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Cases Adjudged in the Supreme Court of NJ

RELATIVE TO THE MANUMISSION OF NEGROES AND OTHERSHOLDEN IN BONDAGE IN THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY

“GOD has created men of all nations, of all languages, of ALL COLOURS, EQUALLY FREE:”

“SLAVERY, in all its forms, in all its degrees, is a violation of the divine laws, and

a degradation of human nature.” ”

BURLINGTON, PRINTED FOR “THE NEW-JERSEY SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY,”

BY ISAAC NEALE, —

At a general meeting of the NEW-JERSEY SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING THE ABOLITION OF SLAVERY, September 2, 1793, RESOLVED, that the President of this Society collect and have printed the Decisions of the Supreme Court

in this State, relative to the Manumission of Negroes and others, unlawfully holden in Bondage.’

EXTRACT FROM THE MINUTES, ROBERT SMITH, JUN. SECRETARY. ON the Application of Joseph Bloomfield

Esquire, President of the New-Jersey Society for promoting the Abolition of Slavery, I have carefully examined the following Cases with the original Entries thereof, in the Minutes of the Supreme Court of New-Jersey ; and I do hereby certify, that the same are truly taken from the said Minutes, ]XGERSHEM CRAFT, for the Clerk of the Supreme Court.

November 20, 1793.

CASES ADJUDGED IN THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW-JERSEY.

November Term, 1775.

(Minutes, p. 44,142.)

The KING against ESTHER BARBER and others. On Habeas Corpus for to bring the Body of Beulah, a Negro Girl. BY the Admission of the Counsel, it appeared that Beulah the Negro Girl, brought up by the Habeas Corpus, and now before the Court, is the Daughter of a Negro Man and Negro Woman, the first named David, and the other named Dinah, both of whom formerly belonged to Caleb Haines, of the City of Burlington, which said Negroes David and Dinah, were set free by the said Caleb Haines in his life time, and before the Birth of the said Girl Beulah, without having given any Bond pursuant to the Act of Assembly, passed in the twelfth and thirteenth Years of her late Majesty Queen Ann ; for which Reason the said Manumission was alleged to be void.

The Court having heard the Arguments of Counsel, as well for the said Esther Barber and others, as for the said Beulah, at the Term of May last, and now again at this present Term, and having fully considered thereof are of Opinion, That the said Manumission by the said Caleb Haines, of the said David and Dinah, the Parents of the said Beulah, was good in Law against the said Caleb Haines and those claiming under him, notwithstanding the not giving Bond as aforesaid ; and that the same Beulah is entitled to her Freedom under the said Manumission against the said Caleb Haines, and all claiming under him ; and do order her the said Beulah to be delivered up from out of the Custody of the said Esther Barber and others, in which she hath been illegally detained.

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