The law also defended the right of the slave to purchase his own
freedom. He had the right to own property and could accumulate
funds with which he might eventually achieve his dream. He also
had the right to demand that his master or the courts set a
fixed price for his purchase which he could then pay over a
period of years. Sundays and holidays were for the slave to use
as he saw fit, and, in some cases, he was also guaranteed a
couple of hours every day for his own use. During this time he
could sell his services and save the proceeds. The law also
stated that parents of ten or more children were to be set free.
Finally, slaves could be freed by the courts as the result of
mistreatment by their masters.
While there was much sentiment in North America supporting
marriages among slaves, and there was much animosity against
masters who separated families through sale, the law was
unambiguous on this point. Slaves were property, and therefore
could not enter into contracts including contracts of marriage.
Jurists also noted that to prevent the sale of separate members
of a family would lower the sale price, and this was to tamper
with a man's property.
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