DECREE of the Conseil of Petit-Goave, which forbids the Enslaved to have Arms

HAVING SEEN the Remonstrance of the Procureur-Général, and ruling on it, the Council makes very express prohibitions to all enslaved nègres against keeping any offensive or defensive Arms, or big sticks commonly called Bangalas, in their Cabins or elsewhere, on pain of having one ear cut off by the Executioner of High Justice for the first offense, and loss of their Arms to the benefit of those who find them, without any other form or semblance of trial than their said capture, and of greater penalties at the discretion of the Council in case of repeat offense. This prohibition shall not include the Commandeurs, who, for their safety and to keep the nègres under their charge in submission and obedience, may have all the Arms necessary to them for that purpose, nor the nègre Hunters employed in that work for their enslavers, which Hunters may have a gun and a garnished tail only. And so that the present Decree may be unknown to no one, the Council orders that it be published, etc. GIVEN in the said Council extraordinarily assembled, etc.