Feb.4, 1840, Acts 64th G.A. 2nd sitting, p.19-20.
WHEREAS, Caesar Jackson, of the township of Hackensack, in the county of Bergen, a coloured man, having been born previously to the year 1804, is therefore a slave in law, and not entitled to the benefit of "An act for the gradual abolition of slavery and other purposes respecting slaves," passed the 24th of February, 1820; AND WHEREAS, Peter Bourdett, late of the same place, and in his lifetime owner of the said Caesar Jackson, inserted in his will an earnest request that the said slave should, on the demise of the testator, be set free, and the heirs of the said Peter Bourdett are willing and anxious to carry the request of the said testator, as expressed in his will, into full effect, but have been unable to do so; AND WHEREAS, the said Caesar Jackson is in possession of a lot of land in said township, given to him by the heirs of his late master, on which he has erected a dwelling house for himself and family, but cannot obtain a deed for the same, by reason of his still being a slave in law, and hath by his petition to the legislature prayed that he may be released from his disability, and be made capable in law of receiving a title for the said lot of land---Therefore,
BE IT ENACTED by the Council and General Assembly of this state, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That Caesar Jackson, of the township of Hackensack, in the county of Bergen, a coloured man, and late a slave of Peter Bourdett, of the same place, deceased, be, and he hereby is released from his state of slavery, and shall hereafter be entitled to all the rights and privileges of a free coloured man of the state of New Jersey.
Passed February 4, 1840.