Selections: Royal Edict

The kingdoni of South Carolina has publisnod the following edict, passed at the session of the legislatura of 1844. All the repubÜC8 in this bles6ed Union had better look out. An Act to próvido for the punishment of persons disturbing the pence of tbis Stote, in relaüon to slavcsand free persons of cel - or. 1. Be H ennctGd, by the Sonate nnd House of Representativos, now met nnd silting in general assembl)', and by thü authority ot tlie 6ame, That any person or persons who ehall on his, her or their own behalf. or under color, or in virtue of any commiseion or authority from any State or public aulhority of any State in this Union, or of tmy power, come within thé limits of this State for the purpose or with the intent to disturb, counteract, or hinder theoperation of such laws and regulations ns have been or shall be made.by the public authorities of this State, in relation to slaves or free persons f color, such personor persons ehall he deemed guilty of a high miedemeanor, and shall be committed for trial to the cominon jail of the district, by ony onc of the judges of tbc courts of law or cquity, or Mio recorder of the city of Charleston, un less udmitted to bai!, by the said judije or recorder: and, upon conviction thereof by any court of competent jurisdictioi), shall be sentenced to banishment from the State, and to such fine and imprisonment as may bc decmed fitting by the courL which shall have tried such nfinnrp iM5i#í52. Tliat any person within this Slatc wlio shall ut any time accept any commission or authority from any Stnlc or public nulhorily of any State inthis Union, or from. any foreign power, íji relaten to slaves or l'rce persone of color, and who shall conirnit uny overl act witii intent to distnrb the pcace or security of the State, or with uitent lo disturo, counteract, or hinder the operation of ihc laws or regutations of the public authorilies of ihis SLate3 made or. to be made in rölaiion to slaves or free persons of color, siich persons shall bc decnied guiliy of a misdemeonor, and npon due conviKiion theroof belbrc any competent conrt, shall be sonlenced to pay, for the first ofil-ncp, a iine nol one thousand dollars, and to be imprisoned not exeeding one year; and for the second oBcnce, he shall be imprisoncd for eevei) yenrsr a.nd pay a fine of not less than one thousand dbllarsr or be boTiislied from Uie State as the comt moy sce fit. S. That the governor, for the time bcin, may rfqoire any person or persons who thall or may have come wílhin tliG líinUs of tlns Statcr ü hisr herr or tlieir own Whalf, urder color, or iit virtue of any commission or authority from any State in tliis Union, or from any foreign power, ha ving relalion to tho lavvs or regnlalions of this State on the eubject of slove8 or free persons of color, to depart from tlic limite of thie State within forty-eight houw after such notico, and 6iicli person fih'ill therenpon he bound to depart; and in case of liis neglect or refusal so to depart, as af oresaid, the &fiid person shnll bc decmed guilty of n high misdemeonor, and sliall be comai'itted by the Eame authority licrcinbefore stated, for trial, to thecommon jail of the district, unless admitled to bail as hercinbefore fitntod; and npon due ;onviction beforeany court of competent jurïpdiclion, shall be sentenced to be banif?hed from the State, and to snch fine and impri'onment as the courl shall think expedient.4. That any person who shall bc eonvictcd i second or any subsequent time, under the srovisions of ihe first or ihird section of ibis iet, shall be imprisoned for a term not lesa ihan seven years, and ehail poy a fine not Ipss thnn 011e thoueand dollars, and shall in addition therelo be bnnished from the State. 5. That it shall be duty of the sheriff of ihe district to see that nny sentence of banisbment be dvily cxecuted, and that the offender be sent without the ïiinits of the State; and n case any persons 80 banished shali return within the State, funlees by unavoidable acident,) tbc eherifT of the district where he may be found, pliaü hold him in close confinetnent under the original sentence, until such offender shall enter into recognizance before heclerk of the court, with eufficient su retios, o comply with the terms of ihe said eentence, and forever to retr.ain without the limits of this State.