.. to be from henceforward put in Execution."[30]
The Assembly repealed these laws, but in 1715 passed another laying a
duty of L5, which was also eventually disallowed.[31] Other acts, the
provisions of which are not clear, were passed in 1720 and 1722,[32] and
in 1725-1726 the duty on Negroes was raised to the restrictive figure of
L10.[33] This duty, for some reason not apparent, was lowered to L2 in
1729,[34] but restored again in 1761.[35] A struggle occurred over this
last measure, the Friends petitioning for it, and the Philadelphia
merchants against it, declaring that "We, the subscribers, ever desirous
to extend the Trade of this Province, have seen, for some time past,
the many inconveniencys the Inhabitants have suffer'd for want of
Labourers and artificers, ... have for some time encouraged the
importation of Negroes;" they prayed therefore at least for a delay in
passing the measure.[36] The law, nevertheless, after much debate and
altercation with the governor, finally passed.
These repeated acts nearly stopped the trade, and the manumission or
sale of Negroes by the Friends decreased the number of slaves in the
province. The rising spirit of independence enabled the colony, in 1773,
to restore the prohibitive duty of L20 and make it perpetual.[37] After
the Revolution unpaid duties on slaves were collected and the slaves
registered,[38] and in 1780 an "Act for the gradual Abolition of
Slavery" was passed.
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