretary,
.lerks, and other Officers are hereby reBuired
faithfully to e!ecute and perform the said Trusts
in them severally and respectively reposed,
without taking any thing for such ,ervice other
than such ,alaries or +ewards as the said
.ommissioners, with such Approbation as
aforesaid shall direct or appoint in manner
aforesaid.
Any Three .ommissioners to be a Cuorum. @@@<1. And be it further enacted, That all Acts,
Matters, and Things which the said
.ommissioners for the *!ecution of this Act are
by this Act authori;ed so to do or e!ecute may be
done and e!ecuted by any Three or more of such
.ommissioners.
+emuneration of the .ommissioners. @@@<11. And be it further enacted, That no
+emuneration shall be given for and in respect
of the *!ecution of the said .ommission to such
of the said .ommissioners as shall be Members
of either )ouse of -arliament, nor to any
Dumber e!ceeding Three of the said
.ommissioners.
Appointment of au!iliary .ommissioners in the
.olonies.
.olonial .ommissioners to be sworn.
@@@<111. 'And whereas it may be necessary that
Assistant .ommissioners should be appointed to
act in aid of and under the 5irections of the
.ommissioners appointed by this Act in the said
several .olonies2' be it therefore enacted, That
the :overnor and the Attorney :eneral or other
chief /aw Adviser of the :overnment of the said
.olonies respectively shall, with any Two or
more resident 1nhabitants for each of such
.olonies, to be nominated during -leasure by
the :overnor thereof, be .ommissioners for the
.olony to which they respectively belong, to
assist in aid of the .ommissioners under this Act
in all such .ases and in relation to all Matters
and Things which shall be referred to them by
the said .ommissioners, and for all such
-urposes shall have and use and e!ercise all the
-owers and Authorities of the said
.ommissioners2 and such Assistant
.ommissioners shall take an Oath, to be
administered to the :overnor by the .hief
?ustice or any ?udge of the said .olonies
respectively, and to the other Assistant
.ommissioners by the :overnor thereof, that
they will well and truly and impartially e!ecute
the -owers and Authorities given to them as
such Assistant .ommissioners in the several
Matters and Things which shall be referred or
submitted to them under the -rovisions of this
Act2 and the said Assistant .ommissioners shall,
in all Matters which shall be referred to them by
the .ommissioners, transmit to the said
.ommissioners a full ,tatement of the several
Matters which shall have been given in *vidence
before them, and true .opies of such written
*vidence as shall have been received by them,
and thereupon the said .ommissioners shall
proceed to adjudicate upon the same, and upon
such other *vidence, if any, as may be laid
before them.
1ssue of Money for -ayment of the *!pence of
the .ommission.
@@@1@. And be it further enacted, That the /ords
.ommissioners of the Treasury, or any Three or
more of them, or the /ord )igh Treasurer for the
Time being, shall be and they are hereby
respectively authori;ed and reBuired to issue and
cause to be advanced all such ,ums of Money to
such -erson or -ersons, in such Manner, and in
such -roportion as the said .ommissioners
appointed by this Act shall, by riting under
their )ands, from Time to Time reBuire, out of
the said ,um of Twenty Millions, which ,ums so
to be issued and advanced shall be employed for
the -ayment of Allowances, and in defraying all
other necessary .harges and *!pences, in or
about the *!ecution of the said .ommission,
without other Account than that before the /ords
.ommissioners of )is Majesty's Treasury2 and
which Money so to be issued shall not be subject
to any Ta!, 5uty, +ate, or Assessment
whatsoever imposed by Authority of -arliament2
but that an Account of the said .harges and
*!pences shall be laid before both )ouses of
-arliament within Two Months after the
.ommencement of the then ne!t ensuing ,ession
of -arliament.
.ommissioners may compel the Attendance and
*!amination of itnesses.
@/. And he it further enacted, That the said
.ommissioners shall be and are hereby
authorised, by a ,ummons under their )ands, or
under the )ands of any Three of them to reBuire
the Attendence before them, by a Time to be in
such ,ummons for that -urpose limited, of any
-erson or -ersons competent, or whom such
.ommissioners may have +eason to believe to
be competent, to give *vidence upon any
Cuestion depending before them2 and if any
-erson upon whom any such ,ummons shall be
served by the actual 5elivery thereof to him or
her, or by the leaving thereof at his or her usual
-lace of Abode, shall, without reasonable .ause
to be allowed by such .ommissioners, fail to
appear before them at the Time and -lace in
such ,ummons for that -urpose mentioned, or so
appearing shall refuse to be sworn or to make
his or her solemn Affirmation, as the .ase may
be, or having been so sworn or having made
such Affirmation shall not make answer to any
such Cuestions as may by the said
.ommissioners be proposed to him or her
touching any Matter or Thing depending before
them, or shall refuse or fail to produce and
e!hibit to the said .ommissioners any such
-apers and 5ocuments relating to any Cuestion,
Matter, or Thing depending before such
.ommissioners as shall by them be called for or
reBuired, every such -erson shall, for such his
5efault, +efusal, or Deglect as aforesaid, incur
and become liable to all such =ines and
-enalties, -rosecutions, .ivil ,uits, or Actions
as any -erson may by /aw incur or become
liable to for 5efault of Appearance or for
refusing to be sworn or to give *vidence upon
any 1ssue joined in any Action depending in )is
Majesty's .ourt of 7ing's 6ench2 and the said
.ommissioners shall have all such and the same
-owers, ?urisdiction, and Authority for imposing
and causing to be levied and recovered any such
=ines and -enalties as aforesaid as are by /aw
vested in any of the ?udges of the said .ourt for
imposing or causing to be levied and recovered
any =ines or -enalties incurred by any -erson
failing to appear as a itness or refusing to be
sworn and to give *vidence in the Trial of any
Action before any such ?udges or ?udge.
.ommissioners authori;ed to take
*!aminations on Oath or Affirmation.
@/1. And be it further enacted, That the said
.ommissioners may e!amine upon Oath or
Affirmation Fwhich Oath or Affirmation they or
any One or Two of them are and is hereby
authori;ed to administerG all -ersons who shall
appear before them to be e!amined as itnesses
touching any Matters or Things which may be
depending, or touching any Cuestions which
may arise, in the *!ecution of the -owers vested
in the said .ommissioners by this Act, and may
also receive any Affidavits or 5epositions in
riting, upon Oath or Affirmation, touching
such Matters or Things as aforesaid, which shall
be made before any ?ustice of the -eace of any
.ounty or ,hire, or any Magistrate of any
6orough or Town .orporations, in :reat 6ritain
or 1reland, where or near which the -erson
making such Affidavit or 5eposition shall reside,
or before any .hief ?ustice or any other ?udge of
any of the .ourts of +ecord or any ,upreme
.ourts of ?udicature in any of the said .olonies
respectively, and certified and transmitted to the
said .ommissioners under the )and and ,eal of
such ?ustice or Magistrate, .hief ?ustice or
?udge Fand which Oath or Affirmation every
such ?ustice or Magistrate shall be and is hereby
authori;ed and empowered to administerG2
provided that in every such Affidavit or
5eposition there shall be e!pressed the Addition
of the -arty making such Affirmation or
5eposition, and the particular -lace of his or
her Abode.
-enalties for swearing falsely before the
.ommissioners.
@/11. And be it further enacted, That if any
-erson or -ersons upon *!amination on Oath
or Affirmation before the said .ommissioners
respectively, or if any -erson or -ersons making
any such Affirmation or 5eposition as before
mentioned, shall wilfully and corruptly give false
*vidence, or shall in such Affirmation, Affidavit
or 5eposition wilfully or corruptly swear, affirm,
or allege any Matter or Thing which shall be
false or untrue, every such -erson or -ersons so
offending, and being thereof duly convicted,
shall be and is and are hereby declared to be
subject and liable to the -ains and -enalties of
-ersons convicted of wilful and corrupt -erjury
by any /aw in force at the Time of such -erjury
being committed.
*!emption from -ostage of /etters on the
6usiness of the .ommission.
@/111. And be it further enacted, That the said
.ommissioners shall and may receive and send
by the :eneral -ost, from and to -laces within
the 9nited 7ingdom, all /etters and -ackets
relating solely and e!clusively to the *!ecution
of this Act free from the 5uty of -ostage,
provided that such /etters and -ackets as shall
be sent to the said .ommissioners be directed to
the ".ommissioners of .ompensation," at their
Office in /ondon, and that all such /etters and
-ackets as shall be sent by the said
.ommissioners shall be in .overs, with the
ords ".ompensation Office, pursuant to Act of
-arliament passed in the Third and =ourth 4ears
of the +eign of )is Majesty 7ing illiam the
=ourth," printed on the same, and be signed on
the Outside thereof, under such ords, with the
Dame of such -erson as the said
.ommissioners, with the .onsent of the /ords
.ommissioners of the Treasury or any Three or
more of them, shall authori;e and appoint, in his
own )andwriting Fsuch Dame to be from Time to
Time transmitted to the ,ecretaries of the
:eneral -ost Office in /ondon and 5ublinG, and
be sealed with the ,eal of the said
.ommissioners, and under such other
+egulations and +estrictions as the said /ords
.ommissioners, of any Three or more of them,
shall think proper and direct2 and the -erson so
to be authori;ed is hereby strictly forbidden so
to subscribe or seal any /etter or -acket
whatever e!cept such only concerning which he
shall receive the special 5irection of his
superior Officer, or which he shall himself know
to relate solely and e!clusively to the *!ecution
of this Act2 and if the -erson so to be authorised,
or any other -erson, shall send, or cause or
permit to be sent, under any such .over, any
/etter, -aper, or riting, or any *nclosure,
other than what shall relate to the *!ecution of
this Act, every -erson so offending shall forfeit
and pay the ,um of One hundred -ounds, and be
dismissed from his Office2 one Moiety of the said
-enalty to the 9se of )is Majesty, )is )eirs and
,uccessors, and the other Moiety to the 9se of
the -erson who shall inform or sue for the same,
to be sued for and recovered in any of )is
Majesty's .ourts of +ecord at estminster for
Offences committed in *ngland, and in any of
)is Majesty's .ourts of +ecord in 5ublin for
Offences committed in 1reland, and before the
,heriff or ,tewartry .ourt of the ,hire or
,tewartry within which the -arty offending shall
reside or the Offence shall be committed for
Offences committed in ,cotland.
Do -art of the .ompensation to be applicable
to any .olony unless )is Majesty by Order in
.ouncil shall have first declared that adeBuate
-rovision has been made by the /egislature
thereof. ,uch Orders to be published, and laid
before -arliament.
@/1<. And be it further enacted, That no -art of
the said ,um of Twenty Millions of -ounds
,terling shall be applied or shall be applicable
to the -urposes aforesaid, for the 6enefit of any
-erson now entitled to the ,ervices of any ,lave
in any of the .olonies aforesaid, unless an Order
shall have been first made by )is Majesty, with
the Advice of )is -rivy .ouncil, declaring that
adeBuate and satisfactory -rovision hath been
made by /aw in such .olony for giving effect to
this present Act by such further and
supplementary *nactments as aforesaid, nor
unless a .opy of such Order in .ouncil, duly
certified by One of the .lerks in Ordinary of )is
Majesty's -rivy .ouncil, shall by the /ord
-resident of the .ouncil have been transmitted
to the /ords .ommissioners of )is Majesty's
Treasury or to the /ord )igh Treasurer for the
Time being for their or his :uidance or
1nformation2 and every such Order shall be
published Three several Times in the /ondon
:a;ette, and shall be laid before both )ouses of
-arliament within ,i! eeks ne!t after the 5ate
thereof if -arliament shall be then in ,ession,
and if not within ,i! eeks from the then ne!t
ensuing ,ession of -arliament.
The .ommissioners to apportion the
.ompensation =und into Dineteen ,hares,
being One ,hare for each .olony2 1n making
such Apportionment, +egard to be had to the
Dumber of registered ,laves, Ac.
EH :.'. c.&$>.
@/<. And be it further enacted, That the said
.ommissioners shall proceed to apportion the
said ,um into Dineteen different ,hares, which
shall be respectively assigned to the several
6ritish .olonies or -ossessions herein8after
mentioned0 Fthat is to say,G the 6ermuda 1slands,
the 6ahama 1slands, ?amaica, )onduras, the
<irgin 1slands, Antigua, Montserrat, Devis, ,aint
.hristopher's, 5ominica, 6arbadoes, :renada,
,aint <incent's, Tobago, ,aint /ucia, Trinadad,
6ritish :uinea, the .ape of :ood )ope, and
Mauritius2 and in making such Apportionment of
the said funds between the said several .olonies
the said .ommissioners shall and are hereby
reBuired to have regard to the Dumber of ,laves
belonging to or settled in each of such .olonies
as the same may appear and are stated
according to the latest +eturns made in the
Office of the +egistrar of ,laves in *ngland,
appointed in pursuance and under the Authority
of an Act passed in the fifty8ninth 4ear of )is
late Majesty 7ing :eorge the Third, intituled An
Act for establishing a +egistry of .olonial
,laves in :reat 6ritain, and for making further
-rovision with respect to the +emoval of ,laves
from 6ritish .olonies2 and the said
.ommissioners shall and they are hereby further
reBuired, in making such Apportionment as
aforesaid, to have regard to the -rices for which,
on an Average of *ight 4ears ending on the
Thirty8first 5ay of 5ecember One thousand
eight hundred and thirty, ,laves have been sold
in each of the .olonies aforesaid respectively,
e!cluding from .onsideration any such ,ales in
which they shall have sufficient +eason to
suppose that such ,laves were sold or purchased
under any +eservation, or subject to any e!press
or tacit .ondition affecting the -rice thereof2
and the said .ommissioners shall then proceed
to ascertain in reference to each .olony, what
Amount of ,terling Money will represent the
average <alue of a ,lave therein for the said
-eriod of *ight 4ears2 and the total Dumber of
the ,laves in each .olony being multiplied into
the Amount of ,terling Money so representing
such average <alue as aforesaid of a ,lave
therein, the -roduct of such Multiplication shall
be ascertained for each such .olony separately2
and the said Twenty Millions of -ounds ,terling
shall then be assigned to and apportioned
amongst the said several .olonies rateably and
in proportion to the -roduct so ascertained for
each respectively.
.o "ompensation to be allo-e& 'or +ersons
ille$ally (el& in Slavery.
@/<1. And be it further enacted, That in case it
shall appear to the said .ommissioners that any
-ersons in respect of whom .laims for
.ompensation under the -rovisions of this Act
shall have been made have been registered and
held in ,lavery in any of the said .olonies in this
Act mentioned contrary to /aw, then and in
every such .ase the said .ommissioners shall
deduct from the ,um to be appropriated as
.ompensation to the -roprietors in such .olony
such ,ums as shall correspond with the
estimated <alue and Dumber of the said -ersons
so illegally registered and held in ,lavery2 and
all such ,um or ,ums which may be deducted as
herein8before provided shall be applied towards
defraying the general *!pences of the
.ommission to be hereby appointed0 -rovided
always that for the -urpose of ascertaining in
what .ases such 5eductions shall be made,
every Cuestion which shall arise in any such
.olony respecting the servile .ondition of any
-ersons therein registered as ,laves shall be
inBuired of and determined by the
.ommissioners to be appointed under this Act
according to such +ules of legal -resumption
and *vidence as are or shall be established by
any /aw in force or which shall be in force in
any such .olony.
.ommissioners to institute 1nBuiries to
ascertain the =acts to be taken into account in
@/<11. 'And whereas it is necessary that
-rovision should be made for the Apportionment
effecting the Apportionment of the
.ompensation =und between the -roprietors in
each .olony.
)aving made the 1nBuiries, .ommissioners to
frame general +ules for the eBuitable
5istribution of the =und assigned to each
.olony. ,uch +ules to be laid before )is
Majesty in .ouncil.
amongst the -roprietors of the ,laves to be
manumitted by virtue of this Act, in each of the
said .olonies respectively, of that -art of the
said .ompensation =und which shall be so
assigned as aforesaid to each of the respective
.olonies0 And whereas the necessary +ules for
that -urpose cannot be properly or safely
established until after full 1nBuiry shall have
been made into the several .ircumstances which
ought to be taken into consideration in making
such Apportionment2' be it therefore enacted,
That it shall be the 5uty of the said
.ommissioners, and they are hereby authori;ed
and reBuired, to institute a full and e!act 1nBuiry
into all the .ircumstances connected with each
of the said several .olonies which in the
?udgment of the said .ommissioners ought, in
?ustice and *Buity, to regulate or affect the
Apportionment within the same of that -art of
the said general .ompensation =und which shall
in manner aforesaid be assigned to each of the
said .olonies respectively2 and especially such
.ommissioners shall have regard to the relative
<alue of praedial ,laves and of unattached
,laves in every such .olony2 and such
.ommissioners shall distinguish such ,laves,
whether praedial or unattached, into as many
distinct .lasses as, regard being had to the
.ircumstances of each .olony, shall appear
just2 and such .ommissioners shall, with all
practicable -recision, ascertain and fi! the
average <alue of a ,lave in each of the .lasses
into which the ,laves in any such .olony shall
be so divided2 and the said .ommissioners shall
also proceed to inBuire and consider of the
-rinciples according to which the .ompensation
to be allotted in respect to any ,lave or 6ody of
,laves ought, according to the +ules of /aw and
*Buity, to be distributed amongst -ersons who,
as Owners or .reditors, /egatees or Annuitants,
may have any joint or common 1nterest in any
such ,lave or ,laves, or may be entitled to or
interested in such ,lave or ,laves, either in
-ossession, +emainder, +eversion, or
*!pectancy2 and the said .ommissioners shall
also proceed to inBuire and consider of the
-rinciples upon which and the Manner in which
-rovision might be most effectually made for the
-rotection of any 1nterest in any such
.ompensation Money which may belong to or be
vested in any married omen, 1nfants, /unatics,
or -ersons of insane or unsound Mind, or
-ersons beyond the ,eas, or labouring under
any other legal or natural 5isability or
1ncapacity, and according to what +ules, and in
what Manner, and under what Authority Trustees
should, when necessary, be appointed for the
safe .ustody, for the 6enefit of any -erson or
-ersons, of any such .ompensation =und or of
any -art thereof, and for regulating the 5uties of
such Trustees, and providing them with a fair
and reasonable 1ndemnity2 and the said
.ommissioners shall also inBuire and consider
upon what -rinciples, according to the
established +ules of /aw and *Buity in similar
.ases, the ,uccession to such =unds should be
regulated upon the 5eath of any -erson entitled
thereto who may die intestate2 and the said
.ommissioners shall and they are also
authori;ed and reBuired to consider of any other
Cuestion which it may be necessary to
investigate in order to establish just and
eBuitable +ules for the Apportionment of such
.ompensation Money amongst the -ersons
sei;ed of, or entitled to, or having any Mortgage,
.harge, 1ncumbrance, ?udgment, or /ien upon,
or any .laim to, or +ight or 1nterest in, any
,lave or ,laves so to be manumitted as
aforesaid, at the Time of such their
Manumission2 and having made all such
1nBuiries, and having taken all such Matters and
Things as aforesaid into their .onsideration, the
said .ommissioners shall and are hereby
reBuired to proceed to draw up and frame all
such general +ules, regard being had to the
/aws and 9sages in force in each .olony
respectively, as to them may seem best adapted
in each .olony respectively for securing the just
and eBuitable 5istribution of the said =unds
amongst or for the 6enefit of such several
-ersons as aforesaid., and for the -rotection of
such =unds, and for the Appointment and
1ndemnification of such Trustees as aforesaid2
and such general +ules when so framed, and
when agreed upon by the said .ommissioners,
shall by them be subscribed with their respective
)ands and ,eals, and transmitted to the /ord
-resident of )is Majesty's .ouncil, to be by him
laid before )is Majesty in .ouncil2 and so from
Time to Time as often as any further general
+ules should be so framed and agreed to for the
-urposes aforesaid or any of them.
+ules to be published in the /ondon :a;ette,
with a Dotice that Appeals will be received
against their *stablishment.
@/<111. And be it further enacted, That the
:eneral +ules to be transmitted as aforesaid to
the said /ord -resident shall be forthwith
published in the /ondon :a;ette on Three
several Occasions at least, together with a
Dotice that all -ersons interested in or affected
by any such general +ules may, by a Time to be
in such Dotice limited, appeal against any such
+ules to )is Majesty in .ouncil2 and it shall be
lawful for the /ords and others of )is Majesty's
-rivy .ouncil, or for any Three or more of them,
by any further Dotice or Dotices to be for that
-urpose published in the /ondon :a;ette, to
enlarge, as to them may seem meet, the Time for
receiving any such Appeals.
)is Majesty in .ouncil may hear such Appeals,
and thereupon confirm or disallow any general
+ule so appealed against.
@/1@. And be it further enacted, That if within
the Time so to be limited for receiving such
Appeals any -erson or -ersons shall prefer any
-etition of Appeal to )is Majesty in .ouncil
against any such general +ule so published as
aforesaid in the /ondon :a;ette, it shall be
lawful for )is Majesty in .ouncil, or for any
.ommittee of -rivy .ouncil, to hear such
Appeal, and to cause Dotice thereof to be served
upon the said .ommissioners, who shall
thereupon undertake the 5efence of such
Appeal2 and upon hearing any such Appeal it
shall be lawful for )is Majesty in .ouncil to
confirm and annul or to rescind and disallow
any such :eneral +ule as aforesaid, or
thereupon to alter, amend, or vary any such +ule
in such Manner as to )is Majesty may seem just,
or to remit the same to the said .ommissioners
for further .onsideration and +evision.
1n Absence of Appeal, )is Majesty in .ouncil
may confirm, rescind, or amend such +ules.
/. And be it further enacted, That at the
*!piration of the Time limited for receiving such
Appeals as aforesaid it shall be lawful for )is
Majesty in .ouncil to confirm and allow, or to
rescind and disallow, in the whole or in part, or
to amend, alter, or vary, any such general +ule
or +ules, though not so appealed against, as to
)is Majesty may seem just, or to remit such
+ules to the said .ommissioners for further
.onsideration and +evision.
+ules when confirmed by )is Majesty shall be
recited in the confirmatory Order in .ouncil,
and inrolled in .hancery.
/1. And be it further enacted, That when and so
often as any such general +ule or +ules as
aforesaid shall by )is Majesty in .ouncil have
been confirmed and allowed, an Order shall be
made by )is Majesty in .ouncil, reciting at
length any such +ule or +ules, with any
Alterations or Amendments which may have
been therein made as aforesaid2 and a .opy of
every such Order in .ouncil shall be duly
certified by the /ord -resident of )is Majesty's
.ouncil for the Time being to the /ord )igh
.hancellor or 7eeper of the :reat ,eal, or to
the Master of the +olls, for the Time being, and
shall be duly inrolled among the +ecords of the
)igh .ourt of .hancery, and shall there remain
and be of +ecord.
+ules so inrolled may be revoked or amended. /11. And be it further enacted, That it shall be
lawful, by any +ules so to be framed, published,
confirmed, allowed, and inrolled as aforesaid, to
revoke, amend, alter, and again renew, as
Occasion may reBuire, and as may be thought
just, any former or preceding +ule or +ules.
+ules when confirmed and inrolled shall be of
the same <alidity as if enacted by -arliament.
/111. And be it further enacted, That every such
general +ule as aforesaid, when so inrolled as
aforesaid, shall be of the same <alidity, =orce,
<irtue, and *ffect as if the same had been made
and enacted by )is Majesty, by and with the
Advice and .onsent of -arliament0 -rovided
nevertheless, that no such +ule shall be in
anywise repugnant to or at variance with this
Act or any -art thereof, or with the /aws and
9sages in force in the several .olonies
respectively to which such +ules may relate, so
far as any such /aws or 9sages may not be
repugnant to or at variance with the -rovisions
of this Act.
+ules so inrolled shall be observed by the /1<. And be it further enacted, That the said
.ommissioners in making their Awards. general +ules, when so framed, confirmed,
allowed, and inrolled as aforesaid, shall be
observed and followed by the said
.ommissioners, and shall be binding upon them
in the further *!ecution of the said .ommission,
and in the *!ercise of the -owers and
Authorities hereby committed to them, and shall
in all .ases be taken, observed, and followed as
the +ules for the 5ecision of and Adjudication
upon all .laims which may be preferred to them
by any -erson or -ersons having or claiming to
have any 1nterest in the said .ompensation =und
or in any -art thereof.
-ersons 1nterested in any ,laves manumitted by
this Act may prefer .laims before the
.ommissioners, who are to make +ules for the
.onduct of all -roceedings, under the
.ommission.
/<. And be it further enacted, That any -erson
having or claiming to have had any +ight, Title,
or 1nterest in or to, or any Mortgage, ?udgment,
.harge, 1ncumbrance, or other /ien upon, any
,lave or ,laves so to be manumitted as
aforesaid, at the Time of such their
Manumission, shall and may prefer such .laims
before the said .ommissioners2 and for ensuring
Method, +egularity, and 5ispatch in the Mode of
preferring and of proceeding upon such .laims,
the said .ommissioners shall and are hereby
authori;ed by general +ules, to be framed and
published, confirmed, allowed, and inrolled as
aforesaid, to prescribe the =orm and Manner of
-roceeding to be observed by any .laimant or
.laimants preferring any such .laims, and to
authori;e the Assistant .ommissioners so to be
appointed in the said several .olonies to receive
and report upon the same or any of them in such
Manner and =orm and under such +egulations
as to the .ommissioners so to be appointed by
)is Majesty as aforesaid shall seem meet, and to
prescribe the Manner, the Time or Times, the
-lace or -laces, and the =orm or =orms in
which Dotices of such .laims shall be published
for general 1nformation, or especially
communicated to or served upon any -erson or
-ersons interested therein or affected thereby,
and to prescribe the =orm and Manner of
-roceeding to be observed upon the -rosecution
of such .laims, or in making any Opposition to
the same, and to make all such +egulations as to
them may seem best adapted for promoting
Method, *conomy, and 5ispatch in the
1nvestigation of such .laims, and respecting the
*vidence to be taken and admitted for or against
the same, and respecting the Manner and =orm
of adjudicating thereupon, and otherwise
however respecting the Method, =orm, and
Manner of -roceeding to be observed either by
them the said Assistant .ommissioners, or by the
-arties to any -roceedings before them, their
Agents or itnesses, and which +ules shall from
Time to Time be liable to be amended, altered,
varied, or renewed as Occasion may reBuire, in
such Manner as is herein8before directed.
.ommissioners to adjudicate on all .laims
preferred to them. Appeal may he made against
Adjudication.
)is Majesty in .ouncil may make +ules for the
+egulation, of such Appeals.
/<1. And be it further enacted, That the said
.ommissioners shall proceed, in the Manner to
be prescribed by any such general +ules as last
aforesaid, to inBuire into and adjudicate upon
any such .laims as may be so preferred to them,
and shall upon each such .laim make their
Adjudication and Award in such Manner and
1n adverse .laims, any .laimant interested in
the Adjudication may undertake its 5efence.
=orm as shall be prescribed by any such last8
mentioned general +ules2 and if any -erson
interested in or affected by any such
Adjudication or Award shall be dissatisfied
therewith, it shall be lawful for such -erson to
appeal therefrom to )is Majesty in .ouncil, and
Dotice of any such Appeal shall be served upon
the said .ommissioners, who shall thereupon
undertake the 5efence thereof2 and it shall be
competent to )is Majesty in .ouncil to make
and establish all such +ules and +egulations as
to )is Majesty shall seem meet respecting the
Time and Manner of preferring and proceeding
upon such Appeals, and respecting the .ourse to
be observed in defending the same, which +ules
shall be so framed as to promote as far as may
be consistent with ?ustice, all practicable
*conomy and 5ispatch in the proceeding upon
the 5ecision thereof2 and in .ases in which any
Two or more -ersons shall have preferred before
the said .ommissioners adverse or opposing
.laims, and in which any or either of such
-ersons shall be interested to sustain the
Adjudications or Award of such .ommissioners
thereupon, then and in every such .ase it shall
be lawful for any -erson or -ersons so
interested, to undertake the 5efence of any such
Appeal in lieu and instead of the said
.ommissioners.
)is Majesty in .ouncil may confirm or
disallow, or alter or remit Adjudication
appealed against.
/<11. And be it further enacted, That it shall be
lawful for )is Majesty in .ouncil, upon hearing
any such Appeal as aforesaid, either to confirm
and allow or to reverse or to amend or alter any
such Adjudication or Award as to )is Majesty in
.ouncil shall seem fit, or to remit any such
Adjudication and Award to the said
.ommissioners for further .onsideration and
+evision, or for the Admission of further
*vidence2 but it shall not be lawful for )is
Majesty in .ouncil, upon the hearing of any
such Appeal, to admit any new *vidence which
was not admitted by or tendered to the said
.ommissioners before the making of such their
Adjudication and Award.
=ailing any Appeal, the Award of the /<111. And be it further enacted, That the several
.ommissioners final. Adjudications and Awards of the said
.ommissioners, unless duly appealed from
within the respective Times to be limited by )is
Majesty in .ouncil for that -urpose, shall be
final and conclusive and binding upon all
-ersons interested therein or affected thereby2
and that the 5ecisions of )is Majesty in .ouncil
upon any such Appeal shall in like Manner be
final, binding, and conclusive.
Treasury may order 1ssues of Money for
-ayment of ,aleries Ac.
/1@. And be it further enacted, That the /ord
)igh Treasurer or the .ommissioners of )is
Majesty's Treasury, or any Three or more of
them, for the Time being, may order and direct to
be issued and paid out of the said ,um of Twenty
Millions of -ounds ,terling any ,um or ,ums of
Money for the -ayment of ,alaries to
.ommissioners, Officers, .lerks, and other
-ersons acting in relation to such .ompensation
in the *!ecution of this Act, and for discharging
such incidental *spences as shall necessarily
attend the same, in such Manner as the /ord
)igh Treasurer, or .ommissioners of the
Treasury, or any Three or more of them, shall
from Time to Time think fit and reasonable2 and
an Account of such *!pence shall be annually
laid before -arliament.
Manner in which ,ums awarded by
.ommissioners are to be paid.
/@. And be it enacted, That a .ertificate
containing a /ist of the Dames and 5esignation
of the several -ersons in whose favour any ,um
or ,ums of Money shall be awarded from Time to
Time under the -rovisions of this Act by the
.ommissioners, as herein8before mentioned,
shall be signed by Three or more of the said
.ommissioners, who shall forthwith transmit the
same to )is Majesty's -rincipal ,ecretary of
,tate then having .harge of the Affairs of the
said .olonies, for his Approbation and
,ignature, who shall, when he shall have signed
the same, transmit it to the .ommissioners of
)is Majesty's Treasury2 and the said
.ommissioners of the Treasury, or any Three of
such .ommissioners, shall thereupon, by
arrant under their )ands, authori;e the
.ommissioners for the +eduction of the Dational
5ebt to pay the said ,ums, out of the Monies
standing upon their Account in the 6ooks of the
said 6ank under the Title of "The est 1ndia
.ompensation Account," to the -ersons named
in such .ertificate2 and the said .ommissioners
for the +eduction of the Dational 5ebt, or the
.omptroller :eneral or Assistant .omptroller
:eneral acting under the said .ommissioners,
are hereby reBuired to pay all such ,ums of
Money to the -ersons named therein under such
=orms and +egulations as the said
.ommissioners for the +eduction of the Dational
5ebt shall think sit to adopt for that -urpose.
&'A&3 ..$. c.&.
&J ..$. c.$.
$$ ..$. c.&.
&A$ AM. c.&%.
&> Ann, c.$.
E$ :.'. c.&EE. e!tended to .olonies in which
any of recited Acts are in force.
,pecial ?ustices to have same -ower in
.olonies as ?ustices under E$ :.'. c.&EE.
/@1. 'And whereas in some of the .olonies
asoresaid a certain ,tatute, made in the
Thirteenth and =ourteenth 4ears of 7ing
.harles the ,econd, intituled An Act for
preventing the Mischiefs and 5angers that may
arise by certain -ersons called Cuakers and
others refusing to take lawful Oaths2 and a
certain other ,tatute made in the ,eventeenth
4ear of 7ing .harles the ,econd, intituled An
Act for restraining Donconformists from
inhabiting in .orporations2 and a certain other
,tatute, made in the Twenty8second 4ear of 7ing
.harles the ,econd, intituled An Act to prevent
and suppress seditious .onventicles2 and a
certain other ,tatute, made in the =irst and
,econd 4ear of 7ing illiam and Cueen Mary,
intituled An Act for e!empting Their Majesties
-rotestant ,ubjects dissenting from the .hurch
of *ngland from the -enalties of certain /aws2
and a certain other ,tatute, made in the Tenth
4ear of Cueen Anne, intituled An Act for
prefering the -rotestant +eligion by better
securing the .hurch of *ngland as by /aw
established2 and for confirming the Toleration
granted to -rotestant 5issenters by an Act
intituled 'An Act for e!empting Their Majesties
-rotestant ,ubjects dissenting from the .hurch
of *ngland from the -enalties of certain /aws,'
and for supplying the 5efects thereof2 and for
the further securing the -rotestant ,uccession by
reBuiring the -racticers of the /aw in Dorth
6riton to take the Oaths and subscribe the
5eclaration therein mentioned2 or some or one
of those ,tatutes, or some -arts thereof or of
some of them, have and hath been adopted, and
are or is in force2' be it further enacted, That in
such of the .olonies aforesaid in which the said
several ,tatutes or any of them, or any -arts
thereof or any of them, have or hath been
adopted, and are or is in force, a certain ,tatute
made in the =ifty8second 4ear of )is late
Majesty 7ing :eorge the Third, intituled An Act
to repeal certain Acts and amend other Acts
relating to +eligious orship and Assemblies,
and -ersons teaching or preaching therein, shall
be and is hereby declared to be in force as fully
and effectually as is such .olonies had been
e!pressly named and enumerated for that
-urpose in such last8recited ,tatute0 -rovided
nevertheless, that in the said several .olonies to
which the said Act of )is late Majesty 7ing
:eorge the Third is so e!tended and declared
applicable as asoresaid any Two or more
?ustices of the -eace holding any such ,pecial
.ommission as aforesaid shall have, e!ercise,
and enjoy all and every the ?urisdiction, -owers,
and Authorities whatsoever which by force and
virtue of the said Act are within the +ealm of
*ngland had, e!ercised, and enjoyed by the
several ?ustices of the -eace, and by the
:eneral and Cuarter ,essions therein
mentioned.
)is Majesty in .ouncil may make all necessary
/aws for giving effect to this Act in the
,ettlement of )onduras.
/@11. 'And whereas in the ,ettlements in the
Occupation of )is Majesty and of )is Majesty's
,ubjects in )onduras, no /aw is in force for the
+egistration of ,laves, and 5oubts might be
entertained respecting the Authority of )is
Majesty, with the Advice of )is -rivy .ouncil, to
make /aws binding on )is Majesty's ,ubjects
therein2' be it therefore declared and enacted
That it is and shall be lawful for )is Majesty, by
any Order or Orders to be by )im for that
-urpose made with the Advice of )is -rivy
.ouncil, to establish a +egistry of ,laves for the
-urposes of this Act within the ,ettlement2 and
all /aws made by )is Majesty for the
:overnment of )is said ,ubjects shall, for the
-urposes of this Act, be as valid and effectual as
any /aws made by )is Majesty in .ouncil for
the :overnment of any .olonies subject to the
/egislative Authority of )is Majesty in .ouncil
are or can be.
The ord :overnor defined. /@111. And be it further enacted, That within the
Meaning and for the -urposes of this Act every
-erson who for the Time being shall be in the
lawful Administration of the :overnment of any
of the said .olonies shall be taken to be the
:overnor thereof.
Act not to e!tend to *ast 1ndies, Ac, /@1<. And be it further enacted, That nothing in
this Act contained doth or shall e!tend to any of
the Territories in the -ossession of the *ast
1ndia .ompany, or to the 1sland of .eylon, or to
the 1sland of ,aint )elena.
hen Act to come into operation at the .ape of
:ood )ope and Mauritius.
/@<. And be it further enacted, That in the
.olonies of the .ape of :ood )ope and
Mauritius the several -arts of this Act shall take
effect and come into operation, or shall cease to
operate and to be in force, as the .ase may be,
at -eriods more remote than the respective
-eriods herein8before for such -urposes limited
by the following 1ntervals of Time0 videlicet, by
=our .alendar Months in the .olony of the
.ape of :ood )ope, and by ,i! .alendar
Months in the .olony of the Mauritius.
1slands, dependent upon .olonies deemed -art /@<1. And be it further enacted and declared,
of such. That within the Meaning and for the -urposes of
this Act all 1slands and Territories dependent
upon any of the .olonies aforesaid, and
constituting -arts of the same .olonial
:overnment, shall respectively be taken to be
-arts of such respective .olonies.
/nite& States
The manci!ation Proclamation consists of two e0ecutive orders issued "# =nited States /resident
A"raham 8incoln during the American *ivil 5ar. The first one, issued Septem"er 33, 18@3, declared
the freedom of all slaves in an# state of the *onfederate States of America that did not return to =nion
control "# 9anuar# 1, 18@4. The second order, issued 9anuar# 1, 18@4, named ten specific states where
it would appl#. 8incoln issued the .0ecutive <rder "# his authorit# as -*ommander in *hief of the
Arm# and %av#- under Article ;;, section 3 of the =nited States *onstitution
The *mancipation -roclamation
0an#ary 11 1823
A ,ranscription
6y the -resident of the 9nited ,tates of America0
A -roclamation.
hereas, on the twenty8second day of ,eptember, in the year of our /ord one thousand eight hundred
and si!ty8two, a proclamation was issued by the -resident of the 9nited ,tates, containing, among
other things, the following, to wit0
"That on the first day of ?anuary, in the year of our /ord one thousand eight hundred and si!ty8three,
all persons held as slaves within any ,tate or designated part of a ,tate, the people whereof shall then
be in rebellion against the 9nited ,tates, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free2 and the
*!ecutive :overnment of the 9nited ,tates, including the military and naval authority thereof, will
recogni;e and maintain the freedom of such persons, and will do no act or acts to repress such persons,
or any of them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.
"That the *!ecutive will, on the first day of ?anuary aforesaid, by proclamation, designate the ,tates
and parts of ,tates, if any, in which the people thereof, respectively, shall then be in rebellion against
the 9nited ,tates2 and the fact that any ,tate, or the people thereof, shall on that day be, in good faith,
represented in the .ongress of the 9nited ,tates by members chosen thereto at elections wherein a
majority of the Bualified voters of such ,tate shall have participated, shall, in the absence of strong
countervailing testimony, be deemed conclusive evidence that such ,tate, and the people thereof, are
not then in rebellion against the 9nited ,tates."
Dow, therefore 1, Abraham /incoln, -resident of the 9nited ,tates, by virtue of the power in me vested
as .ommander8in8.hief, of the Army and Davy of the 9nited ,tates in time of actual armed rebellion
against the authority and government of the 9nited ,tates, and as a fit and necessary war measure for
suppressing said rebellion, do, on this first day of ?anuary, in the year of our /ord one thousand eight
hundred and si!ty8three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do publicly proclaimed for the full
period of one hundred days, from the day first above mentioned, order and designate as the ,tates and
parts of ,tates wherein the people thereof respectively, are this day in rebellion against the 9nited
,tates, the following, to wit0
Arkansas, Te!as, /ouisiana, Fe!cept the -arishes of ,t. 6ernard, -laBuemines, ?efferson, ,t. ?ohn, ,t.
.harles, ,t. ?ames Ascension, Assumption, Terrebonne, /afourche, ,t. Mary, ,t. Martin, and Orleans,
including the .ity of Dew OrleansG Mississippi, Alabama, =lorida, :eorgia, ,outh .arolina, Dorth
.arolina, and <irginia, Fe!cept the forty8eight counties designated as est <irginia, and also the
counties of 6erkley, Accomac, Dorthampton, *li;abeth .ity, 4ork, -rincess Ann, and Dorfolk, including
the cities of Dorfolk and -ortsmouth#G(, and which e!cepted parts, are for the present, left precisely as
if this proclamation were not issued.
And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, 1 do order and declare that all persons held
as slaves within said designated ,tates, and parts of ,tates, are, and henceforward shall be free2 and
that the *!ecutive government of the 9nited ,tates, including the military and naval authorities
thereof, will recogni;e and maintain the freedom of said persons.
And 1 hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain from all violence, unless in
necessary self8defence2 and 1 recommend to them that, in all cases when allowed, they labor faithfully
for reasonable wages.
And 1 further declare and make known, that such persons of suitable condition, will be received into the
armed service of the 9nited ,tates to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man
vessels of all sorts in said service.
And upon this act, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted by the .onstitution, upon
military necessity, 1 invoke the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty
:od.
1n witness whereof, 1 have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the 9nited ,tates to be affi!ed.
5one at the .ity of ashington, this first day of ?anuary, in the year of our /ord one thousand eight
hundred and si!ty three, and of the 1ndependence of the 9nited ,tates of America the eighty8seventh.
6y the -resident0 A6+A)AM /1D.O/D
1//1AM ). ,*A+5, ,ecretary of ,tate.
The Thirteenth Amendment to the =nited States *onstitution officiall# a"olished and continues to
prohi"it slaver# and involuntar# servitude, e0cept as punishment for a crime. ;t was adopted on
+ecem"er @, 18@A, and was then declared in a proclamation of Secretar# of State 5illiam . Seward
on +ecem"er 18.
8incoln and others were concerned that the .mancipation /roclamation would "e seen as a temporar#
war measure, and so, "esides freeing slaves in those states where slaver# was still legal, the# supported
the Amendment as a means to guarantee the permanent a"olition of slaver#.
(ection 1* %either slaver# nor involuntar# servitude, e0cept as a punishment for crime
whereof the part# shall have "een dul# convicted, shall e0ist within the =nited States, or
an# place su"1ect to their 1urisdiction.
(ection /* *ongress shall have the power to enforce this article "# appropriate legislation.
%lori&a
The state of 6lorida o"serves emancipation in an unofficial commemoration on (a# 30. ;n the
capital, Tallahassee, *ivil 5ar reenactors pla#ing the part of (a1or Eeneral .dward (c*oo& and
other union soldiers act out the speech Eeneral (c*oo& gave from the steps of the :nott ouse
on (a# 30, 18@A This was the first reading of the .mancipation /roclamation in 6lorida.
Was(in$ton1 3.".
The municipalit# of 5ashington, +.*., cele"rates April 1@ as .mancipation +a#. <n that da# in 18@3,
/resident A"raham 8incoln signed the *ompensated .mancipation Act for the release of certain
persons held to service or la"or in the +istrict of *olum"ia. The Act freed a"out 4,100 enslaved
persons in the +istrict of *olum"ia nine months "efore /resident 8incoln issued his famous
.mancipation /roclamation. The +istrict of *olum"ia *ompensated .mancipation Act represents the
onl# e0ample of compensation "# the federal government to former owners of emancipated slaves.
<n 9anuar# ', 300A, (a#or Anthon# 5illiams signed legislation ma&ing .mancipation +a# an official
pu"lic holida# in the +istrict. .ach #ear, a series of activities will "e held during the pu"lic holida#
including the traditional .mancipation +a# parade cele"rating the freedom of enslaved persons in the
+istrict of *olum"ia. The .mancipation +a# cele"ration was held #earl# from 18@@ to 1F01, and was
resumed as a tradition and historic cele"ration in 3003 G4H as a direct result of #ears of research,
lo""#ing and leadership done "# (s. 8oretta *arter2anes.Gcitation neededH
;n 3007, the o"servance of this holida# in 5ashington, +.*. had the effect of nationall# e0tending the
300@ income ta0 filing deadline from April 1@ to April 17, a dela# that will recur in April 3013. The
3007 date change was not discovered until after man# forms went to print.
Te#as
;n Te0as, .mancipation +a# is cele"rated on 9une 1F. ;t commemorates the announcement in Te0as of
the a"olition of slaver# made on that da# in 18@A. ;t is commonl# &nown as 9uneteenth.
+#erto 4ico
The *ommonwealth of /uerto $ico cele"rates .mancipation +a#, an official holida#, on (arch 33.
/.S. Vir$in Islan&s
The =nited States Birgin ;slands cele"rates .mancipation +a#, an official holida#, on 9ul# 4. ;t
commemorates the a"olition of slaver# "# +anish Eovernor /eter von Scholten on 9ul# 4, 18'8.
,on$a
.mancipation +a# is o"served in Tonga ever# 9une ' to commemorate the official a"olition of serfdom
ever#where in Tonga "# :ing Eeorge Tupou ; in 18@3
Slaver# was a"olished permanentl# in the 6rench .mpire in 18'8, in the Spanish .mpire in 1880, and
in Bra7il in 1888. >Bra7il is central, since it received more than one2third of all Africans imported in the
slave trade?.
Emancipation in 5atin America
;n addition to the *ari""ean island colonies of .uropean nations and the =nited States, slaver# e0isted
throughout 8atin America. 8ocal circumstances varied widel# in this vast region. .0cept in Bra7il,
formal a"olitionist movements pla#ed a minor role in the emancipation of "lac&s. ;nstead, a variet# of
circumstances graduall# pushed slaver# toward e0tinction.
There were 1.A million slaves in Bra7ilIa former /ortuguese colon#Iin 1870, "ut otherwise slave
populations in independent 8atin American countries never approached the num"ers of those in
*ari""ean colonies or in the =nited States. There were onl# 4,000 people to "e freed in -e#ico in
18/3 when that country abolished slavery and onl# 14,000 in 0ene1uela when it abolished the
institution in 1823. These small num"ers reflected a gradual decline in the profita"ilit# of slave la"or
and a corresponding decline in the political influence of slaveholders. This decline was a result of
changing economic ideas, as well as the introduction of cheap la"or in the form of contract wor&ers
from *hina. All of these circumstances contrasted with those in the =nited States and the *ari""ean
colonies.
Several other factors contri"uted to the decline of slaver# in 8atin America. As elsewhere, "lac&
resistance to enslavement pla#ed an important role. .scape, maroon settlements, and re"ellion all
wea&ened 8atin American slaver#. =nli&e in the =nited States, the slave population in 8atin America
had never sustained itself through natural reproduction, so the a"olition of the Atlantic slave trade
struc& a telling "low.
&hile and -e#ico in 18/3 and the United Provinces of &entral America in 18/3 a"olished slaver#
as a direct result of their independence movements. .conomic and political forces led Uruguay in
183/, Bolivia and &olombia in 1821' &uba in 1884' cuador in 182/' Argentina in 1823' and Peru
and 0ene1uela in 1823 to terminate the institution. 5hen Bra7ilian troops invaded and occupied
Paraguay in the 1845s at the end of the 5ar of the Triple Alliance, the government the# esta"lished
a"olished slaver#. Since "# then the =nited States had also a"olished slaver#, this left Bra7il as the onl#
independent slaveholding nation in the western hemisphere.
Although it started at a later date, the Bra7ilian struggle for a"olition had more in common with the
British and American movements than with the movements in other 8atin American countries. ;n Bra7il
politicall# powerful sugar and coffee planters staunchl# defended slave la"or, while a"olitionists
esta"lished organi7ations to achieve their goals. ;t was emancipation in the =nited States that inspired a
determined Bra7ilian antislaver# movement. ;n 18@8 9oaCuim %a"uco, $ui Bar"osa, and former slave
8uis Eama led an effort that prodded the Bra7ilian government to underta&e gradual a"olition. ;n 1871
legislation was passed that called for freeing the children of slaves. owever, the process "egan to stall
in the late 1870s, leading %a"uco to organi7e the ,ociedade 6rasileira contra a *scravidKo >Bra7ilian
Anti2Slaver# Societ#? in 1880, which secured the emancipation of elderl# slaves after 188A. The
societ# grew into an increasingl# radical movement, and "# 1888 unrest on plantations and the refusal
of the arm# to step in to halt the flight of slaves from their masters "rought the slave s#stem to the
"rin& of chaos. This resulted in the total a"olition of slaver# in Bra7il later that #ear.
5ith emancipation in Bra7il, legal slaver# disappeared from the western hemisphere, although it
lingered in Africa into the 30th centur#. The a"olition of slaver# also did not end compara"le s#stems
of la"or e0ploitation, such as contract la"or, sharecropping, child la"or, and sweatshops. %or did
a"olitionism succeed in ending racism or in esta"lishing eCual political and social rights for people of
African descent in the Americas.
%evertheless, in the =nited States, the various .uropean empires, and the independent states of 8atin
America, a"olitionism destro#ed human "ondage as an accepta"le institution. ;t esta"lished eCual rights
principles that have outlasted post2emancipation efforts "# former slaveholders to create caste s#stems,
and provided a "asis for more recent efforts countering racial segregation and supporting racial 1ustice.
Emancipation in t(e %renc( "olonies
$6hy are Blac7 !eo!le enslaved8 The color of !eo!le9s s7in only suggests a slight difference*
There is no discord between day and night' the sun and the moon and between the stars and dar7
s7y* All is varied: it is the beauty of nature* 6hy destroy nature9s wor78$
;lym!e de <ouges' +eflections on 6lack -eople' 1.88
ven before 1.8= critics had attac7ed the slave trade and slavery in the colonies* >rance had
several colonies in the &aribbean' the most im!ortant of which was (aint ,omingue "later called
)aiti+* There were 255'555 slaves there in 1.8= and they !rovided the labor for sugar' coffee' and
cotton !lantations*
The "ehavior of slaves and the actions of slave owners in the colonies was regulated "# a series of
ro#al edicts, called the .ode Doir, or slave code.
5hen the $evolution "egan in 178F the free mulattos of Saint +omingue discussed the rights of free
"lac&s. Bincent <gJ presented the views of his fellow mulatto propert# owners to a meeting of the
white planters in 178F. Assembly of &olonists
Both groups sent their representatives to 6rance to demand representation in the %ational Assem"l#.
There were those in the %ational Assem"l# who "elieved in rights for "lac&s and wor&ed for a"olition
of slaver#. Some were mem"ers of the Societ# of the 6riends of Blac&s, a 6rench a"olition
organi7ation. owever, there was not much support for a"oliton among the revolutionaries. The# also
argued for full rights for free "lac&s 2 There were a"out 38,000 free "lac&s and mulattos in aiti, man#
of whom owned slaves of their own. (ore radical revolutionaries continued to urge a"olition. <l#mpe
de Eouges, who also championed rights of women, wrote +eflections of 6lack -eople, a pamphlet
urging improvement of the situations of slaves and free "lac&s.
"(ource+
,(e )lac6 0acobins7 ,o#ssaint 589#vert#re an& t(e San 3omin$o 4evol#tion
by &*?*@* Aames
Address to the %ational Assem"l# in 6avor of the A"olition of the Slave Trade
>ebruary 2' 1.=5 B(ociety of the >riends of Blac7s
As the# argued in 6rance, the uncertaint# created insta"ilit# in the colonies. The free "lac&s and
mulattos agitated for full rights. The planters feared that /aris might a"olish slaver# and ta&e awa#
their livelihood, and "egan to tal& a"out independence.
0incent ;gC presented the views of the mulatto propert# owners to a meeting of the white planter
delegates who had come to /aris. ;n <cto"er 17F0, 4A0 mulattos re"elled in Saint +omingue. The
re"ellion was put down, the re"els were arrested and the leaders, including Aames ;gC, were e0ecuted.
<n (a# 1Ath, the %ational Assem"l# succum"ed to pressure and granted political rights to all free
"lac&s and mulattos who were "orn of free mothers and fathers. ;t onl# affected a few hundred people
"ut the planters were infuriated and refused to follow the law.
9ust a few months later, on 33 August 17F1, the slaves of Saint +omingue again rose up in re"ellion, in
what was eventuall# to "ecome the first successful slave revolt in histor#. The %ational Assem"l#
reacted "# rescinding the rights of free "lac&s and mulattos on Septem"er 3'th. <nce again the slaves
reacted with violence. The# "urned down plantations, murdered their white masters, and attac&ed the
towns. The fighting went on even as the new 8egislative Assem"l# >it replaced the %ational Assem"l#
in <cto"er 17F1? met at the end of (arch 17F3. <n (arch 38th, the assem"l# voted to reinstate the
political rights of free "lac&s and mulattos. %othing was decided a"out slaver#.
The slave re"ellion continued. ;n the fall of 17F3, as the $evolution in mainland 6rance "egan to
radicali7e, the 6rench government sent two agents to Saint +omingue to gain control of the slave
revolt. The re"el slaves then made agreements with the British and Spanish in the area. The British and
Spanish had promised freedom to those slaves who would 1oin their armies. ;t was not a matter of
principle 2 the# did not intend to end slaver# in their own colonies. But the# saw an opportunit# to
wea&en 6rance.
The re"ellion and invasions too& their toll on Saint +ominiCue. The econom# had nearl# collapsed and
drastic measures were needed. The %ational *onvention >the more radical assem"l# of the 9aco"ins
that replace the 8egislative Assem"l# in 6rance? finall# voted to end slaver# in all the 6rench colonies
on 6e"ruar# ', 17F'. Thousands of whites fled the island, and even the (ulattoes were not pleased.
(an# owned slaves themselves and were opposed to the move.
The decree from farawa# /aris did not solve the pro"lems in the colonies. Some local officials
disregarded the decree, others converted slaver# into a forced la"or s#stem, and others too& no action at
all. The decree was never full# implemented.
A leader of the slaves had emerged in the conflicts. Toussaint ?9;uverture, a slave who had learned to
read and write, em"raced the enlightenment philosoph# of eCualit# and li"ert#. e was a "rilliant
general, and large areas of Saint +ominiCue came under his control.
.ventuall# the Aacobin government in 6rance fell li&e those governments "efore it. 5hen %apoleon
too& control in 6rance, he attempted to put Saint +ominiCue on a sound footing. B# 1800 the
plantations were producing for 6rance onl# one fifth of what the# had in 178F. e reinstituted slaver#
in the colonies, and denied rights to free "lac&s. e send an e0peditionar# force to reta&e Saint
+ominiCue. Through deception the 6rench captured Toussaint and too& "ac& to 6rance. Da!oleon
ordered that Toussaint "e imprisoned in the Alps and murdered "# lac& of food and warmth. owever,
the fight went on and the slaves were finall# successful in driving out the 6rench. %n 1853 (aint
,ominiEue became the inde!endent re!ublic of )aiti* The first successful slave revolt in history
was over*
Emancipation -it(in t(e /nite& .ations
/ ,ecemberF United Dations ;nternational +a# for the A"olition of Slaver#
K+espairingl# credi"le comparisons of scale and suffering ma# "e drawn with the trans2Atlantic trade
in Africans in the Americas in which more than 13 million people were forci"l# transported over the
ocean in four hundred #ears. ;t is to our great shame that if toda#Ls statistics are correct, and 700, 000
people are now "eing traffic&ed across "orders into slaver# annuall#, we will have eCualed that total in
a mere 30 #ears.M
Mrs. .&ioro .&iaye
3ep#ty 3irector :eneral
International 9r$ani;ation o' Mi$ration
6act Sheet! 300th Anniversar# of the A"olition of the Trans2Atlantic Slave Trade
Mo&ern %orms o' Slavery
The commemoration of the 300th anniversar# of the a"olition of the trans2Atlantic slave trade also
serves as a reminder that contemporar# forms of slaver# N such as human trafic&ing, forced
prostitution, child soldiers, forced and "onded la"our and the use of children in the international drug
trade N are still lourishing toda#, largel# as a result of vulnera"ilit# e0acer"ated "# povert#,
discrimination and social e0clusion.
;t is estimated that 400,000 children are currentl# "eing e0ploited as child soldiers in as man# as
40 areas of conflict around the world. (an# of the &idnapped girls who are made into child
soldiers are also forced into se0ual slaver#.
The ;nternational <rgani7ation for (igration estimates that annuall# 700,000 women, girls,
men and "o#s are "eing trafic&ed across "orders awa# from their homes and families and into
slaver#.
The ;nternational 8a"our <rgani7ation reports that there are 1F1 million economicall# active
children "etween A and 1' #ears of age. %earl# '0 per cent of these N 7' million children N
engage in Oha7ardous wor&L.
An estimated A.7 million children are victims of forced and "onded la"our, also &nown as de"t
"ondage, and 1.3 million children are victims of child traffic&ing.
8in&ed to traffic&ing is the commercial se0ual e0ploitation of children of whom 1 million,
mainl# girls, are forced into prostitution ever# #ear. These girls are sold for se0 or used in child
pornograph# in "oth the developed and the developing world.
;t is the responsi"ilit# of us all to wor& to address the root causes of slaver#, to provide assistance and
protection to its victims and to ensure that there is no impunit# for those who perpetuate the practice.
Through learning a"out the histor# of slaver# and the slave trade and the collective triumphs and "attles
that "rought a"out its demise we can see& to overcome the man# pervasive forms of slaver# that still
e0ist toda#.
Halt< America<
America of white men's rule,
The :od of )eaven calls to you2
4ou used the black man as a tool,
And proved of faith and love untrue.
4our .hristian faith is all a lie,
1f you do not some changes make2
4ou brought us here to make us die,
6ut :od will save us for )is sake.
There is a call to make things right,
And to your conscience we appeal0
=or peace we are, we want no fight,
e ask you but the wound to heal.
e've laboured long in many fields,
To clear your waste and barren lands0
e fought your wars with manly shields,
6ut you've cast us off your hands.
America will flourish great,
1f love and truth abide within2
And so we call upon the ,tate,
To free itself from deadly sin.
The Degro's cause is holy word,
And :od proclaims the mighty truth,
The angels speak with flaming sword,
And it is so to man forsooth.
&H'3
4t. Hon. Marc#s :arvey