Slaves, Free Men, Citizens - CIFAS

76 Freed Blacks and MulattosSome of them are likewise precluded from voting at electionsof assembly-members. There are not any considerablenumbers who have enjoyed the privileges annexed to thislatter class; they have chiefly been granted to such, whowere inheritor of large estates in the island, bequeathedto them by their white ancestor.. The freedom of the two former classes was much enlargedin 1748, when a law passed, allowing the manumitted,as well as free-born, to give evidence against anyfreed-persons enjoying the liberty of white subjects, provided,in respect to the manumitted, they have receivedtheir freedom six months at least antecedent to the time oftheir offering such evidence; and if they should be convictedof wilful and corrupt perjury, they are made liableto the same punishment, as the laws of England inflict onthis offence.Thus it appears, that they hold a limited freedom, similarto that of the Jews; and it has been often suggested byvery sensible men, that it is too circumscribed, more especiallyin reference to those who have large patrimoniesin the island; who, without any probable ill consequence,might be permitted to have a vote in the vestry, and at theelection of members to serve in the assembly; to write asclerks in some of the offices; and hold military commissionsin the Black and Mulatto companies of militia; whichprivileges I will not dispute: but, for many reasons, it werebetter to confer them on particular or select persons, ofgood education and morality, than to extend them by ageneral law to many, who, it must be confessed, are notfitly qualified for this enlargement.The descendants of the Negroe blood, entitled to all therights and liberties of white subjects, in the full extent, aresuch, who are above three steps removed in the lineal digressionfrom the Negroe venter exclusive; that is to say,real quinterons, for all below this degree are reputed bylaw Mulattos.The law requires likewise, in all these cases, the sacramentof baptism, before they can be admitted to theseprivileges. Some few other restrictions are laid on the firstEdward Longand second class. No one of them, except he pouene* 8settlement with ten slaves upon it, may keep any horses,males, mules, asses, and neat cattle, on penalty of forfeiture.This was calculated to put a stop to the practice ofdaughtering the old breed on commons, and putting theirown marks upon the young.But two justices may license any such freed-pcm tokeep such stock, during good behaviour.They who have not a settlement, as just mentioned, mustfurnish themietvea with certilicatea of their freedom, underthe hand and seal of a justice, and wear a blue cross on theright shoulder, on pain of imprisonmen&If convicted of concealing, enticing, entertaining, or¥endin off the island, any fugitive, rebellious, or otheralave, they are to forfeit their freedom, be 8014 andbanished.These are the principal ordinances of the laws affectingthe common freed-persons; whence the policy of the COWtry may be easily measwed. The restraints, so far as theyare laid upon the lowest order just emerged from ¥ervitudeand who have no property of any consequence, wem very-able and proper; but in respect to the few who havereceived a moral and Christian education, and who inheritfortunes coddcrablo enough to make them in&pendent, they may be thought capable of >ome relaxation,without any prejudice to the general welfare of the colony;for it deserves aerious reflection, that most of the ¥uperioorder (for these reasons) prefer living in England, wherethey are respected, at least for their fortunes; and knowthat their children can enjoy of right all thoM privilegeanwhich in Jamaica are withheld from their possession.The slaw that most w d y gain a manumidon hemfrom their owners, are1. Domesticka. in reward for a long and faithful cow80of service.2. Those, who have been permitted to work for themelves,only paying a certain weekly or monthly sum; manyof them find means to save sufficient from their earnings,to purchase their freedom.