The basis for these statements is a collection of notes on legal burning alive made by Mr. Albert Matthews. Compare John Fiske: “Old Virginia and her Neighbours” (1897), II, 265. Footnote 255: Section LVI of “An Act for the better Ordering and Governing Negroes and other Slaves in this Province,” dated the 10th day of May, 1740, reads as follows: “And _whereas_, several negroes did lately rise in rebellion, and did commit many barbarous murders at Stono and other parts adjacent thereto; and _whereas_, in suppressing the said rebels, several of them were killed and others taken alive and executed; and as the exigence and danger the inhabitants at that time were in and exposed to, would not admit of the formality of a legal trial of such rebellious negroes, but for their own security, the said inhabitants were obliged to put such negroes to immediate death; to prevent, therefore, any person or persons being questioned for any matter or thing done in the suppression or execution of the said rebellious negroes, as also any litigious suit, action, or prosecution that may be brought, sued or prosecuted or commenced against such person or persons for or concerning the same; _Be it enacted_ by the authority aforesaid, That all and every act, matter and thing, had, done, committed and executed, in and about the suppressing and putting all and every the said negro and negroes to death, is and are hereby declared lawful, to all intents and purposes whatsoever, as fully and amply as if such rebellious negroes had undergone a formal trial and condemnation, notwithstanding any want of form or omission whatever in the trial of such negroes; and any law, usage or custom to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.”—“Statutes at Large of South Carolina” (edited by D. J. McCord, 1840), VII, 416–417. Footnote 256: Instances are recorded where Indians who had committed the crime of rape on white females were legally dealt with. See “Records of the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay in New England,” II, 23; “New Haven Colonial Records” (Hoadly, 1858), p. 543; “Rhode Island Colonial Records,” II, 420, 427, 428; “Records of the Court of Assistants of the Colony of the Massachusetts Bay” (J. Noble, 1901), pp. 21–22; “Plymouth Colony Records,” VI, 98. Footnote 257: _Niles’ Register_, Dec. 25, 1813 (5: 279). Footnote 258: _Niles’ Register_, Aug. 25, 1821 (20: 415–416). Footnote 259: _Niles’ Register_, June 8, 1822 (22: 238). Footnote 260: _Niles’ Register_, July 13, 1822 (22: 320). Footnote 261: _Niles’ Register_, Sept, 14, 1822 (23: 18). It was in the year 1741 that the thirteen blacks were burned at the stake in New York by judicial decree. Footnote 262: Additional evidence has been given above in another connection. See Chapter IV. Footnote 263: