such a wicked, cruel, and unnatural trade."[7] Prince George and Nansemond Counties resolved “That the African trade is injurious to this Colony, obstructs the population of it by freemen, prevents manufacturers and other useful emigrants from Europe from settling amongst us, and occasions an annual increase of the balance of trade against this Colony."[8] The Virginia colonial convention, August, 1774, also declared:  “We will neither ourselves import, nor purchase any slave or slaves imported by any other person, after the first day of November next, either from Africa, the West Indies, or any other place."[9]

In South Carolina, at the convention July 6, 1774, decided opposition to the non-importation scheme was manifested, though how much this was due to the slave-trade interest is not certain.  Many of the delegates wished at least to limit the powers of their representatives, and the Charleston Chamber of Commerce flatly opposed the plan of an “Association.”  Finally, however, delegates with full powers were sent to Congress.  The arguments leading to this step were not in all cases on the score of patriotism; a Charleston manifesto argued:  “The planters are greatly in arrears to the merchants; a stoppage of importation would give them all an opportunity to extricate themselves from debt.  The merchants would have time to settle their accounts, and be ready with the return of liberty to renew trade."[10]

27. The Action of the Continental Congress. The first Continental Congress met September 5, 1774, and on September 22 recommended merchants to send no more orders for foreign goods.[11] On September 27 “Mr. Lee made a motion for a non-importation,” and it was unanimously resolved to import no goods from Great Britain after December 1, 1774.[12] Afterward, Ireland and the West Indies were also included, and a committee consisting of Low of New York, Mifflin of Pennsylvania, Lee of Virginia, and Johnson of Connecticut were appointed “to bring in a Plan for carrying into Effect the Non-importation, Non-consumption, and Non-exportation resolved on."[13] The next move was to instruct this committee to include in the proscribed articles, among other things, “Molasses, Coffee or Piemento from the British Plantations or from Dominica,”—­a motion which cut deep into the slave-trade circle of commerce, and aroused some opposition.  “Will, can, the people bear a total interruption of the West India trade?” asked Low of New York; “Can they live without rum, sugar, and molasses?  Will not this impatience and vexation defeat the measure?"[14]

The committee finally reported, October 12, 1774, and after three days’ discussion and amendment the proposal passed.  This document, after a recital of grievances, declared that, in the opinion of the colonists, a non-importation agreement would best secure redress; goods from Great Britain, Ireland, the East and West Indies, and Dominica were excluded; and it was resolved that “We will neither import, nor purchase any Slave imported after the First Day of December next; after which Time, we will wholly discontinue the Slave Trade, and will neither be concerned in it ourselves, nor will we hire our Vessels, nor sell our Commodities or Manufactures to those who are concerned in it."[15]