IV. And whereas the condition of persons in a state of slavery is such that they are utterly unable to take advantage of any remedy which the laws may provide for their protection and the amendment of their condition, and have not the proper means of pursuing any process for the same, but are and must be under guardianship: and whereas it is not fitting that they should be under the sole guardianship of their masters, or their attorneys and overseers, to whom their grievances, whenever they suffer any, must ordinarily be owing: [Sidenote: Attorney-General to be protector of negroes.] [Sidenote: To inquire and file information _ex officio_.] 1. Be it therefore enacted, that his Majesty's Attorney-General for the time being successively shall, by his office, exercise the trust and employment of protector of negroes within the island in which he is or shall be Attorney-General to his Majesty, his heirs and successors; and that the said Attorney-General, protector of negroes, is hereby authorized to hear any complaint on the part of any negro or negroes, and inquire into the same, or to institute an inquiry _ex officio_ into any abuses, formations and to call before him and examine witnesses upon oath, relative to the subject-matter of the said official inquiry or complaint: and it is hereby enacted and declared, that the said Attorney-General, protector of negroes, is hereby authorized and empowered, at his discretion, to file an information _ex officio_ for any offences committed against the provisions of this act, or for any misdemeanors or wrongs against the said negroes, or any of them. [Sidenote: Power to challenge jurors.] 2. And it is further enacted, that in all trials of such informations the said protector of negroes may and is hereby authorized to challenge peremptorily a number not exceeding ---- of the jury who shall be impanelled to try the charge in the said information contained. [Sidenote: To appoint inspectors of districts.] [Sidenote: who are to report to him twice in the year the number and condition of the slaves.]