men to
emigrate into the Province. The home government applauded the zeal and
executive abilities of the local authorities. Attention was called to
the necessity of legislation for the government of the vast Negro
population in the colony. The code of South Carolina was without an
example among the civilized governments of modern times. It was
unlawful for any free person to inhabit or trade with Negroes.[488]
Slaves could not leave the plantation on which they were owned, except
in livery, or armed with a pass, signed by their master, containing
the name of the possessor. For a violation of this regulation they
were whipped on the naked back. No man was allowed to conduct a
"plantation, cow-pen or stock," that shall be six miles distant from
his usual place of abode, and wherein six Negroes were employed,
without one or more white persons were residing on the place.[489]
Negro slaves found on another plantation than the one to which they
belonged, "on the Lord's Day, fast days, or holy-days," even though
they could produce passes, were seized and whipped. If a slave were
found "keeping any horse, horses, or neat cattle," any white man, by
warrant, could seize the animals, and sell them through the
church-wardens; and the money arising from such sale was devoted to
the poor of the parish in which said presumptuous slaves resided. If
more than seven slaves were found travelling on the highway, except
accompanied by a white man, it was lawful for any white man to
apprehend each and every one of such slaves, and administer twenty
lashes upon their bare back. No slave was allowed to hire out his
time. Some owners of slaves were poor, and, their slaves being trusty
and industrious, permitted them to go out and get whatever work they
could, with the understanding that the master was to have the wages.
An Act was passed in 1735, forbidding such transactions, and fining
the persons who hired slaves who had no written certificate from their
masters setting forth the terms upon which the work was to be done. No
slave could hire a house or plantation. No amount of industry could
make him an exception to the general rule. If he toiled faithfully for
years, amassed a fortune for his master, earned quite a competence for
himself during the odd moments he caught from a busy life, and then,
with acknowledged character and business tact, he sought to hire a
plantation or buy a house, the law came in, and pronounced it a
misdemeanor, for