Colonies in the United States

The Action of the Colonies (the Period of the Revolution, from 1774)

In the book “The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States of America 1638-1870” (1), W. E. B. Du Bois explained the following: The earlier and largely abortive attempts to form non-intercourse associations generally did not mention slaves specifically, although the Virginia House of Burgesses, May 11, 1769, recommended to merchants and traders, among other things, to agree, “That they will not import any slaves, or purchase any imported after the first day of November next, until the said acts are repealed.”4 Later, in 1774, when a Faneuil Hall meeting started the first successful national attempt at non-intercourse, the slave-trade, being at the time especially flourishing, received more attention. Even then slaves were specifically mentioned in the resolutions of but three States. Rhode Island recommended a stoppage of “all trade with Great Britain, Ireland, Africa and the West Indies.”5 North Carolina, in August, 1774, resolved in convention “That we will not import any slave or slaves, or purchase any slave or slaves, imported or brought into this Province by others, from any part of the world, after the first day of November next.”6 Virginia gave the slave-trade especial prominence, and was in reality the 49leading spirit to force her views on the Continental Congress. The county conventions of that colony first took up the subject. Fairfax County thought “that during our present difficulties and distress, no slaves ought to be imported,” and said: “We take this opportunity of declaring our most earnest wishes to see an entire stop forever put to such a wicked, cruel, and unnatural trade.”7 Prince George and Nansemond Counties resolved “That the African trade is injurious to this Colony, obstructs the population of it by freemen, prevents manufacturers and other useful emigrants from Europe from settling amongst us, and occasions an annual increase of the balance of trade against this Colony.”8 The Virginia colonial convention, August, 1774, also declared: “We will neither ourselves import, nor purchase any slave or slaves imported by any other person, after the first day of November next, either fromAfrica, the West Indies, or any other place.”9

In South Carolina, at the convention July 6, 1774, decided opposition to the non-importation scheme was manifested, though how much this was due to the slave-trade interest is not certain. Many of the delegates wished at least to limit the powers of their representatives, and the Charleston Chamber of Commerce flatly opposed the plan of an “Association.” Finally, however, delegates with full powers were sent to Congress. The arguments leading to this step were not in all cases on the score of patriotism; a Charleston manifesto argued: “The planters are greatly in arrears to the merchants; a stoppage of importation would give them all an opportunity to extricate themselves from debt. The merchants would have time to settle their accounts, and be ready with the return of liberty to renew trade.”10

Resources

Notes and References

1. W. E. B. Du Bois, “The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States of America 1638-1870” (1893), Longmans, Green and Co., London, New York, Bombay and Calcuta.

See Also

Further Reading

• British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society. Proceedings of the general Anti-Slavery Convention, called by the committee of the British and Foreign Anti-Slavery Society, and held in London, … June, 1840. London, 1841.
• Thomas Lloyd. Debates of the Convention of the State of Pennsylvania on the Constitution, proposed for the Government of the United States. In two volumes. Vol. I. Philadelphia, 1788.
• Friends. Address to the Citizens of the United States of America on the subject of Slavery, etc. (At New York Yearly Meeting.) New York, 1837.
• A Slave Holder. Remarks upon Slavery and the Slave-Trade, addressed to the Hon. Henry Clay. 1839.
• The Creole Case, and Mr. Webster’s Despatch; with the comments of the New York “American.” New York, 1842.
• Hezekiah Niles (et al.), editors. The Weekly Register, etc. 71 vols. Baltimore, 1811–1847. (For Slave-Trade, see I. 224; III. 189; V. 30, 46; VI. 152; VII. 54, 96, 286, 350; VIII. 136, 190, 262, 302, Supplement, p. 155; IX. 60, 78, 133, 172, 335; X. 296, 400, 412, 427; XI. 15, 108, 156, 222, 336, 399; XII. 58, 60, 103, 122, 159, 219, 237, 299, 347, 397, 411.)
• [Great Britain: Parliament.] Chronological Table and Index of the Statutes, Eleventh Edition, to the end of the Session 52 and 53 Victoria, (1889.) By Authority. London, 1890.
• George W. Williams. History of the Negro Race in America from 1619 to 1880. 2 vols. New York, 1883.