1771.  Maryland:  Additional L5 Duty Act.

“An Act for imposing a further additional duty of five pounds current money per poll on all negroes imported into this province.”  For seven years. Laws of Maryland since 1763:  1771, ch. vii.; cf. 1773, sess.  Nov.-Dec., ch. xiv.

1772, April 1.  Virginia:  Address to the King.

" ...  The importation of slaves into the colonies from the coast of Africa hath long been considered as a trade of great inhumanity, and under its present encouragement, we have too much reason to fear will endanger the very existence of your majesty’s American dominions....

“Deeply impressed with these sentiments, we most humbly beseech your majesty to remove all those restraints on your majesty’s governors of this colony, which inhibit their assenting to such laws as might check so very pernicious a commerce.” Journals of the House of Burgesses, p. 131; quoted in Tucker, Dissertation on Slavery (repr. 1861), p. 43.

1773, Feb. 26.  Pennsylvania:  Additional L10 Duty Act.

“An Act for making perpetual the act ... [of 1761] ... and laying an additional duty on the said slaves.”  Dallas, Laws, I. 671; Acts of Assembly (ed. 1782), p. 149.

1774, March, June.  Massachusetts:  Bills to Prohibit Importation.

Two bills designed to prohibit the importation of slaves fail of the governor’s assent.  First bill:  General Court Records, XXX. 248, 264; Mass.  Archives, Domestic Relations, 1643-1774, IX. 457.  Second bill:  General Court Records, XXX. 308, 322.

1774, June.  Rhode Island:  Importation Restricted.

“An Act prohibiting the importation of Negroes into this Colony.”

“Whereas, the inhabitants of America are generally engaged in the preservation of their own rights and liberties, among which, that of personal freedom must be considered as the greatest; as those who are desirous of enjoying all the advantages of liberty themselves, should be willing to extend personal liberty to others;—­

“Therefore, be it enacted ... that for the future, no negro or mulatto slave shall be brought into this colony; and in case any slave shall hereafter be brought in, he or she shall be, and are hereby, rendered immediately free, so far as respects personal freedom, and the enjoyment of private property, in the same manner as the native Indians.”

“Provided that the slaves of settlers and travellers be excepted.

“Provided, also, that nothing in this act shall extend, or be deemed to extend, to any negro or mulatto slave brought from the coast of Africa, into the West Indies, on board any vessel belonging to this colony, and which negro or mulatto slave could not be disposed of in the West Indies, but shall be brought into this colony.

“Provided, that the owner of such negro or mulatto slave give bond to the general treasurer of the said colony, within ten days after such arrival in the sum of L100, lawful money, for each and every such negro or mulatto slave so brought in, that such negro or mulatto slave shall be exported out of the colony, within one year from the date of such bond; if such negro or mulatto be alive, and in a condition to be removed.”