Nov.27, 1809, Acts 34th G.A. 1st sitting, ch. LII, p.200-201.
WHEREAS large and unusual sums of money have been drawn from the Treasury the last year, by the citizens of this State, for maintaining abandoned blacks, which has caused suspicions that they have misconstrued the law and thereby obtained drafts on the Treasury which are not strictly just and according to the letter and spirit thereof---For remedy whereof,
Sec. 1 BE IT ENACTED by the council and general assembly of this state, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That from and after the passing of this act no warrant shall be paid by the Treasurer for keeping any abandoned black child, except the same is accompanied with a certificate from the clerk of the township or the clerk of the board of trustees of the Poor-house of the county in which the said abandoned black was born as the case may be, under oath; setting forth said abandonment to have taken place agreeably to law, likewise a certificate from the trustees or overseers of the poor of said township or county under his or their oath or oaths, that the demand set forth in said warrant for the maintenance of said abandoned black is in consequence of a bona fide agreement entered into by the said trustee or trustees, overseer or overseers of the poor, with the person who has maintained the said black, previous to any demand or charge against the State in said warrant.
A. Passed at Trenton Nov. 27, 1809.