“Provided, also, that nothing in this act shall extend, or be deemed to extend, to any negro or mulatto slave that may be on board any vessel belonging to this colony, now at sea, in her present voyage.”  Heavy penalties are laid for bringing in Negroes in order to free them. Colonial Records, VII. 251-3.

[1784, February:  “It is voted and resolved, that the whole of the clause contained in an act of this Assembly, passed at June session, A.D. 1774, permitting slaves brought from the coast of Africa into the West Indies, on board any vessel belonging to this (then colony, now) state, and who could not be disposed of in the West Indies, &c., be, and the same is, hereby repealed.” Colonial Records, X. 8.]

1774, October.  Connecticut:  Importation Prohibited.

“An Act for prohibiting the Importation of Indian, Negro or Molatto Slaves.”

" ... no indian, negro or molatto Slave shall at any time hereafter be brought or imported into this Colony, by sea or land, from any place or places whatsoever, to be disposed of, left or sold within this Colony.”  This was re-enacted in the revision of 1784, and slaves born after 1784 were ordered to be emancipated at the age of twenty-five. Colonial Records, XIV. 329; Acts and Laws of Connecticut (ed. 1784), pp. 233-4.

1774.  New Jersey:  Proposed Prohibitive Duty.

“A Bill for laying a Duty on Indian, Negroe and Molatto Slaves, imported into this Colony.”  Passed the Assembly, and was rejected by the Council as “plainly” intending “an intire Prohibition,” etc. N.J.  Archives, 1st Series, VI. 222.

1775, March 27.  Delaware:  Bill to Prohibit Importation.

Passed the Assembly and was vetoed by the governor.  Force, American
Archives, 4th Series, II. 128-9.

1775, Nov. 23.  Virginia:  On Lord Dunmore’s Proclamation.

Williamsburg Convention to the public:  “Our Assemblies have repeatedly passed acts, laying heavy duties upon imported Negroes, by which they meant altogether to prevent the horrid traffick; but their humane intentions have been as often frustrated by the cruelty and covetousness of a set of English merchants.” ...  The Americans would, if possible, “not only prevent any more Negroes from losing their freedom, but restore it to such as have already unhappily lost it.”  This is evidently addressed in part to Negroes, to keep them from joining the British. Ibid., III. 1387.

1776, June 29.  Virginia:  Preamble to Frame of Government.

Blame for the slave-trade thrown on the king.  See above, page 21.  Hening, Statutes, IX. 112-3.

1776, Aug.-Sept.  Delaware:  Constitution.

“The Constitution or system of Government agreed to and resolved upon by the Representatives in full Convention of the Delaware State,” etc.

Sec. 26.  “No person hereafter imported into this State from Africa ought to be held in slavery on any pretence whatever; and no Negro, Indian, or Mulatto slave ought to be brought into this State, for sale, from any part of the world.”  Force, American Archives, 5th Series, I. 1174-9.