English Colonial Laws Protect Slaveowner Property Rights Poem by Terence George Craddock

English copied profits Spanish Portuguese
choose to see cash enslavement of Africans
Native Americans as moral legal socially
acceptable an institution path road to riches

rationale for enslavement just war rewards
taking captives slavery alternative to death
sentence Native American slaves suffered
European diseases inhumane treatment died

what if property slaves freedom desire?
what if slave resists his rightful master?
what is law for correcting such slaves?
what if slave is killed in such correction?

property has no right to freedom
table desk chair slave has no freedom rights
possessions chattel are owned used abused at owners choice
no problem if possessions have bill of sale neat receipt invoice

in the event a slave unlawful resists his master
discretion in methods correcting a slave are masters
wisdom dictates no correction method can ever be too harsh
slave rebellion capital can not run off to woodland marsh

let this be stated perfect clear
if any slave resists his master
if any slave resists his owner
or any person by his or her order

correcting such a slave is a matter of social order
a troublesome slave cannot be allowed to cause disorder
should happen by chance a slave in correction is killed
it shall not be accounted felony if a slave in correction is killed

master owner every such person so giving correction
shall be free acquit of all punishment from giving correction
shall be free acquit of all punishment accusation for the same
free as if such incident had never happened to merriment tame