slaves is born a petty tyrant.  They bring the judgment of Heaven on a country.  As nations cannot be rewarded or punished in the next world, they must be in this.  By an inevitable chain of causes and effects, Providence punishes national sins by national calamities.  He lamented that some of our Eastern brethren had, from a lust of gain, embarked in the nefarious traffic.  As to the States being in possession of the right to import, this was the case with many other rights, now to be properly given up.  He held it essential in every point of view, that the General Government should have power to prevent the increase of slavery.

Mr. Ellsworth, as he had never owned a slave, could not judge of the effects of slavery on character.  He said, however, that if it was to be considered in a moral light, we ought to go further and free those already in the country.  As slaves also multiply so fast in Virginia and Maryland that it is cheaper to raise than import them, whilst in the sickly rice swamps foreign supplies are necessary, if we go no further than is urged, we shall be unjust towards South Carolina and Georgia.  Let us not intermeddle.  As population increases, poor laborers will be so plenty as to render slaves useless.  Slavery, in time, will not be a speck in our country.  Provision is already made in Connecticut for abolishing it.  And the abolition has already taken place in Massachusetts.  As to the danger of insurrections from foreign influence, that will become a motive to kind treatment of the slaves.

Mr. Pinckney.  If slavery be wrong, it is justified by the example of all the world.  He cited the case of Greece, Rome and other ancient States; the sanction given by France, England, Holland and other modern States.  In all ages, one half of mankind have been slaves.  If the Southern States were let alone, they will probably of themselves stop importations.  He would himself, as a citizen of South Carolina, vote for it.  An attempt to take away the right, as proposed, will produce serious objections to the Constitution, which he wished to see adopted.

Gen. Pinckney declared it to be his firm opinion that if himself and all his colleagues were to sign the Constitution and use their personal influence, it would be of no avail towards obtaining the assent of their constituents.  South Carolina and Georgia cannot do without slaves.  As to Virginia, she will gain by stopping the importations.  Her slaves will rise in value, and she has more than she wants.  It would be unequal, to require South Carolina and Georgia, to confederate on such unequal terms.  He said the Royal assent, before the Revolution, had never been refused to South Carolina, as to Virginia.  He contended that the importation of slaves would be for the interest of the whole Union.  The more slaves, the more produce to employ the carrying trade; the more consumption also; and the more of this, the more revenue for the common treasury.  He admitted it to be reasonable that slaves should be dutied like other imports; but should consider a rejection of the clause as an exclusion of South Carolina from the Union.