On January 17,
1803, the town of Wilmington, North Carolina, hastily memorialized
Congress, stating the arrival of certain freed Negroes from Guadeloupe,
and apprehending "much danger to the peace and safety of the people of
the Southern States of the Union" from the "admission of persons of that
description into the United States."[44] The House committee which
considered this petition hastened to agree "That the system of policy
stated in the said memorial to exist, and to be now pursued in the
French colonial government, of the West Indies, is fraught with danger
to the peace and safety of the United States. That the fact stated to
have occurred in the prosecution of that system of policy, demands the
prompt interference of the Government of the United States, as well
Legislative as Executive."[45] The result was a bill providing for the
forfeiture of any ship which should bring into States prohibiting the
same "any negro, mulatto, or other person of color;" the captain of the
ship was also to be punished. After some opposition[46] the bill became
a law, February 28, 1803.[47]
50. ~State of the Slave-Trade from 1789 to 1803.~ Meantime, in spite of
the prohibitory State laws, the African slave-trade to the United States
continued to flourish. It was notorious that New England traders carried
on a large traffic.[48] Members stated on the floor of the House that
"it was much to be regretted that the severe and pointed statute against
the slave trade had been so little regarded.
Pages:
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146