The children of Samuel Venning represent that he died in 1821, having executed his will in 1818, "prior to the act passed by your Honorable Body at its last Session" that prohibit the manumission of slaves. They point out that said will directed the executors "to manumit and set free" several slaves and declared "that in the event of your Petitioners, his Executors, neglecting to do the Same, that they should incur a forfeiture of Such portion of the Testators Estate as he had bequeathed to them." The petitioners therefore pray that an act of assembly be passed "declaring the aforesaid Slaves and the issue of the Females to be forever free and emancipated." The Vennings also request that "a Slave of the Name of Luke, a Child of the Same Family, whose name your Petitioners have reason to believe was omitted by the Testator ... through inadvertence" be included "in this Act of emancipation." The petitioners further "would beg leave to State that an adequate Fund was provided by the Testator for the Support of Sue and her children during her Old age and their minority."
Result: Referred to select committee.
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Repository: South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina
