MFDJ 02/09/24: Racist Laws, 18th Century Style

Today’s Race-Dependent Yet Truly Morbid Fact!

England’s “bloody code” (as it was widely called by its detractors) had its eighteenth-century American counterpart in the swelling number of capital statutes applicable only to blacks. The first of these appears to have been enacted in New York, which in 1712, alarmed by a slave revolt, capitalized attempted murder and attempted rape committed by slaves. Most of these race-dependent capital crimes, unsurprisingly, were created in the southern colonies. Slaves made up more than half the population of South Carolina by 1720 and nearly half that of Virginia by 1750. To manage these captive workforces the southern colonies resorted to ever-increasing lists of capital statutes. In 1740 South Carolina imposed the death penalty on slaves  and free blacks for burning or destroying any grain, commodities, or manufactured goods; on slaves for enticing other slaves to run away; and on slaves maiming or bruising whites. Virginia, fearing attempts at poisoning, made it a capital offense for slaves to prepare or administer medicine. The Georgia legislature determined that crimes committed by slaves posed dangers “peculiar to the condition and circumstances of this province,” dangers which meant that such crimes “could not fall under the provision of the laws of England.” Georgia accordingly made it a capital offense for slaves or free blacks to strike whites twice, or once if a bruise resulted. “The Laws in Force, for the Punishment of Slaves” in Maryland, its legislature found, were “insufficient, to prevent their committing, very great Crimes and Disorders.” Slaves were accordingly subjected to the death penalty for conspiring to rebel, rape a white woman, or burn a house.


Slave sale advertisement from the July 30, 1737 issue of the South Carolina Gazette: “TO BE SOLD on Wednesday the 3d of August a choice Cargo of healthy Slaves, imported in the Ship Pearl Galley…”  Oh, America – so much to answer for!

Colonies with large numbers of slaves expedited the procedures for trying them. As early as 1692 Virginia began using local justices of the peace rather than juries and legally trained judges to try slaves for capital crimes. South Carolina adopted a similarly streamlined procedure in 1740. These systems remained intact as long as slavery existed. Execution rates for slaves far exceeded those for southern whites. In North Carolina, for instance, at least one hundred slaves were executed in the quarter-century between 1748 and 1772, well more than the number of whites executed during the colony’s entire history, a period spanning over a century.


Article from the April 12, 1739 issue of the South Carolina Gazette:

“On Thursday last two Negro-Men named Caesar and Allohoy belonging to Mr. Wm. Romsey and Company, were tried by Thomas Dale and Robert Austin Esq.; two of his Majesty’s Justices of the Peace and Mr. John Fraser, Capt. Isaac Holmes and Mr. Henry Perroneau jun. being three Freeholders associated with the said Magistrates persuant to an Act of Assembly, entitled an Act for the better ordering and governing of Negroes and other Slaves. They were charged by Mr. Attorney General with deserting from their Master’s Service, and attempting, with several other Slaves, to run-away off this Province either to Augustine or some other Place, which Charge being fully proved, the former was condemned to die, and the latter to be whipt. Accordingly on Saturday last the said Caesar was executed at the usual Place, and afterwards hung in Chains at Hang-man’s Point opposite to this Town, in sight of all Negroes passing and repassing by Water: Before he was turned off [Turned off? That’s kind of hi-tech!- DeSpair] he made a very sensible Speech to those of his own Colour, exhorting them to be just, honest and virtuous, and to take warning by his unhappy Example; after which he begged the Prayers of all Christian People, himself repeating the Lord’s Prayer and several others in a fervent and devout Manner.”

Culled from: The Death Penalty: An American History

Garretdom: Well-Dressed Targets Edition!

This town is infested by a considerable number of little boys who appear to have nothing else to do except to waylay in pairs any decently dressed, well-behaved boy. The better dressed the boy the more sure he is of being beaten and bruised by these good for nothing little ruffians. Yesterday afternoon a little boy was going up Wabasha street in a quiet manner, and was suddenly, and unexpectedly assaulted by three rough boys. He received two or three blows in the face, and considerable blood flowed from his nose in consequence thereof. As soon as the boys struck their victim all fled as fast as their legs could carry them around the corner into Third street. The attack was a piece of pure wantonness. It is a great pity that some of these little bruisers cannot be arrested and punished.

Culled from the January 11, 1874 issue of St. Paul Pioneer as quoted in Coffee Made Her Insane

 

Andersonville Prisoner Diary Entry Du Jour!

This is the continuation of the 1864 diary of Andersonville prisoner Private George A. Hitchcock (see the archived version for all entries up until now).

Here’s today’s entry:

October 29th. Very cold, and heavy frost last night. Toothache very severe. Fixed up our tent so that it is weather-proof. Six prisoners came in.

Culled from: Andersonville: Giving Up the Ghost

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *