The growth of the Negro population and the fears of uprisings which the white population entertained had the effect of bringing forth a body of laws that were designed to keep the Negroes under control. Before the end of the seventeenth century the slave code of Virginia was well established. No slave was allowed to leave the plantation, presumably on an errand for his master, without the written permission of his master. Slaves wandering about without such permits were to be taken up and returned to their masters.
Slaves found guilty of murder or rape were to be hanged, and their masters were to be compensated by the colony. For robbing a house or a store a slave was given sixty lashes by the sheriff, placed in the pillory with his ears nailed to the posts for a half hour, and then his ears were severed from his head. For petty offenses slaves were whipped, maimed, or branded.
Leave a Reply