1784, March 26.  South Carolina:  L3 and L5 Duty Act.

“An Act for levying and collecting certain Duties,” etc.  Cooper, Statutes, IV. 607.

1785, April 12.  New York:  Partial Prohibition.

“An Act granting a bounty on hemp to be raised within this State, and imposing an additional duty on sundry articles of merchandise, and for other purposes therein mentioned.”

" ... And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any negro or other person to be imported or brought into this State from any of the United States or from any other place or country after the first day of June next, shall be sold as a slave or slaves within this State, the seller or his or her factor or agent, shall be deemed guilty of a public offence, and shall for every such offence forfeit the sum of one hundred pounds lawful money of New York, to be recovered by any person,” etc.

“And be it further enacted ...  That every such person imported or brought into this State and sold contrary to the true intent and meaning of this act shall be freed.” Laws of New York, 1785-88 (ed. 1886), pp. 120-21.

1785.  Rhode Island:  Restrictive Measure (?).

Title and text not found.  Cf. Public Laws of Rhode Island (revision of 1822), p. 441.

1786, March 2.  New Jersey:  Importation Prohibited.

“An Act to prevent the importation of Slaves into the State of New Jersey, and to authorize the Manumission of them under certain restrictions, and to prevent the Abuse of Slaves.”

“Whereas the Principles of Justice and Humanity require that the barbarous Custom of bringing the unoffending African from his native Country and Connections into a State of Slavery ought to be discountenanced, and as soon as possible prevented; and sound Policy also requires, in order to afford ample Support to such of the Community as depend upon their Labour for their daily Subsistence, that the Importation of Slaves into this State from any other State or Country whatsoever, ought to be prohibited under certain Restrictions; and that such as are under Servitude in the State ought to be protected by Law from those Exercises of Wanton Cruelty too often practiced upon them; and that every unnecessary Obstruction in the Way of freeing Slaves should be removed; therefore,

Sec. 1. “Be it Enacted by the Council and General Assembly of this State, and it is hereby Enacted by the Authority of the same, That from and after the Publication of this Act, it shall not be lawful for any Person or Persons whatsoever to bring into this State, either for Sale or for Servitude, any Negro Slave brought from Africa since the Year Seventeen Hundred and Seventy-six; and every Person offending by bringing into this State any such Negro Slave shall, for each Slave, forfeit and Pay the Sum of Fifty Pounds, to be sued for and recovered with Costs by the Collector of the Township into which such Slave shall be brought, to be applied when recovered to the Use of the State.