The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States of America Part 4

1785, Sale of slaves in State prohibited.

[1786, " " in Vermont prohibited.]

1788, " " in State prohibited.

[7] O'Callaghan, _Laws of New Netherland, 1638-74_, pp. 31, 348, etc. The colonists themselves were encouraged to trade, but the terms were not favorable enough: _Doc. rel. Col. Hist.

New York_, I. 246; _Laws of New Netherland_, pp. 81-2, note, 127. The colonists declared "that they are inclined to a foreign Trade, and especially to the Coast of _Africa_, ... in order to fetch thence Slaves": O'Callaghan, _Voyages of the Slavers_, etc., p. 172.

[8] _Charter to William Penn_, etc. (1879), p. 12. First published on Long Island in 1664. Possibly Negro slaves were explicitly excepted. Cf. _Magazine of American History_, XI.

411, and _N.Y. Hist. Soc. Coll._, I. 322.

[9] _Acts of a.s.sembly, 1691-1718_, pp. 97, 125, 134; _Doc.

rel. Col. Hist. New York_, V. 178, 185, 293.

[10] The a.s.sembly attempted to raise the slave duty in 1711, but the Council objected (_Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York_, V.

292 ff.), although, as it seems, not on account of the slave duty in particular. Another act was pa.s.sed between 1711 and 1716, but its contents are not known (cf. t.i.tle of the Act of 1716). For the Act of 1716, see _Acts of a.s.sembly, 1691-1718_, p. 224.

[11] _Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York_, VI. 37, 38.

[12] _Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York_, VI. 32-4.

[13] _Ibid._, VII. 907. This act was annually renewed. The slave duty remained a chief source of revenue down to 1774.

Cf. _Report of Governor Tryon_, in _Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York_, VIII. 452.

[14] _Laws of New York, 1785-88_ (ed. 1886), ch. 68, p. 121.

Substantially the same act reappears in the revision of the laws of 1788: _Ibid._, ch. 40, p. 676.

[15] The slave population of New York has been estimated as follows:--

In 1698, 2,170. _Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York_, IV. 420.

" 1703, 2,258. _N.Y. Col. MSS._, XLVIII.; cited in Hough, _N.Y. Census, 1855_, Introd.

" 1712, 2,425. _Ibid._, LVII., LIX. (a partial census).

" 1723, 6,171. _Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York_, V. 702.

" 1731, 7,743. _Ibid._, V. 929.

" 1737, 8,941. _Ibid._, VI. 133.

" 1746, 9,107. _Ibid._, VI. 392.

" 1749, 10,692. _Ibid._, VI. 550.

" 1756, 13,548. _London Doc._, XLIV. 123; cited in Hough, as above.

" 1771, 19,863. _Ibid._, XLIV. 144; cited in Hough, as above.

" 1774, 21,149. _Ibid._, " " " " "

" 1786, 18,889. _Deeds in office Sec. of State_, XXII. 35.

Total number of Africans imported from 1701 to 1726, 2,375, of whom 802 were from Africa: O'Callaghan, _Doc.u.mentary History of New York_, I. 482.

[16] Cf. below, Chapter XI.

[17] _Vermont State Papers, 1779-86_, p. 244. The return of sixteen slaves in Vermont, by the first census, was an error: _New England Record_, XXIX. 249.

[18] _Vermont State Papers_, p. 505.

[19] The following is a summary of the legislation of the colony of Pennsylvania and Delaware; details will be found in Appendix A:--

1705, Duty Act: (?).

1710, " " 40_s._ (Disallowed).

1712, " " 20 "

1712, " " supplementary to the Act of 1710.

1715, " " 5 (Disallowed).

1718, " "

1720, " " (?).

1722, " " (?).

1725-6, " " 10.

1726, " "

1729, " " 2.

1761, " " 10.

1761, " " (?).

1768, " " re-enactment of the Act of 1761.

1773, " " perpetual additional duty of 10; total, 20.

1775, Bill to prohibit importation vetoed by the governor (Delaware).

1775, Bill to prohibit importation vetoed by the governor.

1778, Back duties on slaves ordered collected.

1780, Act for the gradual abolition of slavery.

1787, Act to prevent the exportation of slaves (Delaware).

1788, Act to prevent the slave-trade.

[20] From fac-simile copy, published at Germantown in 1880.

Cf. Whittier's poem, "Pennsylvania Hall" (_Poetical Works_, Riverside ed., III. 62); and Proud, _History of Pennsylvania_ (1797), I. 219.

[21] From fac-simile copy, published at Germantown in 1880.

[22] Bettle, _Notices of Negro Slavery_, in _Penn. Hist. Soc.

Mem._ (1864), I. 383.

[23] Cf. Bettle, _Notices of Negro Slavery, pa.s.sim_.

[24] Janney, _History of the Friends_, III. 315-7.

[25] _Ibid._, III. 317.

[26] Bettle, in _Penn. Hist. Soc. Mem._, I. 395.

[27] _Penn. Col. Rec._ (1852), II. 530; Bettle, in _Penn.

Hist. Soc. Mem._, I. 415.

[28] _Laws of Pennsylvania, collected_, etc., 1714, p. 165; Bettle, in _Penn. Hist. Soc. Mem._, I. 387.

[29] See preamble of the act.

[30] The Pennsylvanians did not allow their laws to reach England until long after they were pa.s.sed: _Penn. Archives_, I. 161-2; _Col. Rec._, II. 572-3. These acts were disallowed Feb. 20, 1713. Another duty act was pa.s.sed in 1712, supplementary to the Act of 1710 (_Col. Rec._, II. 553). The contents are unknown.

[31] _Acts and Laws of Pennsylvania_, 1715, p. 270; Chalmers, _Opinions_, II. 118. Before the disallowance was known, the act had been continued by the Act of 1718: Carey and Bioren, _Laws of Pennsylvania, 1700-1802_, I. 118; _Penn. Col. Rec._, III. 38.