Anti-swearing law

[James E. Clapp]

James Smith wrote:
>
> Bond-servants . . . were not chattel
> that could be bought and sold.

Well, I don't know who was a bond-servant and who was some other kind,
but even Hebrew slaves--presumably the top of the heap, slave-wise--
could be bought:

Exodus 21:1-4: "If thou buy an Hebrew servant, six years he shall serve:
and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing."

I'll let the tax lawyers work out whether the owner should be allowed
accelerated depreciation of the purchase price over six years, on the
ground that the slave is probably getting tired toward the end of the
useful life.

James E. Clapp