ingly."

Nevertheless the book, while nearly, if not quite, worthless as an
authority as to what the law actually was, is very valuable as showing
what an intelligent layman at the time thought it was. The fear that
baptism set a slave free was undoubtedly present among both the French
and the English planters in America, including the West Indies; and
this fear had much to do with their determined objection to missionary
effort among the slave population. The Code Noir relieved the fears of
the French in this regard; but I find no legislation on the matter in
the English Settlements until 1781.

Prince Edward Island (formerly the Island of St. John) had a number of
slaves, as had the other British North American Colonies; and in 1781
the Legislature of the Province passed an act respecting them (21
George III, c. 15 (P. E. I.)). This act, with the others passed in the
same session, was transmitted by Governor Walter Patterson to the Home
Government in a dispatch, March 1, 1781, to Lord Stormont (Earl of
Mansfield), in which he says: "There will be no need to trouble your
Lordship with more than the titles of the above-recited acts to show
the reasons which induced me to consent to their becoming laws." From
a perusal of the act it will at once be seen that the statute went far
beyond the title and fixed the status of slavery upon "all Negro and
Mulatto servants" then on the island, or thereafter to be imported
(being slaves), and provided that they should continue to be slaves
until freed by the owner. The act reads:

"AN ACT declaring that baptism of slaves shall not exempt them
from bondage.

"WHEREAS some Doubts have arisen whether Slaves by becoming
Christians, or being admitted to Baptism, should, by Virtue
thereof, be made free:

"1. Be it therefore enacted by the Governor, Council and
Assembly, That all Slaves, whether Negroes or Mulattos, residing
at present on this Island, or that may hereafter be imported or
brought therein, shall be deemed Slaves, notwithstanding his, her
or their Conversion to Christianity; nor shall the Act of Baptism
performed on any such Negro or Mulatto alter his, her or their
Condition.

"2. And be it further enacted, That all Negro and Mulatto
Servants who are now on this Island, or may hereafter be imported
or brought therein (being Slaves), shall continue such, unless
freed by his, her or their r