me in fee simple."
Under the circumstances, after the war had begun, and after the
declaration by the State of national independence, it was a most
remarkable law.

"That any person who now hath, or hereafter may have, any
estate in fee taille, general or special, in any lands or
slaves in possession, or in the use or trust of any lands or
slaves in possession, or who now is or hereafter may be
entitled to any such estate taille in reversion or
remainder, after the determination of any estate for life or
lives, or of any lesser estate, whether such estate taille
hath been or shall be created by deeds, will, act of
assembly, or by any other ways or means, shall from
henceforth, or from the commencement of such estate taille,
stand _ipso facto_ seized, possessed, or entitled of, in, or
to such lands or slaves, or use in lands or slaves, so held
or to be held as aforesaid, in possession, reversion, or
remainder, in full and absolute fee simple, in like manner
as if such deed, will, act of assembly, or other instrument,
had conveyed the same to him in fee simple; any words,
limitations, or conditions, in the said deed, will, act of
assembly, or other instrument, to the contrary
notwithstanding."[625]

But the valor of the Negro soldier had great influence upon the public
mind, and inspired the people in many of the States to demand public
recognition of deserving Negroes. It has been noted already, that in
South Carolina, if a Negro, having been captured by the enemy, made
good his escape back into the State, he was emancipated; and, if
wounded in the line of duty, was rewarded with his freedom. Rhode
Island purchased her Negroes for the army, and presented them with
fifty dollars bounty and a certificate of freedom at the close of the
war. Even Virginia, the mother of slavery, remembered, at the close of
the war, the brave Negroes who had fought in her regiments. In
October, 1783, the following Act was passed emancipating all slaves
who had served in the army with the permission of their masters. It is
to be regretted, however, that _all_ slaves who had served in the army
were not rewarded with their freedom.

"I. WHEREAS it hath been represented to the present general
assembly, that during the course of the war, many persons in
this state had caused their slaves to enlist in certain
regiments or corps r