1820: 1 George 4 c.50: Removal of Slaves from Bahamas to Demerara.

1820: 1 George 4 c.50: An Act to carry into Effect certain Licences, permitting the Removal of Negro Slaves from the Bahama Islands to Demerara.

[15th July 1820.]

WHEREAS an Act was passed in the Fifty eighth Year of His late Majesty King George the Third,

[58 G.3. c.49.]

intituled An Act to explain Three Acts, passed in the Forty sixth, Forty seventh, and Fifty first Years of His Majesty’s Reign respectively, for the Abolition of the Slave Trade: And Whereas His Royal Highness The Prince Regent, by virtue of the Powers vested in His Majesty by the above recited Act, was pleased, in the Name and on the Behalf of His Majesty, to grant certain Licences, permitting the Persons therein named to remove certain Negro Slaves from the Bahama Islands to His Majesty’s Colony of Demerara, under certain Conditions and Restrictions therein set forth: And Whereas an Act was passed in the Fifty ninth Year of His said late Majesty’s Reign,

[59 G.3. c.120. §11.]

intituled An Act for establishing a Registry of Colonial Slaves in Great Britain, and for making further Provisions with respect to the Removal of Slaves from British Colonies; whereby it is enacted, that wherever any Slave or Slaves shall be sent from any Colony, now or hereafter under the Dominion of His Majesty, His Heirs or Successors, with Intent that such Slave or Slaves shall be removed to and remain in some other Colony under the Dominion of His Majesty, His Heirs or Successors, the Owner or Owners, or other Person or Persons sending any such Slave or Slaves, shall produce, to the Collector or other principal Officer of His Majesty’s Customs at the Port at which any such Slave or Slaves shall be shipped or embarked, a Copy, duly certified by the Registrar of the said Colony, of the Name and Description or Names and Descriptions by which such Slave or Slaves has or have been registered, and of all other Particulars relating thereto stated in the said Registry; which Copy so certified shall be by such Collector or other principal Officer indorsed with his own Name and Handwriting, and shall be annexed to the Clearance or Permit to be given for the Shipment and Exportation of such Slave or Slaves, and shall on the Arrival of such Ship or Vessel in which such Slave or Slaves shall be sent, at the Port in any other British Colony to which the same shall be destined, be produced also to the Collector or principal Officer of the Customs at such last mentioned Port, who shall examine the same, and shall also ascertain by personal Inspection whether the Slave or Slaves brought by such Ship or Vessel agree in Description with the Slave or Slaves mentioned in such Certificate or Clearance, and if not, shall refuse to admit the same to an Entry, but in case of such Agreement, shall indorse such Certificate with his Name and Handwriting, and the said Certificate so indorsed shall be forthwith delivered by the Collector to the Registrar of Slaves in such last mentioned Colony: And Whereas certain of the Licences for the Removal of Negro Slaves above referred to, were granted previous to the passing of the said last recited Act of the Fifty ninth Year of His said late Majesty: And Whereas the Persons to whom the said Licences were granted, have been unable to comply with the Regulation contained in the said last recited Act, there being no Registrar in the Bahama Islands: And Whereas it is just and expedient that the said Persons should nevertheless be allowed the Benefit of such Licences: Be it therefore enacted by The King’s Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same,

[Licences for Removal of Slaves from the Bahamas to Demerara valid.]

That all Licences permitting the Removal of Negro Slaves from the Bahamas to Demerara, which have been so granted on or before the First Day of January One thousand eight hundred and nineteen, be, and the same are hereby declared to be valid, and of full Effect.

[Slaves may be removed accordingly.]

II. And be it further enacted, That the Persons on whose Behalf the said Licences were granted, be and they are hereby permitted to remove the Negro Slaves mentioned in such Licences from the Bahamas to Demerara, subject only to the Rules, Regulations and Restrictions set forth in such Licences, and in the Bonds entered into by the said Persons, or on their Behalf, previous to the issuing of such Licences; any Law to the contrary notwithstanding.

Source: Statutes of the United Kingdom, 1820.