Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1860 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER IX. APPROACHES TO EMANCIPATION. The country found in its bosom, at the time of our confederation, about seven hundred thousand slaves. The following, from a recent number of the National Intelligencer, presents an accurate and clear view of an important part of our history in connection with this subject: -- The Constitution And Slavery. -- The journal of the Convention to frame the present Constitution of the United States exhibits the following facts in connection with the subject of slavery: -- "The first committee on the subject consisted of Rutledge of South Carolina, Randolph of Virginia, Wilson of Pennsylvania, Gorham of Massachusetts, and Ellsworth of Connecticut; and they reported, as a section for the Constitution, 'that no tax or other duty should be laid on the migration or importation of such persons as the several States shall think proper to admit, nor shall such migration or importation be prohibited.'" This was the first action of the Convention on the slavery question; and it will be seen that a committee, the majority of which were from what are strong antislavery States, reported against any future prohibition of the African slave trade, but were willing to legalize it perpetually. This section was subsequently referred to a committee, selected by ballot, consisting of Langdon of New Hampshire, King of Massachusetts, Johnson of Connecticut, Livingston of New Jersey, Clymer of Pennsylvania, Dickinson of Delaware, Martin of Maryland, Madison of Virginia, Williamson of North Carolina, Pinckney of South Carolina, and Baldwin of Georgia. This committee, a majority of which were from slave States, (then and now, ) reported the clause, "with authority to Congress to prohibit the slave trade after the year 1800, and in...