SLAVERY. The state or condition of a slave.
2. Slavery exists in most of the southern states. In Pennsylvania, by the act of March, 1780, for the gradual abolition1 of slavery, it has been almost entirely2 removed in Massachusetts it was held, soon after the Revolution, that slavery had been abolished by their constitution; 4 Mass. 128; in Connecticut, slavery has been totally extinguished by legislative3 provisions; Reeve's Dom. Bel. 340; the states north of Delaware, Maryland and the river Ohio, may be considered as free States, where slavery is not tolerated. Vide Stroud on Slavery; 2 Kent, Com. 201; Rutherf. Inst. 238.
SMUGGLING4. The fraudulent taking into a country, or out of it, merchandise which is lawfully5 prohibited. Bac. Ab. h. t.
SO HELP YOU GOD. The formula at the end of a common oath, as administered to a witness wlio testifies in chief.
SOCAGE, Eng. law. A tenure6 of lands by certain inferior services in husbandry, and not knight's service, in lieu of all other services. Litt. sect7. 117.
SOCER. The father of one's wife; a father-in-law.
SOCIDA, civ. law. This is the name of a contract by which one man delivers to another, either for a small recompense, or for a part of the profits, certain animals, on condition that if any of them perish they shall be replaced by the bailer8, or he shall pay their value.
2. This is a contract of hiring, with this condition, that the bailee takes upon him the risk of the loss of the thing hired. Wolff, 638.
SOCIETAS LEONINA. Among the Roman lawyers this term signified that kind of society or partnership9 by which the entire profits should belong to some of the partners in exclusion10 of the rest.
2. It was so called in allusion11 to the fable12 of the lion and other animals, who having entered into partnership for the purpose of hunting, the lion appropriated all the prey13 to himself. Dig. 17, 2, 29, 2; Poth. Traite de Societe, n. 12. See 2 McCord's R. 421; 6 Pick. 372.
