Another act w.i, passed IMS. "All persons who
' have U-iii. or .ball be imported into this eoun'.ry,
sbali U ilai is." All, both white and black, by
j this net, aiu !u:uU slaves. And shall we ctai
cliule that slavery his now .1 legal existence'
Certainly not jet, f r these laws hare no emmi.
, tutiiaial authority. They are the result, r.iereh
, of the unite J power of the slatcliolder..
j In 110, South t'arolin:, p.usc-d the following:
"lie il enacted that all ncgroet Indian,, in am
ay uith this govt riiiiicut, und negroes, ni.'l,
attoes,
"r. mauiic.iej uv me slave power 01 souin tar-.
.. . -
u all tho power they have
for passing tho i.bovc law ; an I tho same is true
of ali , CoIl)tli,., t0 ,je r0v,.l ition. Afi.r
' -vera! states, except Jlhode Island
d Connecticut, adopted constitution, Mweon
. .. ....-o., .. . . . ....
1 1 ,ti. ai.Li l 1 3u. uu i uoi one 01 mem mnou
tiny
provision lor naverv. 1 hoy ailopte.J. then, tiu!
same let alone prii.eipl?, for whiJi they now con -
". ..
tnu aii.i ot course up to ti.ii tune, slavery had
no legal constitutional b.i.is, mhatuver. And
di'l the declaration of independence do anvtl.ing
, , . . , . ',, ,
' th.ug at al must be the answer
Hut free loin to all, wa cleat ly tb. subject of
that instrument in the declaration. And this, for
. .eason. wa, the .uprent. law of the Und. The
. , . . . , ,.
of the ,U.es, wa, adnp.. 1 i years
after this, in 1 ,78, ami nothing is found in this
i.,run,ei,t to establi-l, or sustain .lavery, but ev-
f. ..
mini.
