Chattle was a term that was commonly used during the settlement period. At that time, slaves were considered an object. Because of this, their treatment was categorized into 'property law'.
Before the abolishment of slavery in January 31, 1865, slave's masters could freely transfer the ownership of a particular slaves through a monetary transaction. If the slaves run away, the government gave assistance for the owner to catch them and give the slave owners with the full power to punish the runaway.
