An act to emancipate Abel and Patsey Payne.

by Lisa Y. Henderson

An Act to emancipate Abel Payne and his wife Patsey, slaves

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That Abel Payne and his wife Patsey, the property of Joshua Carman, of the county of Cumberland, be, and they are hereby, with the consent and at the request of their said owner, emancipated and set free; and by the names of Abel and Patsey Payne, shall hereafter possess and exercise all the rights and privileges which are enjoyed by other free persons of color in this State: Provided nevertheless, That before said slaves shall be emancipated, their said master, Joshua Carman, shall give bond and good security, in the sum of five hundred dollars, to the Governor and his successors in office, in the court of Cumberland county, that the said slave shall honestly and correctly demean themselves as long as he shall remain in the State, and shall not become a parish charge; which bond may be sued upon, in the name of the Governor for the time being, to the use of the parish, and of any person injured by the mal conduct of such said slave. [Ratified 2d day of January, 1847]

Chapter CLXI, Public and Private Laws of North Carolina Passed by the General Assembly,1846-47, North Carolina State Library.