bound after the age of eleven years. And

if

any indentured fervant fhall have just cause to complain of his master's behaviour to him, he fhall be turned over to the care of the general afylum for males; and his labour, for the limited term of his indentures, fhall be turned over to the publick Exchequer, which fhall purchase of the mafter all the remaining term of fervice. If any flave fhall escape from his mafter in any part of the neighbouring country where the abominable traffic in human beings is tolerated, and fhall apply at any township within the free fettlements for an asylum, he shall be received and protected in the publick afylum; for this is required by an indifpenfible moral law of God, and, of course, by the laws of England-"Thou shalt not deliver unto his mafter the fervant" (or flave,

for all flaves are fervants)

which is ef

"caped

66

caped from his mafter unto thee; be fhall dwell with thee, even among you, "in that place which be fhall choose, in

one of thy gates, where it liketh him " beft: Thou shalt not opprefs him," Deat, xxiii. 15, 16. The ftranger, however, fhall be required to promise obedience to the laws of the fettlement, and due legal fubmiffion to the chiefs of the divifion, wherein he is admitted and pledged, and alfo to enter himself on the publick rofter of equal fervice for Watch and Ward, when of proper age. And in order to obtain his livelyhood, independently of individuals, he fhall, if he is above twenty years of age, be allowed to purchase, of the publick Exchequer, one quarter of a lot of land, for one year's fervice, confifting of 310 days fervice of eight hours each, (and a proportionable addition to the term, if under that age) for which quarter of a

lot

lot, he shall be taxed only one quarter part of a deciner's contribution to parochial and publick exigences and expences; which proportionable contribution of labour for taxes fhall commence from the time he receives the land; but the Exchequer shall give him credit for the labour of purchase until the fecond year after he receives the land; in the course of which only half of the labour, viz. 155 days, may be demanded, and the remainder in the courfe of the third year, whereby the ftranger will have Spare days of labour to enable him (by giving indents for it) to purchafe neceffaries for his farm: And he fhall be allowed a feparate chamber in the publick afylum or inn, until he is able to build an house or cottage upon his own lot. After he has faithfully difcharged his debt of service according to his firft contract with the Exchequer, and also his E other

other contract debts with private individuals (for all fuch private debts should be entered in the publick Exchequer, in order to give intrinfic value to the indentures for labour, as the state of every man's credit and circumftances will then appear on the publick books) he fhall be allowed another quarter of a lot on the fame terms, and fo on till he has acquired a compleat lot; when, if he has by his good and faithful behaviour proved himself worthy of the rank and truft of a deciner, he fhall be admitted to all the privileges and civil rights of the community as a free member and equal proprietor of the whole fettlement.

REDEMP

REDEMPTION FROM SLAVERY.

Redemption from Slavery.-Price to be repaid by a fhort limited Service to the Publick Exchequer.-Profit by Redemption infinitely fuperior to the Profits of the Slave Trade.

THOUGH it is a fundamental principle of the fettlement, that all flaves fhall be deemed free as foon as they enter it, so that no person can retain, or fell, or employ, a flave within the bounds of the fettlement, yet there can be no impropriety in providing a means of repaying the expence of redeeming flaves, on the condition of a fhort limited fervice, as an apprentice or indentured fervant, provided that the actual prices given for redemption can be fufficiently authenticated, that no more may be repaid, except, perhaps, a limited profit, not exceeding ten per cent. by way of inE 2 tereft,