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SOUTH CAROLINA CONVENTION.

Hon. Rawlins Lowndes.  In the first place, what cause was there for jealousy of our importing negroes?  Why confine us to twenty years, or rather why limit us at all?  For his part he thought this trade could be justified on the principles of religion, humanity, and justice; for certainly to translate a set of human beings from a bad country to a better, was fulfilling every part of these principles.  But they don’t like our slaves, because they have none themselves; and therefore want to exclude us from this great advantage; why should the Southern States allow of this, without the consent of nine States?

Judge Pendleton observed, that only three States, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, allowed the importation of negroes.  Virginia had a clause in her constitution for this purpose, and Maryland, he believed, even before the war, prohibited them.

Mr. Lowndes continued—­that we had a law prohibiting the importation of negroes for three years, a law he greatly approved of; but there was no reason offered, why the Southern States might not find it necessary to alter their conduct, and open their ports.  Without negroes this State would degenerate into one of the most contemptible in the Union:  and cited an expression that fell from Gen. Pinckney on a former debate, that whilst there remained one acre of swamp land in South Carolina he should raise his voice against restricting the importation of negroes.  Even in granting the importation for twenty years, care had been taken to make us pay for this indulgence, each negro being liable, on importation, to pay a duty not exceeding ten dollars, and, in addition this, were liable to a capitation tax.  Negroes were our wealth, our only natural resource; yet behold how our kind friends in the North were determined soon to tie up our hands, and drain us of what we had.  The Eastern States drew their means of subsistence, in a great treasure, from their shipping; and on that head, they had been particularly careful not to allow of any burdens:  they were not to pay tonnage, or duties; no, not even the form of clearing out:  all ports were free and open to them!  Why, then, call this a reciprocal bargain, which took all from one party, to bestow it on the other?

Major Butler observed that they were to pay a five per cent impost.  This, Mr. Lowndes proved, must fall upon the consumer.  They are to be the carriers:  and we, being the consumers, therefore all expenses would fall upon us.

Hon. E. Rutledge.  The gentleman had complained of the inequality of the taxes between the Northern and Southern States—­that ten dollars a head was imposed on the importation of negroes, and that those negroes were afterwards taxed.  To this it was answered, that the ten dollars per head was an equivalent to the five per cent on imported articles; and as to their being afterwards taxed, the advantage is on our side; or, at least, not against us.