in Charlestown, there to remain for the space of seven years, and to serve or to be kept at hard labor.  And in case the slave murdered shall be the property of any other person than the offender, the pay usually allowed by the public to the soldiers of such garrison, or the profits of the labor of the offender, if committed to the work house in Charlestown shall be paid to the owner of the slave murdered.  And if any person shall, on a sudden heat of passion, or by undue correction, kill his own slave, or the slave of any other person, he shall forfeit the sum of three hundred and fifty pounds, current money.  And in case any person or persons shall wilfully cut out the tongue, put out the eye, castrate, or cruelly scald, burn, or deprive any slave of any limb or member, or shall inflict any other cruel punishment, other than by whipping or beating with a horse-whip, cow-skin, switch or small stick or by putting irons on, or confining or imprisoning such slave, every such person shall, for every such offence, forfeit the sum of one hundred pounds, current money."[492]

It may be said truthfully that the slaves in the colony of South Carolina were accorded treatment as good as that bestowed upon horses, in 1750.  But their social condition was most deplorable.  The law positively forbid the instruction of slaves, and the penalty was “one hundred pounds current money.”  For a few years Saturday afternoon had been allowed them as a day of recreation, but as early as 1690 it was forbidden by statute.  In the same year an Act was passed declaring that slaves should “have convenient clothes, once every year; and that no slave” should “be free by becoming a christian,[493] but as to payments of debts” were “deemed and taken as all other goods and chattels.”  Their houses were searched every fortnight “for runaway slaves” and “stolen goods.”  Druggists were not allowed to employ a Negro to handle medicines, upon pain of forfeiting twenty pounds current money for every such offence.  Negroes were not allowed to practise medicine, nor administer drugs of any kind, except by the direction of some white person.  Any gathering of Negroes could be broken up at the discretion of a justice living in the district where the meeting was in session.

Poor clothing and insufficient food bred wide-spread discontent among the slaves, and attracted public attention.[494] Many masters endeavored to get on as cheaply as possible in providing for their slaves.  In 1732 the Legislature passed an Act empowering two justices of the peace to inquire as to the treatment of slaves on the several plantations; and if any master neglected his slaves in food and raiment, he was liable to a fine of not more than fifty shillings.  In May, 1740, an Act was passed requiring masters to see to it that their slaves were not overworked.  The time set for them to work, was “from the 25th day of March to the 25th day of September,” not “more than fifteen hours in four-and-twenty;” and “from the 25th day of September to the 25th day of March,” not “more than fourteen hours in four-and-twenty.”