have it in their power to abolish the slavery of those slaves who are now in the country?  Is it not the plain meaning of it, that after twenty years they may prevent the future importation of slaves?  It does not extend to those now in the country.  There is another circumstance to be observed.  There is no authority vested in congress to restrain the States in the interval of twenty years, from doing what they please.  If they wish to inhibit such importation, they may do so.  Our next assembly may put an entire end to the importation of slaves.

Article fourth.  The first section and two first clauses of the second section read without observation.

The last clause read—­

Mr. Iredell begged leave to explain the reason of this clause.  In some of the Northern States, they have emancipated all their slaves.  If any of our slaves, said he, go there and remain there a certain time, they could, by the present laws, be entitled to their freedom, so that their masters could not get them again.  This would be extremely prejudicial to the inhabitants of the Southern States, and to prevent it, this clause is inserted in the constitution.  Though the word slave be not mentioned, this is the meaning of it.  The Northern delegates, owing to their particular scruples on the subject of slavery, did not choose the word slave to be mentioned.

The rest of the fourth article read without any observation.

* * * * *

It is however to be observed, (said Mr. Iredell,) that the first and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article, are protected from any alteration till the year 1808; and in order that no consolidation should take place, it is provided, that no State shall, by any amendment or alteration, be ever deprived of an equal suffrage in the Senate without its own consent.  The two first prohibitions are with respect to the census, according to which direct taxes are imposed, and with respect to the importation of slaves.  As to the first, it must be observed, that there is a material difference between the Northern and Southern States.  The Northern States have been much longer settled, and are much fuller of people than the Southern, but have not land in equal proportion, nor scarcely any slaves.  The subject of this article was regulated with great difficulty, and by a spirit of concession which it would not be prudent to disturb for a good many years.  In twenty years there will probably be a great alteration, and then the subject may be considered with less difficulty and greater coolness.  In the mean time, the compromise was upon the best footing that could be obtained.  A compromise likewise took place with regard to the importation of slaves.  It is probable that all the members reprobated this inhuman traffic, but those of South Carolina and Georgia would not consent to an immediate prohibition of it; one reason of which was, that during the last war they lost a vast number of negroes, which loss they wish to supply.  In the mean time, it is left to the States to admit or prohibit the importation, and Congress may impose a limited duty upon it.