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Laws of the Colony of New York. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that it shall not be lawful for any slave or slave to have or use any gun, pistol, sword, club or any other kind of weapon whatsoever, but in the presence or by the direction of his her or their Master or Mistress, and in their own ground on Penalty of being whipped for the same at the discretion of the Justice of the Peace before whom such complaint shall come or upon the view of the said justice not exceeding twenty lashes on the bare back for every such offense.

[An Act Concerning Slaves, Etc. Whereas complaint is made by the inhabitants of this Province, that they are greatly injured by slaves having liberty to carry guns and dogs into the woods and plantations, under the pretense of gunning, do kill swine. Be it enacted by the Governor, Council and Deputies in General Assembly met and assembled and by the authority of the same] that no slave or slaves within this Province after publication hereof, be permitted to carry any gun or pistol, or take any dog with him or them into the woods, or plantations, upon any pretense whatsoever: Unless his or their owner or owners, or a white man, by the order of his or their owner or owners, be with the said slave or slaves, upon the penalty of twenty shillings for the first offence, and for the second offence, thirty shillings and so for every offence after so committed ten shillings more. . .

That no negro or other slave within this province shall be permitted to carry any gun, or any other offensive weapon, from off their master’s land, without licence from their said master; and if any negro or other slave shall presume so to do, he shall be liable to be carried before a justice of peace, and be whipped, and his gun or other offensive weapon shall be forfeited to him that shall seize the same and carry such negro so offending before a justice of peace.

And whereas great damages are frequently done, by slaves being permitted to hunt or range with dogs or guns: For prevention whereof, it shall not be lawful for any slave, on any pretence whatsoever, to go, range, or hunt on any person’s land other than his masters [sic], with dog or gun, or any weapon, unless there be a white man in his company; under the penalty of twenty shillings to be paid by his master, for every offense unto the owner of the land whereon such slave shall range or hunt[.]

It shall not be lawful for any slave, unless in the presence of some white person, to carry or make use of firearms or any offensive weapon whatsoever, unless such negro or slave shall have a ticket or license in writing from his master, mistress or overseer, to hunt and kill game, cattle, or mischievous birds or beasts of prey, and that such license be renewed once every month, or unless there be some white person of the age of 16 or upwards, in the company of such slave when he is hunting or shooting; or that such slave be actually carrying his masters arms to or from his masters plantation, by a special ticket, for that purpose, or unless such slave be found in the day time actually keeping off rice birds, or other birds within the plantation to which such slave belongs, lodging the same gun at night within the dwelling house of his master, mistress or white overseer. And provided also that no negro or other slave shall have liberty to carry any guns, cutlass, pistol or other weapon abroad form at any time between Saturday evening after sunset and Monday morning before sunrise notwithstanding a license or ticket for so doing. And in case any person shall find any slave using or carrying fire-arms, or other offensive weapons, contrary to the true intention of this act; every such person may lawfully seize and take away such fire-arms or offensive weapons; but before the property of such goods shall be vested in the person who shall seize the same, such person shall, within 48 hours next after such seizure, go before the next justice of the peace, and shall make oath of the manner of the taking; and if such justice of the peace after such oath shall be made, or upon any other examination, he shall be satisfied, that the said fire-arms or other offensive weapons, shall have been seized according to the directions and agreeable to the true intent and meaning of this act, the said justice shall, by certificate under his hand and seal, declare them forfeited, and that the property is lawfully vested in the person who seized the same. Provided that no such certificate shall be granted by any justice of the peace until the owner or owners of such fire-arms or other offenisve weapons so to be seized as aforesaid, or the overseer or overseers who shall or may have the charge of such slave or slaves from, whom such fire-arms or other offensive weapons shall be taken or seized shall be duly summoned, to show cause (if any such they have) why the same should not be condemned as forfeited; or until 48 hours after the service of such summons and oath made of the service thereof before the said justice.

That if any Negro or Mulatto Slave or Slaves shall be seen or found from his or their Masters [sic] House, after the Hour of Nine at Night except on their Masters [sic] or Mistresses [sic] particular Business, or shall be seen to hunt, or carrying a Gun on the Lord’s Day; the Constable or Constables of such Town or Precinct, on Information or Knowledge thereof, shall and are hereby required and directed, to apprehend and carry such Negro and Mulatto Slaves before the next Justice of the Peace, who shall order such Negro or Mulatto Slave or Slaves, if found Guilty, to be whipped as by the preceding Clause of this Act is directed. Provided always, That nothing herein contained, shall be construed or taken, to prevent any Negro or Mulatto Slave from going to Church or Meeting, and attending on Divine Service or from Burying their Dead, with their Masters [sic] or Mistresses [sic] Consent.

Laws of Georgia, An Act to amend and Continue “An Act for the Establishing and Regulating Patrols, and for Preventing any Person from Purchasing Provisions or any Other Commodities from, or Selling Such to any Slave, Unless Such Slave Shall Produce a Ticket from His or Her Owner, Manager or Employer . . . Be it enacted, That immediately from and after passing of this act, it shall not be lawful for any slave, unless in the presence of some white person, to carry or make use of fire arms, or any offensive weapon whatsoever, unless such slave shall have a ticket or license in writing from his master, mistress, or overseer, to hunt and kill game, cattle, or mischievous birds or beasts of prey, and that such license be renewed every week, or unless there be some white person of the age of sixteen years or upwards in the company of such slave when he is hunting or shooting, or that such slave be actually carrying his master’s arms to or from his master’s plantation by a special ticket for that purpose, or unless such slave be found in the day-time, actually keeping off birds within the plantation to which such slave belongs, loading the same gun at night, within the plantation to which such slave belongs, loading the same gun at night, within the dwelling house of his master, mistress or white overseer: Provided always, That no slave shall have liberty to carry any gun, cutlass, pistol, or other offensive weapon, abroad at any time between Saturday evening after sunset and Monday morning before sun rise, notwithstanding a license or ticket for so doing. II. And be it further enacted, That in case any or either of the patrols, established or to be established within this province, by virtues of the said act, on searching and examining any negro house for offensive weapons, fire arms and ammunition, shall find any such, or in case any person shall find any slave using or carrying fire arms or other offensive weapons, contrary to the intent and meaning of this act, such patrol, or person or persons, may lawfully seize and take away such offensive weapons, fire arms, and ammunition, but before the property thereof shall be vested in the person or persons who shall seize the same, such person or persons shall, within three days next after such seizure, go before a justice of the peace, and shall make oath of the manner of taking thereof, and if such justice of the peace, after such oath made, or upon due examination, shall be satisfied that the said fire arms, offensive weapon, or ammunition, shall have been seized according to the directions, and agreeable to the true intent and meaning of this act, the said justice shall, by certificate under his hand and seal, declare them forfeited, that the property is lawfully vested in the person or persons who seized the same.

[An Act to Reduce into one, the Several Acts Concerning Slaves, Free Negroes, and Mulattoes (1792),] § 8. No negro or mulatto whatsoever shall keep or carry any gun, powder, shot, club, or other weapon whatsoever, offensive or defensive, but all and every gun, weapon, and ammunition found in the possession or custody of any negro or mulatto, may be seized by any person, and upon due proof thereof made before any Justice of the Peace of the County or Corporation where such seizure shall be, shall by his order be forfeited to the seizor for his own use ; and moreover, every such offender shall have and receive by order of such Justice, any number of lashes not exceeding thirty-nine, on his or her bare back, well laid on, for every such offense. § 9. Provided, nevertheless, That every free negro or mulatto, being a house-keeper, may be permitted to keep one gun, powder and shot; and all negroes and mulattoes, bond or free, living at any frontier plantation, may be permitted to keep and use guns, powder, shot, and weapons offensive or defensive, by license from a Justice of Peace of the County wherein such plantation lies, to be obtained upon the application of free negroes or mulattoes, or of the owners of such as are slaves.

And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any Negro or Mulatto slave shall presume to carry any guns, swords, pistols, fowling pieces, clubs, or other arms and weapons whatsoever, without his master’s special license for the same, and be convicted thereof before a magistrate, he shall be whipped with twenty-one lashes, upon his bare back.

[An Act Respecting Slaves, § 9. And be it enacted, That if any negro or other slave shall be seen or found from the dwelling-house of his or her master or mistress after the hour of ten at night, except on the particular business of his or her master or mistress, or shall be seen to hunt or carry a gun on the first day of the week, or Christian Sabbath, commonly called Sunday, any constable or other person, of information or knowledge thereof, is hereby authorized, and it is especially made the duty of such constable, to apprehend and carry such negro or other slave before the next justice or justices of the peace, who, on examination of the matter, (is such slave shall not give good account of himself or herself) shall, at his or their due discretion, according to the circumstances of the case, do and act towards such slave in the same manner in all respects as by the preceding section of this act is prescribed; and any such slave, being committed to prison, shall there remain until the master or mistress shall satisfy all reasonable charges; and in case such slave shall be ordered to be whipped, then the master or mistress of such slave shall be liable to pay the constable for performing that service one dollar; Provided, That nothing in this, or the preceding section contained, shall be construed or taken to prevent any negro or other slave from going to any place of worship, or from any innocent recreation, or from doing any other reasonable act with his or her master or mistresses consent.]

No negro, mulatto, or Indian whatsoever, shall keep or carry any gun, powder, shot, club, or other weapon whatsoever, offensive or defensive, but all and every gun, weapon and ammunition found in the possession or custody of any negro, mulatto or Indian, may be seized by any person and upon due proof thereof made before any justice of the peace of the county where such seizure shall be, shall by his order, be forfeited to the seizor for his own use, and moreover every such offender shall have and receive by order of such justice any number of lashes not exceeding thirty nine, on his or her bare back, well laid for every such offense.

[Slaves interdicted the carrying arms, etc.] No negro or mulatto shall keep or carry any gun, powder, shot, club or other weapon whatsoever, offensive or defensive; but all and every gun, weapon and ammunition found in the possession or custody of any negro or mulatto may be seized by any person, and upon due proof thereof made before any justice of the peace of the county where such seizure shall be, shall by his order be forfeited to the seizor for his own use, and moreover every such offender shall have and receive by order of such justice, any number of lashes not exceeding thirty-nine, on his or her bare back, well laid on, for every such offense.

And be it further enacted, That no slave or mulatto whatsoever, shall keep or carry any gun, powder, shot, club or other weapon whatsoever, offensive or defensive, but all and every gun weapon and ammunition found in the possession or custody of any negro or mulatto, may be seized by any person, and upon due proof thereof made before any justice of the peace of the district where such seizure shall be, shall by his order be forfeited to the seizor, for his own use, and moreover every such offender shall have and receive by order of such justice any number of lashes not exceeding thirty-nine on his or her bare back, well laid on for every such offense.

[Slaves not to carry offensive or defensive weapons]. [N]o Slave shall keep or carry any gun, powder, shot, club or other weapon whatsoever offensive or defensive, except tools given him to work with, or that he is ordered by his master, mistress or overseer to carry the said articles from one place to another, but all, and every gun, weapon or ammunition found in the possession or custody of any slave, may be seized by any person, and upondue proof thereof made before any justice of the peace of the county or corporation, where such seizure shall be made, by his order, be forfeited to the seizer for his own use; and moreover, every such offender shall have and receive by order of such justice, any number of lashes not exceeding thirty nine, on his bare back for every such offence: Provided nevertheless, That any justice of the peace may grant, in his proper county, permission in writing, to any slave, on application of his master, or overseer to carry and use a gun and ammunition within the limits of his said master’s or owner’s plantation, for a term not exceeding one year, and recoverable, at any time within such term, at the discretion of said justice.

Negroes and Mulattoes, Bond and Free – 1805, Chapter I, An Act respecting Slaves. – Passed March 6, 1805: Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, that no slave shall keep or carry any gun, powder, shot, club, or other weapon whatsoever, offensive or defensive, except the tools given him to work with, or that he is ordered by his master, mistress, or overseer, to carry the said articles from one place to another, but all and every gun , weapon, or ammunition, found in the possession or custody of any slave, may be seized by any person, and upon due proof made thereof, before any justice of the peace of the county or corporation where such seizure shall be made, shall, by his order, be forfeited to the seizer, for his own use; and moreover, every such offender shall have and receive, by order of such justice, any number of lashes, not exceeding thirty-nine, on his bare back for every such offense : Provided nevertheless, That any justice of the peace may grant, in his proper county, permission in writing to any slave, on application of his master or overseer, to carry and use a gun and ammunition within the limits of his said master’s or owner’s plantation, for a term not exceeding one year, and revocable at any time within such term, at the discretion of the said justice, and to prevent the inconveniences arising from the meeting of slaves.

…it shall not be lawful for any negro or mulatto within this state to keep any dog, bitch or gun , except he be a free negro or mulatto, and in that case he may be permitted to keep one dog, provided such free negro or mulatto shall obtain a license from a justice of the peace for that purpose, and that the said license shall be in force for one year, and no longer, and if any dog or bitch owned by any negro, not possessed of such license, shall be seen going at large, it shall be lawful for any person to kill the same, and in case of any suit instituted therefor, the person or persons killing the said dog or bitch may plead the general issue, and give this act in evidence. II. …it shall not be lawful for any free negro or mulatto to go at large with any gun, or other offensive weapon; and in case any free negro or mulatto shall be seen going at large carrying a gun, or other offensive weapon, he shall be liable to be carried before any magistrate, in virtue of a warrant to be issued by any justice of the peace, directed to a constable of the county, and on conviction of having violated the provisions of this section of the act, such offender shall thereupon forfeit, to the use of the informant, such gun, or other offensive weapon, which shall thus have been found in his or her possession, and be subject to the payment of the costs which shall have accrued in such prosecution; provided, that nothing in this act shall extend to prevent any free negro or mulatto from carrying a gun, or other offensive weapon, who shall, at the time of his carrying the same, have a certificate from a justice of the peace, that he is an orderly and peacable person, which certificate shall be in force for one year from the date thereof and no longer.

Slaves, § 3. No slave or mulatto whatsoever, shall keep or carry a gun, powder, shot, club or other weapon whatsoever, offensive or defensive; but all and every gun weapon and ammunition found in the possession or custody of any negro or mulatto, may be seized by any person and upon due proof made before any justice of the peace of the district [county] where such seizure shall be, shall by his order be forfeited to the seizor, for his own use, and moreover, every such offender shall have and receive by order of such justice any number of lashes not exceeding thirty nine on his or her bare back well laid on for every such offence. § 4. Every free negro or mulatto, being a housekeeper may be permitted to keep one gun, powder and shot; and all negroes or mulattoes bond or free, living at any frontier plantation, may be permitted to keep and use guns, powder shot and weapons, offensive and defensive, by license from a justice of the peace of the district [county] wherein such plantation lies, to be obtained upon the application of free negroes or mulattoes or of the owners of such as are slaves.

[An Ordinance to Prevent Nuisances, Etc.] § 7. Be it further ordained by the authority aforesaid, That any negro or mulatto, shall be punished with thirty-nine stripes on the bare back, if found with deadly weapons, other than the legal implements of his, or her business, when engaged therein; and it is hereby made the duty of the town constable, and permitted to any other citizen, to disarm and imprison such negro or mulatto, as may be found with a belt or butcher-knife, dirk, sword, or pistol, and make complaint to any magistrate within this Borough, to award the aforesaid punishment.

That is any negro or mulatto slave shall join, or be willingly present at any riot, rout or unlawful assembly, or shall commit an assault and battery upon any white person, or shall without special permission of his or her master or mistress, presume to carry any gun, pistol, sword, dirk, or other unusual or dangerous weapon or arms; every negro or mulatto slave so offending, and being thereof convicted before any Justice of the Peace for the county, in which the offence shall be committed, shall be whipped with not less than ten nor more than forty lashes, publically upon the bare back.

. . . it shall not be lawful for free negroes and free mulattoes to have, own, keep or possess any gun, pistol, sword or any warlike instruments whatsoever: Provided however, that if upon application of any such free negro or free mulatto to one of the justices of the peace of the county in which such free negro or free mulatto resides, it shall satisfactorily appear upon the written certificate of five or more respectable and judicious citizens of the neighborhood, that such free negro or free mulatto is a person of fair character, and that the circumstances of his case justify his keep and using a gun, then and in every such case it shall and may be lawful for such justice to issue a license or permit under his hand and authorizing such free negro or free mulatto to have use and keep in his posession a gun or fowling piece.

Any free person who, without the consent of the owner, shall sell, loan or give to any slave, any gun, pistol, sword, or dirk, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall, on conviction by presentment or indictment, be fined not less than fifty dollars, and imprisoned not less than ten days.

Slaves, § 23. Any gun or other offensive or defensive weapon found in the possession of a slave, without having the written permission of his master the carry the same, may be seized by any person, and upon proof of such seizure before a justice of the peace of the county where the same shall have been made, such gun or weapon shall be by the order of such justice, adjudged and forfeited to the seizor for his own use, and such slave shall receive by the order of such justice, any number of stripes not exceeding thirty.

Negroes and Mulattoes, § 17. No free negro shall be suffered to keep or carry any gun or rifle, or weapon of any kind, or any ammunition without a license first had and obtained, for that purpose, from some justice of the peace of the county in which such free negro or mulatto resides, and such license may be granted and revoked by any justice of the peace of the county. §18. Every gun, rifle, or weapon of any kind, or ammunition, found in the possession or custody of any free negro or mulatto, not having a license as required by the preceding section, may be seized by any person, and upon due proof thereof made before some justice of the peace of the county in which such seizure was made, shall by order of such justice be forfeited to the use of the person making the seizure, and such justice shall also impose a fine on such negro or mulatto, for the use of the county, not exceeding twenty dollars.

That no slave in this republic shall carry a gun or other deadly weapon without the written consent of his master, mistress or overseer; such arms or other weapons shall be liable to be taken by any person from any such negro, and all such property forfeited, if it does not exceed ten dollars in value; but any such property may be reclaimed by the owner on paying ten dollars to the person who may have so taken the same.

Laws of the Republic of Texas, [An Act Concerning Slaves (1840),] § 6. Be it further enacted, That no slave in this Republic shall carry a gun or other deadly weapon without the written consent of his master, mistress or overseer; such arms or other weapons shall be liable to be taken by any person from any such negro, and all such property forfeited, if it does not exceed ten dollars in value; but any such property may be reclaimed by the owner on paying ten dollars to the person who may have so taken the same.

Crimes and Punishments, 1840 – 1. – Ch. 30, If any free negro, mulatto, or free person of color shall wear, or carry about his or her person, or keep in his or her house, any shot gun, musket, rifle, pistol, sword, dagger, or bowie knife, unless he or she shall have obtained a license therefor from the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of his or her county, within one year preceding the wearing, keeping or carrying thereof, he or she shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and may be indicted therefor.

That the proviso in the first section of the act to which this is a further supplement, and all and every the provisions of the said act, or any other supplemental act thereto, which authorizes the issuing, by a justice of the peace, of a license or permit to a free negro or free mulatto to have, use and keep in his possession, a gun or fowling piece, be and the same are hereby repealed, made null and void.

Crimes and Punishments, 1846 – 7- Ch. 42. It shall not be lawful for any person or persons to sell or barter and deliver, to any slave, or slaves, any gun cotton, fire arms, swords, dirks or other side arms, unless those articles be for the owner or employer, and by the written order of the owner or employer of such slave or slaves, under the penalty of one hundred dollars for each offence, to be recovered, by warrant, before any Justice of the Peace, and applied, one half to the use of the party suing for the same, and the other half to the wardens of the poor of the county; and, moreover, may be indicted in the County or Superior Courts of Law; and the defendant, on conviction, shall be fined or imprisoned at the discretion of the Court; the fine, however, not to exceed fifty dollars, or the imprisonment three months.

[Ordinances of the Parish of East Feliciana,] Of Slaves, § 5. No slave shall carry a gun to hunt, except on the plantation of his master or mistress; nor then unless accompanied by the overseer or some other free white member of the family, or has a written permit from his owner or overseer, which permit shall state for what said slave is hunting: Any person having the charge of slaves, who shall permit this section to be violated, shall pay a fine of twenty dollars, for the use of the parish, upon information to any Justice, whose duty it is to take cognizance of the case.

If any negro shall keep or carry a gun, or other deadly weapon, powder, or shot, the same may be seized by any free white person; and upon due proof thereof, before a justice of the peace, it shall be forfeited, and vested in the person seizing; and if the negro offending be a slave, he shall by a judgment of a justice of the peace, be punished by stripes not exceeding thirty-nine; if a free negro, fined five dollars.

§ 2. No free negro or mulatto shall be suffered to keep or carry any firelock, or weapon of any kind, or any ammunition, without license first had and obtained for the purpose, from a justice of the peace of the county in which such free negro or mulatto resides, and such license may be revoked at any time by the justice granting the same or by any justice of the county. § 3. Any gun, firelock, or weapon of any kind, or any ammunition, found in the possession of any free negro or mulatto not having a license, as required by the last preceding section, may be seized by any person, and upon due proof thereof, before any justice of the peace of the county in which such seizure shall have been made, shall be forfeited by order of such justice, to the person making the seizure, for his own use.

Any person who shall sell, lend, hire, give, or in any manner furnish to any slave any sword, dirk, bowie-knife, gun, pistol or other fire arms, or any other kind of deadly weapon of offence, or any ammunition of any kind suitable for fire arms, shall, upon conviction, suffer the penalties prescribed in section six of this act; Provided, that nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to prohibit the owner or master of any slave from temporarily arming such slave with such weapon and ammunition for the purpose of the lawful defence of himself, his family or property.

That chapter 107, section 66, of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows: If any free negro shall wear or carry about his person or keep in his house any shot gun, musket, rifle, pistol, sword, sword cane, dagger, bowie knife, powder or shot, he shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction fined not less than fifty dollars.

. . . any person other than the owner, who shall sell or furnish to any slave or free person of color, any gun, pistol, bowie knife, slung shot, sword cane, or other weapon used for the purpose of offence or defence, shall, on indictment and conviction, be fined by the Court in a sum not exceeding five hundred dollars, and imprisoned in the common Jail of the county not exceeding six months . . . .

. . . That free negroes and free mulattoes are prohibited from owning or having in their possession, a gun, pistol, sword or any other warlike instrument, and any free negro or free mulatto offending against the provisions of this Section shall be fined ten dollars by any Justice of the Peace before whom complaint shall be made, and upon failure to pay the fine and cost he or she shall be committed to prison, and after the expiration of twenty days, if the fine and cost shall not be paid, he or she shall be sold to pay the fine and cost, for any period not exceeding seven years.

Sec. 3. No slave or mulatto whatsoever, shall keep or carry a gun, poweder, shot, club or other weapon whatsoever, offensive or defensive; but all and every gun weapon and ammunition found in the possesision or custody of any negro or mulatto, may be seized by any person and upon due proof made before any justice of the peace of the district [county] where such seizure shall be, shall by his order be forfeited to the seizor, for his own use, and moreover, every such offender shall have and receive by order of such justice any num=ber of lashes not exceeding thirty nine on his or her bare back well laid on for every such offense.

Sec. 15. Be it further enacted, That it shall be lawful for any patrol of this Territory, to take from any slave or slaves any fire-arms, or other dangerous weapons, to be delivered by said patrol to the justice of the peace of said district . . . . Sec. 17. Be it further enacted, That it shall not be lawful for any slave, free negro, or mulatto, to keep or retain in his or their house or houses, any fire-arms whatsoever, and it is hereby made the duty of the patrol to search negro houses or other suspected places for fire-arms, and if any they find, contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act, may take the same to the nearest justice of the peace, who may proceed therewith as directed in a preceding section of this act; and the negro or negroes, in whose possession the same may be found, on failing to give a plain and satisfactory account of the manner he or they came possessed of the same, may be severally punished by moderate whipping on the bare back, not exceeding thirty-nine lashes.

Sec. 55. Be it further enacted, that if any slave shall wilfully and maliciously shoot at any free white person with a gun or other instrument, with intent to kill such person, or if any slave shall wilfully and maliciously wound any free white person in attempting or endevouring to kill another peroson, the slave so offending, his or her aider and abetter being a slave, shall be deemed guilty of felony, and shall therefore suffer death.

“SECTION 19. No slave shall, by day or by night, carry any visible or hidden arms, not even with a permission for so doing, and in case any person or persons shall find any slave or slaves, using or carrying such fire arms, or any offensive weapons of any other kind, contrary to the true meaning of this act, he, she or they, lawfully, may seize and carry away such fire arms, or other offensive weapons; but before the person or persons, who shall so seize such fire arms can possess the same of right, he, she or they shall go, within forty-eight hours after the said seizure, before the next justice of the peace, and shall declare, upon oath, the manner in which he, she or they have seized the said arms; and if the justice of the peace, upon the oath of such person or persons, or upon any other examination or proof, be satisfied that the said fire arms or other offiensive weapons have been seized, pursuant to the true intent and meaning of this act, the said justice of the peace shall de- clare, by a certificate under his hand and seal, that the said arms are forfeited, and that they have lawfully become the property of the person or persons who has or have seized the same: Provided,that no certificate of the above de- scription shall be delivered by any justice of the peace, until the owner or owners of the said fire arms or other offensive weapons, which shall have been seized as aforesaid, or the overseer or overseers who shall have the said slave or slaves in charge, upon whom the said fire arms or other offensive weapons shall have been seized, as aforesaid, be duly sum- moned to show cause, (if he, she or they have any,) why the said arms should not be forfeited, or until forty-eight hours shall have elapsed after the citation and oath made before the said justice of the peace: Provided, that the said slave or slaves do not actually carry the arms of his master to………….or from his plantation to………..with a special permission for that purpose.”

SECTION 20. The inhabitants who keep slaves for the purpose of hunting, shall never deliver to the said slaves any fire arms for the purpose of hunting, without a permis- sion by writing, which shall not serve beyond the limits of the plantation of the owners.