ect that a
slave or slaves, to him, her or them belonging, is, or are,
on board any private man of war, or merchant ship or vessel,
the owner or owners of such slave or slaves may make
application, either to the owner or owners, or to the
commander or master of the said ship or vessel, before its
sailing, and inform him or them thereof, which being done in
the presence of one or more substantial witness or
witnesses, the said information or application shall amount
to, and be construed, deemed and taken to be a full proof of
his or their knowledge thereof, provided, the said slave or
slaves shall go in any such ship or vessel.

"And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, that
if the owner or owners of any slave or slaves in this
colony, or any other person or persons, legally authorized
by the owner or owners of a slave or slaves, shall attempt
to go on board any privateer, or a merchant ship or vessel,
to search for his, her or their slave or slaves, and the
commander or master of such ship or vessel, or other officer
or officers on board the same, in the absence of the
commander or master, shall refuse to permit such owner or
owners of a slave or slaves, or other person or persons,
authorized, as aforesaid, to go on board and search for the
slave or slaves by him, her or them missed, or found absent,
such refusal shall be deemed, construed, and taken to be
full proof that the owner or owners, commander or master of
the said privateer or other ship or vessel, hath, or have a
real knowledge that such slave or slaves is, or are on
board.

"And this act shall be forthwith published, and therefrom
have, and take force and effect, in and throughout this
colony.

"Accordingly the said act was published by the beat of drum,
on the 17th day of June, 1757, a few minutes before noon, by

"THO. WARD, Secretary."[472]

The education of the Negro slave in this colony was thought to be
inimical to the best interests of the master class. Ignorance was the
_sine qua non_ of slavery. The civil government and ecclesiastical
establishment ground him, body and spirit, as between "the upper and
nether millstones." But the Negro was a good listener, and was not
unconscious of what was going on around him. He was neither