[Footnote 13:  Charleston Courier, Dec. 5, 1803.]

In spite of the governor’s assertion, supported soon afterward by a statement of William Lowndes in Congress,[14] there is reason to believe that violations of the law had not been committed on a great scale.  Slave prices could not have become nearly doubled, as they did during the period of legal prohibition, if African imports had been at all freely made.  The governor may quite possibly have exaggerated the facts with a view to bringing the system of exclusion to an end.

[Footnote 14:  Annals of Congress, 1803-1804, p. 992.]

However this may have been, a bill was promptly introduced in the Senate to repeal all acts against importations.  Mr. Barnwell opposed this on the ground that the immense influx of slaves which might be expected in consequence would cut in half the value of slave property, and that the increase in the cotton output would lower the already falling prices of cotton to disastrous levels.  The resumption of the great war in Europe, said he, had already diminished the supply of manufactured goods and raised their prices.  “Was it under these circumstances that we ought to lay out the savings of our industry, the funds accumulated in many years of prosperity and peace, to increase that produce whose value had already fallen so much?  He thought not.  The permission given by the bill would lead to ruinous speculations.  Everyone would purchase negroes.  It was well known that those who dealt in this property would sell it at a very long credit.  Our citizens would purchase at all hazards and trust to fortunate crops and favorable markets for making their payments; and it would be found that South Carolina would in a few years, if this trade continued open, be in the same situation of debt, and subject to all misfortunes which that situation had produced, as at the close of the Revolutionary war.”  The newspaper closed its report of the speech by a concealment of its further burden:  “The Hon. member adduced in support of his opinion various other arguments, still more cogent and impressive, which from reasons very obvious we decline making public."[15] It may be surmised that the suppressed remarks dealt with the danger of slave revolts.  In the further course of the debate, “Mr. Smith said he would agree to put a stop to the importation of slaves, but he believed it impossible.  For this reason he would vote for the bill.”  The measure soon passed the Senate.

[Footnote 15:  Charleston Courier, Dec. 26, 1803.]

Meanwhile the lower house had resolved on December 8, in committee of the whole, “that the laws prohibiting the importation of negroes and other persons of colour in this state can be so amended as to prevent their introduction amongst us,” and had recommended that a select committee be appointed to draft a bill accordingly.[16] Within the following week, however, the sentiment of the House was swung to the policy