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![handle is hein.slavery/ssactsfl0214 and id is 1 raw text is: LAWS OF FLORIDA. 13
1858.
CHAPTER 860,-[NO. 2.]
AN ACT to permnit Fre, Persons of African dle.cent to select their own
Masters and become S1tives.
SI:CTzox 1. lie it enacted by Mhe Senatc and oise of Rlepresen. rr¢ Neges
te. its of me 000 of PASS in Gcmerel Asembh. conercncd, Thit may ethoostlhcir
it shall be lawful for any free person of African descent now itl this Own iiser.
State, or who may hereafter bo within its linlits, being over the ago
of fourteen years, to choose his or her own master or mistress, and
Ieomne a savo upoi the teios and conditions hereinafter named:
Provided said slave shall not lie sulbject to sale by such master or Notsubject t6
mistress, nor be taken in execution upon any judgment against ho
property of such inaster ot' nistrss, aid provided fArther, that such A~ingament of
master or mistress shall not he debarred from assigning to others right, IL o
their rights in to prem-ises, with the a pprobation anid consent of nwile.
the Circuit Court of the county in which all the parties reside.
Svac. 2. lBe it further cwctcd, That whecievtr any free person of Vroeeeings by
African descent is atoresaid desires to choose a master, such person ' e'Io i,
may file a petition in the Circuit Court of the county in which he ong
or she resides, setting forth his or her desire to choose a master, stat.
ing therein the nanr of such iaster or iistress, which lietition shall
be signed by the .Judgo of Probate fo' and in his behalt, and there.
upon the Clerk of the Court shall, atter four weeks' notice, posted
'upon the Court House door, issue a summons its well to the peti.
tioner :is to the proposed mIaster or mistress, citing them to appear
before the Court at the term next succeeding said notice.
Stc. 3. Be it farther euacted, That upl the appearance before 'xnmE tlon li.
the Court or Judge thereof at Chmnlers ( all tMe parties, he du tWrNo J ,i;,.
l:roceed to examine each Separately, and the Solicitor of lhe Dis.
triet shall lie preseut to represent the interest o' the letitioner in his Solicitor to op-
or her choice, and iF upon such oxaminiatin, the .Judge shall bo of
opinion that said petitioner has niinle a jidhiious cloice of a master
or nist'oss, (ft' which pi'llSO lie iiay take testinionly,) ho shiall Decreeoi.ludgo.
grain t the lirayer of tI lptiih mr, aQil en tel' d a dec ree to ttit oflee
uipon lite e cords of tie Court, ld Froni that in tile pelitioner
shall become the I rojuerty aiil sllave of the iimaster or mistress so
chosen, and shall lie in all respects the Silllli as though said peti.
tioner hlad been it slave to the master or nistress so chosen, cx-
ceptil g ies hiehilhefore plovied.
., 4,. tfarlher crtefd, That whlen llIy slih petitioner as Veiaies Inny
herAinb fete it ienid shtill It a ', in ale, has' ilng childr en under h eiliiren
fotirven yvais of age, and shall iask in her potilion lit her ch il- ner14 year,.
dren sItll beeore the propert' ilnd slaves of' tho salio person
cliostti 1h her as her ntnstr or miiinstre.s, it the , ndge simt , ar'tr ex-
anination as il this act provided, granit the pi'ayi'r of pt'titioner a Dtcree.](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.slavery/ssactsfl0214&div=1&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)