About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline

James M'Cutchen and others, Appellants v. James Marshall and others 220 (1834)

handle is hein.slavery/ussccases0119 and id is 1 raw text is: 220                   SUPREME COURT.
JAMES M'CUTCHEN AND OTHERS, APPELLANTS V. JAMES MAR-
SHALL AND OTHERS.
Patrick M'Cutchen, of Tennessee, died in 1810, having previously made his
last will and testament; by which will, among other things, he bequeathed to
his wife Hannah, during her natural life, all his plaves, and provided that
they, naming them, should, at the death of his wife, be liberated from sla-
very, and be for ever and entirely setfree; except those that were not of age,
or should not have arrived at the age of twenty-one years at the death of
his wife ; and those were to be subjdct to the control of his brother and
brother-in-law, until they were of age, at which period they were to be set
free. As to Rose, one of the slaves, the testator declared, that she and
her children, after the death of his wife, should be liberated from slavery,
and for ever and entirely set free. Two of the slaves, Eliza and Cynthia,
had children born after the death of the testator, and before the death of his
wife: nothing was said in the will as to the children of Eliza and Cynthia.
After the decease of the wife, the heirs of the testator claimed all the slaves;
and their increase, as liable to be distributed.to, and among the next of kin
of the testator; alleging, that by the laws of Tennessee, slaves cannot be
set free by last will and testament, or' by any direction therein. That if
the law does authorize emancipation, that they are still slaves until the
period for emancipation; and that the increase, born after the death of the
testator, and before their mothers were actually set free, were slaves, and
as such were liable to be distributed. By the court: The laws of Ten-
nessee fully authorize the emancipation of slaves, in the manner provided
by the last will and testament of Patrick M'Cutchen.
As a general proposition, it would seem a little extraordinary to contend, that
the owner of property is not at liberty to renounce his right to it, either
absolutely, or in any modified manner he may think proper. As between
the owner and his slave, it would require the most explicit prohibition by
law, to restrain this right. Considerations of policy, with respect to this
species of property, may justify legislative regulation, as to the guards and.
checks under which such manumission shall take place; especially, so as to
provide against the public's becoming chargeable for the maintenance of
slaves so manumitted.
It is admitted to be a settled rule in the state of Tennessee, that the issue of
a female slave follows the condition of the mother. If, therefore, Eliza
and Cynthia were slaves when their children were born, it will follow, as
matter of course, that their children are slaves also. If this was an open
question, it might be urged with some force, that the condition of Eliza
and Cynthia, during thejlifo of the widow, was not that of absolute slavery4
but was, by the will, converted into a modified servitude, to end upon the
death of the widow, or on their arrival at the age of t enty-one years,
should she die before that time. If the mothers were not absolute slaves,
but held in the condition just mentioned, it would seem to follow, that their
children would stand in the same condition, and be entitled to their free-

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Contact us for annual subscription options:

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

profiles profiles most