[26] The effect
of this attitude of the Friends was early manifested in the legislation
of all the colonies where the sect was influential, and particularly in
Pennsylvania.
One of the first duty acts (1710) laid a restrictive duty of 40_s._ on
slaves, and was eventually disallowed.[27] In 1712 William Southeby
petitioned the Assembly totally to abolish slavery. This the Assembly
naturally refused to attempt; but the same year, in response to another
petition "signed by many hands," they passed an "Act to prevent the
Importation of Negroes and Indians,"[28]--the first enactment of its
kind in America. This act was inspired largely by the general fear of
insurrection which succeeded the "Negro-plot" of 1712 in New York. It
declared: "Whereas, divers Plots and Insurrections have frequently
happened, not only in the Islands but on the Main Land of _America_, by
Negroes, which have been carried on so far that several of the
inhabitants have been barbarously Murthered, an Instance whereof we have
lately had in our Neighboring Colony of _New York_,"[29] etc. It then
proceeded to lay a prohibitive duty of L20 on all slaves imported. These
acts were quickly disposed of in England. Three duty acts affecting
Negroes, including the prohibitory act, were in 1713 disallowed, and it
was directed that "the Dep^{ty} Gov^{r} Council and Assembly of
Pensilvania, be & they are hereby Strictly Enjoyned & required not to
permit the said Laws .
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