Governor of New England, required him to "paſs a law for the reſtraining of inhuman ſeverity which may be uſed by ill maſters or overſeers towards the Chriſtian ſervants or ſlaves; wherein proviſion is to be made that the wilful killing of Indians and Negroes be puniſhed with death, and a fitt penalty impoſed for the maiming of them." N. Y. Col. Doc., iii., 547. The reader will note the diſtinction in theſe inſtructions between the Chriſtian ſervants or ſlaves, and the Indians and Negroes. It points to a feature of ſlavery in Maſſachuſetts, at that time, which we propoſe to notice in another portion of theſe notes.
The Law of 1698, Chapter 6, forbids trading or trucking with any "Indian, molato or negro ſervant or ſlave, or other known diſſolute, lewd, and diſorderly perſons, of whom there is juſt cauſe of ſuſpicion." Such perſons were to be puniſhed by whipping for ſo trading with money or goods improperly obtained.
The Law of 1700, Chapter 13, was enacted to protect the Indians againſt the exactions and oppreſſion which ſome of the Engliſh exerciſed towards them "by drawing them to conſent to covenant or bind themſelves or children apprentices or ſervants for an unreaſonable term, on pretence of or to make ſatisfaction for ſome ſmall debt contracted or damage done by them." Other ſimilar acts were afterwards paſſed in 1718 and 1726, the latter having a clauſe to protect them againſt kidnapping.
In 1701, the Repreſentatives of the town of Boſton were "deſired to promote the encouraging the bringing of white ſervants, and to put a period to Negroes being ſlaves." Drake's Boſton, 525. M. H. S. Coll., ii.,
