Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Alabama, in General Assembly convened, That from and after the passage of this act, it shall be the duty of every master, or other person having charge of Slaves, to treat them with humanity, and provide for them necessary food and clothing; and if any master, or other person having charge of any Slave or Slaves, shall fail to provide and furnish him, her or them with a sufficiency of healthy and substantial food and necessary clothing, he shall be subject to indictment therefor, and on conviction thereof, be punished by a fine, not less than twenty-five and not exceeding one thousand dollars.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That in all prosecutions under this act, the jury trying the cause shall be the judges of what constitutes a sufficiency of healthy and substantial food, and necessary clothing.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That no indictment under this act shall be quashed for want of technical correctness; and that an averment, charging the master, or indictment, other person having charge of any slave or slaves, that said master or other person had treated a slave or slaves with inhumanity, or that they had failed to provide and furnish the slave or slaves with a sufficiency of healthy and substantial food, or necessary clothing, shall be deemed sufficient, without particularly describing the act of inhumanity, or the manner in which there has been a failure to provide proper food and clothing.

Approved, February 26, 1848.