A 1p manuscript document signed by six officials, inscribed: "We the undersigners do certify that James Johnson Constable in the fifth Election district has patrol'd and Endeaver'd to disperse the Tumultuous meeting, of negrows in said district…" N.d., n.p. but probably Maryland or the District of Columbia. The docket verso indicates that Constable Johnson was awarded $8 for his services. Expected wear including a central horizontal fold, even toning, and ink bleed-through visible only verso, else near fine. 8.125" x 3.125."

Maryland instituted laws after 1723 severely restricting the right of assembly of either free blacks or enslaved persons. The language found in the early penal codes describing these groups as "tumultuous meetings of negroes" suggests that no socialization between Blacks could ever be peaceful, and hinted at the root cause of such legislation: the overwhelming fear that free Blacks would join slaves in fomenting rebellion. To restrict the free movement and fraternizing of freed Blacks and the enslaved, Maryland, as well as the District of Columbia, tasked constables to make monthly patrols in order to apprehend and punish runaways or malingerers. It is likely that our Constable Johnson made such a round in the fifth election district.

As stated in Items 63-65 of the Maryland Code of 1860: "Every constable shall repair once a month to all suspected places within his district, and suppress the assembling and tumultuous meeting of negroes…if, at any such place, he shall find any negro slaves…he shall whip every such negro, at his discretion, not exceeding thirty-nine lashes. 64. If, at any such meeting, the constable shall find a free negro, he shall forthwith carry such free negro before some justice of the peace of the county, who shall commit such free negro to jail…All free negroes who shall be found associating, or in company with slaves at any unlawful or tumultuous meeting, either by day or night…such free negro shall be subject to the same punishment as slaves thus offending…"

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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