{"petition":[{"petition_analysis_number":"11284403","petition_url":"https:\/\/dlas.uncg.edu\/petitions\/petition\/11284403","state":"North Carolina","county":"Halifax","location_type":"County","file_day":14,"file_month":12,"file_year":1844,"filing_court":"Legislative","result":"approved by committee","enslaved_count":0,"fpoc_count":0,"total_people_count":10,"repository":"North Carolina Department of Archives and History, Raleigh, North Carolina","abstract":"Seventeen Halifax County residents complain that \"it has become a common occurrence for runaway negroes to provide themselves with guns in this County, & to use them in providing themselves provisions, & by threats to intimidate and frighten the timid thereby rendering their apprehension extremely difficult.\"  They cite one example of a farmer who \"lost by them seventy five hogs\" where the runaways alleged \"as the reason they stole from him in particular that he hunted for them; they sent him word, that if he would not hunt for them again -- they would not kill any more of his hogs -- but if he did, they should kill him.\"  Eager \"to put a stop to such monstrous outrages of the well being and order of society,\" the petitioners \"would respectfully suggest to your honorable body the passage of a law upon the subject, based on the following principles, to wit -- the negro to be hung, & the state pay the owner for him, & that no one to be held accountable for shooting him while in the woods.\"  They understand that \"your honorable body, may perhaps think that the above principles of a law, would be too strong, we dare say they are.\"  They assert, however, \"we think strong remedies ought to be used.\"","subjects":[{"subject":"Execution (enslaved)"},{"subject":"Right to carry (enslaved)"},{"subject":"Freedom seekers"},{"subject":"Destruction of property"},{"subject":"Theft by enslaved"}]}]}