or by undue correction, kill his own slave, or the
slave of any other person, he shall forfeit the sum of three
hundred and fifty pounds, current money. And in case any
person or persons shall wilfully cut out the tongue, put out
the eye, castrate, or cruelly scald, burn, or deprive any
slave of any limb or member, or shall inflict any other
cruel punishment, other than by whipping or beating with a
horse-whip, cow-skin, switch or small stick or by putting
irons on, or confining or imprisoning such slave, every such
person shall, for every such offence, forfeit the sum of one
hundred pounds, current money."[492]

It may be said truthfully that the slaves in the colony of South
Carolina were accorded treatment as good as that bestowed upon
horses, in 1750. But their social condition was most deplorable. The
law positively forbid the instruction of slaves, and the penalty was
"one hundred pounds current money." For a few years Saturday afternoon
had been allowed them as a day of recreation, but as early as 1690 it
was forbidden by statute. In the same year an Act was passed declaring
that slaves should "have convenient clothes, once every year; and that
no slave" should "be free by becoming a christian,[493] but as to
payments of debts" were "deemed and taken as all other goods and
chattels." Their houses were searched every fortnight "for runaway
slaves" and "stolen goods." Druggists were not allowed to employ a
Negro to handle medicines, upon pain of forfeiting twenty pounds
current money for every such offence. Negroes were not allowed to
practise medicine, nor administer drugs of any kind, except by the
direction of some white person. Any gathering of Negroes could be
broken up at the discretion of a justice living in the district where
the meeting was in session.

Poor clothing and insufficient food bred wide-spread discontent among
the slaves, and attracted public attention.[494] Many masters
endeavored to get on as cheaply as possible in providing for their
slaves. In 1732 the Legislature passed an Act empowering two justices
of the peace to inquire as to the treatment of slaves on the several
plantations; and if any master neglected his slaves in food and
raiment, he was liable to a fine of not more than fifty shillings. In
May, 1740, an Act was passed requiring masters to see to it that their
slaves were not overworked. The time set for them to work, was "from