Ordinance by Gilles Hocquart relative to the liberation of slaves, 1 September 1736.
99
September 1736
fst September
Ordinance Concerning the Liberation of Slaves.
Gilles hocquart
Upon having been informed that a number of Individuals in This Colony have liberated their Slaves with no more formality than verbally granting them their freedom, And it being necessary to determine the Status of Slaves that may be liberated hereafter, We after having conferred with M. le Marquis de Beauharnois, Governor and lieutenant general for the king in this Colony, Ordain that in the future all individuals in this Country, regardless of their status, who wish to liberate their Slaves will be required to do so according to an act signed by Notaries for which minutes will be kept, And which will be Recorded at the registry of the closest Jurisdiction Royale; we Declare that all other liberations not concluded according to the above form will be Null and Void, and the present ordinance will be read and published in the customary manner, and recorded in the Registries of the Jurisdictions Royales of Québec, Montréal and Trois Rivières. Mandated etc done at Quebec on the first of September 1736.
Upon having been informed that a number of Individuals in This Colony have liberated their Slaves with no more formality than verbally granting them their freedom, And it being necessary to determine the Status of Slaves that may be liberated hereafter, We after having conferred with M. le Marquis de Beauharnois, Governor and lieutenant general for the king in this Colony, Ordain that in the future all individuals in this Country, regardless of their status, who wish to liberate their Slaves will be required to do so according to an act signed by Notaries for which minutes will be kept, And which will be Recorded at the registry of the closest Jurisdiction Royale; we Declare that all other liberations not concluded according to the above form will be Null and Void, and the present ordinance will be read and published in the customary manner, and recorded in the Registries of the Jurisdictions Royales of Québec, Montréal and Trois Rivières. Mandated etc done at Quebec on the first of September 1736.
[signed]hocquart
Source: Archives nationales du Québec, Centre de Québec, Registre des Commissions et Ordonnances rendues par monsieur Hocquart Intendant de justice, police et finances en la Nouvelle france, E1, S1, P2855, Hocquart, Gilles, Ordinance relative to the liberation of slaves, September 1, 1736, fol. 99.