Three justices of the peace argue that the law concerning “Suits for Freedom” bends too far in favor of the complainants. They assert that “for any Judicial authority to issue a warrant to deprive a man of his property, on every mere allegation on oath ... is to countenance any frivolous pretext, & must lead to the most vexatious & injurious consequences in our state of Society.” They declare that “every Negro or mulatto is prima facie a Slave in Virginia – This is the value of Law – Freedom, in those cases is only the exception. But, it may be said, that the Law in its spirit of humanity, should lean to Freedom. – Be it so. – But the Law should not lean so far to Freedom, as to work the perversion of Justice of derogation of Justice.” Believing that “the claims to Justice are as strong on the side of the alleged owner, as that of the complainant for Freedom,” they purport that “it should be fully & fairly meted out to both, & the Rights of one as [strongly] protected as those of the other.” They therefore pray that a law be enacted “as while it shall effectually provide for maintaining the rights of the Complainants for Freedom, those of the master, may be equally secured.”
Result: Rejected.
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Repository: Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia
