ACTS PASSED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF SOUTH-CAROLINA, AT A SESSIONS [sic] BEGUN TO BE HOLDEN AT CHARLES-TOWN ON WEDNESDAY THE TENTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER, IN THE TWENTIETH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF OUR SOVEREIGN LORD GEORGE THE SECOND, BY THE GRACE OF GOD. . . IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND FORTY-SIX. AND FROM THENCE CONTINUED BY DIVERS ADJOURNMENTS TO THE 13TH DAY OF JUNE, 1747

South-Carolina. Charles-Town: Printed and Sold by Peter Timothy, at the New Printing-Office in Broad-Street, 1747. Folio, 7-1/2" x 11-1/2." 60, [1- Table of Acts], [1 blank] pp. With printed side margin summaries of Acts. Some contemporary marginalia. Wood-engraved title vignette, head- and tail-piece. Light scattered foxing, stitched. Near Fine, in early marbled wrappers.

A detailed Militia Law, repealing all previous such laws and printed at pages 15-38, enrolls "all the Male Inhabitants of this Province from the Age of Sixteen to Sixty Years." It requires each such person to have "one Gun or Musquet fit for Service, a Cover for his Lock, (truncated) one Cartridge-Box with at least twelve Cartridges, filled with good Gunpowder and Ball, a Horn or Flask, filled with at least a Quarter of a Pound of Gun-Powder, and a Shot-pouch with Bullets. . ." The Militia is organized to repel, not only foreign invasions, but also "the Depredations of Pirates and Sea-Rovers, and many Inland Places are in Danger of Incursions from Indians, and are frequently infested with fugitive and revolted Slaves."
The dangers of "Insurrections or other wicked Attempts of Slaves" are noted. But several provisions of the Militia Act endorse the participation of loyal Slaves. Those who "behave themselves manfully in Fight against the Enemy" are "declared to be free." Lists of dependable, loyal slaves are kept and they may be incorporated into the militia. Page 52 begins "An Act for giving Freedom to a Negro Man named Arrah, late a Slave belonging to Mr. Hugh Cartwright." Arrah escaped from the French enemy and voluntarily "returned to this Province." He, along with others who similarly escaped from the enemy and returned home, are manumitted.
I Turnbull 113. Sabin 87574; Shipton & Mooney 40441. ESTC W31048. (Inventory #: 40062)