slaves could testify for or against other slaves. how they would testify of course
might depend on what they thought the master wanted.
Paul Finkelman
Anne Pemberton wrote:
> But could a slave testify for a slave? Could they point out the excesses
> and crimes of the Master?
>
> Anne
>
> At 04:16 PM 1/7/03 -0600, you wrote:
> >slaves in fact could testify against other slaves.
> >paul finkelman
> >
> >Anne Pemberton wrote:
> >
> > > I have a problem seeing these as "trials" in the typical meaning of the
> > > term. The slave would not be able to call other slaves to witness for the
> > > defendant since they could not honestly pledge to tell the "whole truth and
> > > nothing but the truth" if it was not in the master's interest for the
> > > witnesses to do so. Were there attorneys available to mount a defense for
> > > a slave? Or was it a mock trial? Was justice served, or just the
> > master's will?
> > >
> > > Anne
> > >
> > > At 09:57 AM 1/7/03 -0500, you wrote:
> > > >I'm not sure what incident you are referring to in regard to Cicley
> > > >Reynolds, but slaves did have the right to trial and there many
> > examples in
> > > >the various county order books. Orange County, for example, documents
> > a case
> > > >where a slave was tried (and convicted) of poisoning her master.
> > > >
> > > >-----Original Message-----
> > > >From: Discussion of research and writing about Virginia history
> > > >[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of Reyesuela
> > > >Sent: Monday, January 06, 2003 7:40 PM
> > > >To: [log in to unmask]
> > > >Subject: [VA-HIST] slightly OT: Re: Jefferson nephew chops a Black man
> > > >to pieces
> > > >
> > > >
> > > ><shudders> It's amazing what horrible things you can find in a past that
> > > >many (including myself) would like to idealize. I myself was researching
> > > >Cicley Reynolds (her first name is spelled several different ways on
> > verious
> > > >documents), an ancestress and early settler int he Jamestown area, and
> > aside
> > > >from learning about her four husbands and the first breach of promise suit
> > > >in America, I discovered that she killed a family slave girl for poisoning
> > > >and killing the last of her husbands. Whether or not the accusation was
> > > >true will never be known, because as a slave, the girl never got a trial.
> > > >Nor will it be know what desperation, madness, or hatred could have
> > > >motivated such an act.
> > > >The more I read about the social history of slavery, indentured servitude,
> > > >and/or serfdom in any culture--be it Roman, American, Australian, or
> > > >Russian--the more convinced I am that bound servitude is an instution that
> > > >fosters the very worst and most brutal in men, the served and serving
> > both.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >---------------------------------
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> > > >
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> > > >To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
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> > >
> > > Anne Pemberton
> > > [log in to unmask]
> > >
> > > http://www.erols.com/stevepem
> > > http://www.educationalsynthesis.org
> > >
> > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
> > > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
> >
> >--
> >Paul Finkelman
> >Chapman Distinguished Professor of Law
> >University of Tulsa College of Law
> >3120 East 4th Place
> >Tulsa, OK 74104-3189
> >
> >phone 918-631-3706
> >Fax 918-631-2194
> >e-mail: [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> >To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
> >at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
>
> Anne Pemberton
> [log in to unmask]
>
> http://www.erols.com/stevepem
> http://www.educationalsynthesis.org
>
> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
> at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
--
Paul Finkelman
Chapman Distinguished Professor of Law
University of Tulsa College of Law
3120 East 4th Place
Tulsa, OK 74104-3189
phone 918-631-3706
Fax 918-631-2194
e-mail: [log in to unmask]
To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions
at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html
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