The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States of America Part 32

"An Act for the laying an Imposition upon Negroes, Slaves, and White Persons imported into this Province." Re-enacted in 1696, and included in Acts of 1699 and 1704. Bacon, _Laws_, 1695, ch. ix.; 1696, ch. vii.; 1699, ch. xxiii.; 1704, ch. ix.

~1696. Pennsylvania: Protest of Friends.~

"That Friends be careful not to encourage the bringing in of any more negroes." Bettle, _Notices of Negro Slavery_, in _Penn. Hist. Soc. Mem._ (1864), I. 383.

~1698, Oct. 8. South Carolina: White Servants Encouraged.~

"An Act for the Encouragement of the Importation of White Servants."

"Whereas, the great number of negroes which of late have been imported into this Collony may endanger the safety thereof if speedy care be not taken and encouragement given for the importation of white servants."

-- 1. 13 are to be given to any s.h.i.+p master for every male white servant (Irish excepted), between sixteen and forty years, whom he shall bring into Ashley river; and 12 for boys between twelve and sixteen years.

Every servant must have at least four years to serve, and every boy seven years.

-- 3. Planters are to take servants in proportion of one to every six male Negroes above sixteen years.

-- 5. Servants are to be distributed by lot.

-- 8. This act to continue three years. Cooper, _Statutes_, II. 153.

~1699, April. Virginia: 20s. Duty Act.~

"An act for laying an imposition upon servants and slaves imported into this country, towards building the Capitoll." For three years; continued in August, 1701, and April, 1704. Hening, _Statutes_, III. 193, 212, 225.

~1703, May 6. South Carolina: Duty Act.~

"An Act for the laying an Imposition on Furrs, Skinns, Liquors and other Goods and Merchandize, Imported into and Exported out of this part of this Province, for the raising of a Fund of Money towards defraying the publick charges and expenses of this Province, and paying the debts due for the Expedition against St. Augustine." 10_s._ on Africans and 20_s._ on others. Cooper, _Statutes_, II. 201.

~1704, October. Maryland: 20s. Duty Act.~

"An Act imposing Three Pence per Gallon on Rum and Wine, Brandy and Spirits; and Twenty s.h.i.+llings per Poll for Negroes; for raising a Supply to defray the Public Charge of this Province; and Twenty s.h.i.+llings per Poll on Irish Servants, to prevent the importing too great a Number of Irish Papists into this Province." Revived in 1708 and 1712. Bacon, _Laws_, 1704, ch. x.x.xiii.; 1708, ch. xvi.; 1712, ch. xxii.

~1705, Jan. 12. Pennsylvania: 10s. Duty Act. ~

"An Act for Raising a Supply of Two pence half penny per Pound & ten s.h.i.+llings per Head. Also for Granting an Impost & laying on Sundry Liquors & negroes Imported into this Province for the Support of Governmt., & defraying the necessary Publick Charges in the Administration thereof." _Colonial Records_ (1852), II. 232, No. 50.

~1705, October. Virginia: 6d. Tax on Imported Slaves.~

"An act for raising a publick revenue for the better support of the Government," etc. Similar tax by Act of October, 1710. Hening, _Statutes_, III. 344, 490.

~1705, October. Virginia: 20s. Duty Act.~

"An act for laying an Imposition upon Liquors and Slaves." For two years; re-enacted in October, 1710, for three years, and in October, 1712. _Ibid._, III. 229, 482; IV. 30.

~1705, Dec. 5. Ma.s.sachusetts: 4 Duty Act.~

"An act for the Better Preventing of a Spurious and Mixt Issue," etc.

-- 6. On and after May 1, 1706, every master importing Negroes shall enter his number, name, and s.e.x in the impost office, and insert them in the bill of lading; he shall pay to the commissioner and receiver of the impost 4 per head for every such Negro. Both master and s.h.i.+p are to be security for the payment of the same.

-- 7. If the master neglect to enter the slaves, he shall forfeit 8 for each Negro, one-half to go to the informer and one-half to the government.

-- 8. If any Negro imported shall, within twelve months, be exported and sold in any other plantation, and a receipt from the collector there be shown, a drawback of the whole duty will be allowed. Like drawback will be allowed a purchaser, if any Negro sold die within six weeks after importation. _Ma.s.s. Province Laws, 1705-6_, ch. 10.

~1708, February. Rhode Island: 3 Duty Act.~

No t.i.tle or text found. Slightly amended by Act of April, 1708; strengthened by Acts of February, 1712, and July 5, 1715; proceeds disposed of by Acts of July, 1715, October, 1717, and June, 1729.

_Colonial Records_, IV. 34, 131-5, 138, 143, 191-3, 225, 423-4.

~1709, Sept. 24. New York: 3 Duty Act.~

"An Act for Laying a Duty on the Tonnage of Vessels and Slaves." A duty of 3 was laid on slaves not imported directly from their native country. Continued by Act of Oct. 30, 1710. _Acts of a.s.sembly, 1691-1718_, pp. 97, 125, 134; Laws of New York, 1691-1773, p. 83.

~1710, Dec. 28. Pennsylvania: 40s. Duty Act.~

"An impost Act, laying a duty on Negroes, wine, rum and other spirits, cyder and vessels." Repealed by order in Council Feb. 20, 1713. Carey and Bioren, _Laws_, I. 82; Bettle, _Notices of Negro Slavery_, in _Penn.

Hist. Soc. Mem._ (1864), I. 415.

~1710. Virginia: 5 Duty Act.~

"Intended to discourage the importation" of slaves. t.i.tle and text not found. Disallowed (?). _Governor Spotswood to the Lords of Trade_, in _Va. Hist. Soc. Coll._, New Series, I. 52.

~1711, July-Aug. New York: Act of 1709 Strengthened.~

"An Act for the more effectual putting in Execution an Act of General a.s.sembly, Int.i.tuled, An Act for Laying a Duty on the Tonnage of Vessels and Slaves." _Acts of a.s.sembly, 1691-1718_, p. 134.

~1711, December. New York: Bill to Increase Duty.~

Bill for laying a further duty on slaves. Pa.s.sed a.s.sembly; lost in Council. _Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York_, V. 293.

~1711. Pennsylvania: Testimony of Quakers.~

" ... the Yearly Meeting of Philadelphia, on a representation from the Quarterly Meeting of Chester, that the buying and encouraging the importation of negroes was still practised by some of the members of the society, again repeated and enforced the observance of the advice issued in 1696, and further directed all merchants and factors to write to their correspondents and discourage their sending any more negroes."