The arguments used by those who were for rating slaves high were, that the expense of feeding and clothing them was as far below that incident to freemen as their industry and ingenuity were below those of freemen; and that the warm climate within which the States having slaves lay, compared with the rigorous climate and inferior fertility of the others, ought to have greater weight in the case; and that the exports of the former States were greater than of the latter.  On the other side, it was said, that slaves were not put to labor as young as the children of laboring families; that, having no interest in their labor, they did as little as possible and omitted every exertion of thought requisite to facilitate and expedite it:  that if the exports of the States having slaves exceeded those of the others, their imports were in proportion, slaves being employed wholly in agriculture, not in manufacturers; and that, in fact, the balance of trade formerly was much more against the Southern States than the others.

On the main question, New Hampshire, aye; Massachusetts, no; Rhode Island, no; Connecticut, no; New York (Mr. Lloyd, aye); New Jersey, aye; Delaware, no; Maryland, aye; Virginia, aye; North Carolina, aye; South Carolina, no. pp. 423-4-5.

Tuesday, April 1, 1783.

Congress resumed the Report on Revenue, &c.  Mr. Hamilton, who had been absent when the last question was taken for substituting numbers in place of the value of land, moved to reconsider that vote.  He was seconded by Mr. Osgood.  Those who voted differently from their former votes were influenced by the conviction of the necessity of the change, and despair on both sides of a more favorable rate of the slaves.  The rate of three-fifths was agreed to without opposition. p. 430.

Monday, May 26.

The Resolutions on the Journal, instructing the ministers in Europe to remonstrate against the carrying off the negroes—­also those for furloughing the troops—­passed unanimously. p. 456.

* * * * *

Extract from “Debates in the Federal Convention” of 1787, for the formation of the Constitution of the United States.

Monday, June 11, 1787.

It was then moved by Mr. Rutledge, seconded by Mr. Butler, to add to the words, “equitable ratio of representation,” at the end of the motion just agreed to, the words, “according to the quotas of contribution.”  On motion of Mr. Wilson, seconded by Mr. Pinckney, this was postponed, in order to add, after the words, “equitable rates of representation,” the words following:  “In proportion to the whole number of white and other free citizens and inhabitants of every age, sex and condition, including those bound to servitude for a term of years, and three fifths of all other persons not comprehended in the foregoing description, except Indians not paying taxes, in each State”—­this being the rule in the act of Congress, agreed to by eleven States, for apportioning quotas of revenue on the States, and requiring a census only every five, seven, or ten years.