The Suppression of the African Slave Trade to the United States of America Part 35

"An act to lay a duty on Negroes & a tax on the Slaves therein mentioned during the time and for the uses within mentioned." The tax was 1_s._ yearly per slave. _Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York_, VI. 38.

~1734, Nov. 28. New York: 2 and 4 (?) Duty Act.~

"An Act to lay a Duty on the Goods, and a Tax on the Slaves therein mentioned, during the Time, and for the Uses mentioned in the same."

Possibly there were two acts this year. _Laws of New York, 1691-1773_, p. 186; _Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York_, VI. 27.

~1735. Georgia: Prohibitive Act.~

An "act for rendering the colony of Georgia more defensible by prohibiting the importation and use of black slaves or negroes into the same." W.B. Stevens, _History of Georgia_, I. 311; [B. Martyn], _Account of the Progress of Georgia_ (1741), pp. 9-10; Prince h.o.a.re, _Memoirs of Granville Sharp_ (London, 1820), p. 157.

~1740, April 5. South Carolina: 100 Prohibitive Duty Act.~

"An Act for the better strengthening of this Province, by granting to His Majesty certain taxes and impositions on the purchasers of Negroes imported," etc. The duty on slaves from America was 150. Continued to 1744. Cooper, _Statutes_, III. 556. Cf. _Abstract Evidence on Slave-Trade before Committee of House of Commons, 1790-91_ (London, 1791), p. 150.

~1740, May. Virginia: Additional Five per cent Duty Act.~

"An Act, for laying an additional Duty upon Slaves, to be paid by the Buyer, for encouraging persons to enlist in his Majesty's service: And for preventing desertion." To continue until July 1, 1744. Hening, _Statutes_, V. 92.

~1751, June 14. South Carolina: White Servants Encouraged.~

"An Act for the better strengthening of this Province, by granting to His Majesty certain Taxes and Impositions on the purchasers of Negroes and other slaves imported, and for appropriating the same to the uses therein mentioned, and for granting to His Majesty a duty on Liquors and other Goods and Merchandize, for the uses therein mentioned, and for exempting the purchasers of Negroes and other slaves imported from payment of the Tax, and the Liquors and other Goods and Merchandize from the duties imposed by any former Act or Acts of the General a.s.sembly of this Province."

"Whereas, the best way to prevent the mischiefs that may be attended by the great importation of negroes into this Province, will be to establish a method by which such importation should be made a necessary means of introducing a proportionable number of white inhabitants into the same; therefore for the effectual raising and appropriating a fund sufficient for the better settling of this Province with white inhabitants, we, his Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, the House of a.s.sembly now met in General a.s.sembly, do cheerfully give and grant unto the King's most excellent Majesty, his heirs and successors, the several taxes and impositions hereinafter mentioned, for the uses and to be raised, appropriated, paid and applied as is hereinafter directed and appointed, and not otherwise, and do humbly pray his most sacred Majesty that it may be enacted,

-- 1. "_And be it enacted_, by his Excellency James Glen, Esquire, Governor in chief and Captain General in and over the Province of South Carolina, by and with the advice and consent of his Majesty's honorable Council, and the House of a.s.sembly of the said Province, and by the authority of the same, That from and immediately after the pa.s.sing of this Act, there shall be imposed on and paid by all and every the inhabitants of this Province, and other person and persons whosoever, first purchasing any negro or other slave, hereafter to be imported, a certain tax or sum of ten pounds current money for every such negro and other slave of the height of four feet two inches and upwards; and for every one under that height, and above three feet two inches, the sum of five pounds like money; and for all under three feet two inches, (sucking children excepted) two pounds and ten s.h.i.+llings like money, which every such inhabitant of this Province, and other person and persons whosoever shall so purchase or buy as aforesaid, which said sums of ten pounds and five pounds and two pounds and ten s.h.i.+llings respectively, shall be paid by such purchaser for every such slave, at the time of his, her or their purchasing of the same, to the public treasurer of this Province for the time being, for the uses hereinafter mentioned, set down and appointed, under pain of forfeiting all and every such negroes and slaves, for which the said taxes or impositions shall not be paid, pursuant to the directions of this Act, to be sued for, recovered and applied in the manner hereinafter directed."

-- 6. "_And be it further enacted_ by the authority aforesaid, That the said tax hereby imposed on negroes and other slaves, paid or to be paid by or on the behalf of the purchasers as aforesaid, by virtue of this Act, shall be applied and appropriated as followeth, and to no other use, or in any other manner whatever, (that is to say) that three-fifth parts (the whole into five equal parts to be divided) of the net sum arising by the said tax, for and during the term of five years from the time of pa.s.sing this Act, be applied and the same is hereby applied for payment of the sum of six pounds proclamation money to every poor foreign protestant whatever from Europe, or other poor protestant (his Majesty's subject) who shall produce a certificate under the seal of any corporation, or a certificate under the hands of the minister and church-wardens of any parish, or the minister and elders of any church, meeting or congregation in Great Britain or Ireland, of the good character of such poor protestant, above the age of twelve and under the age of fifty years, and for payment of the sum of three pounds like money, to every such poor protestant under the age of twelve and above the age of two years; who shall come into this Province within the first three years of the said term of five years, and settle on any part of the southern frontier lying between Pon Pon and Savannah rivers, or in the central parts of this Province," etc. For the last two years the bounty is 4 and 2.

-- 7. After the expiration of this term of five years, the sum is appropriated to the protestants settling anywhere in the State, and the bounty is 2 13_s._ 4_d._, and 1 6_s._ 8_d._

-- 8. One other fifth of the tax is appropriated to survey lands, and the remaining fifth as a bounty for s.h.i.+p-building, and for encouraging the settlement of s.h.i.+p-builders.

-- 14. Rebate of three-fourths of the tax allowed in case of re-exportation of the slaves in six months.

-- 16. "_And be it further enacted_ by the authority aforesaid, That every person or persons who after the pa.s.sing this Act shall purchase any slave or slaves which shall be brought or imported into this Province, either by land or water, from any of his Majesty's plantations or colonies in America, that have been in any such colony or plantation for the s.p.a.ce of six months; and if such slave or slaves have not been so long in such colony or plantation, the importer shall be obliged to make oath or produce a proper certificate thereof, or otherwise every such importer shall pay a further tax or imposition of fifty pounds, over and besides the tax hereby imposed for every such slave which he or they shall purchase as aforesaid." Actual settlers bringing slaves are excepted.

-- 41. This act to continue in force ten years from its pa.s.sage, and thence to the end of the next session of the General a.s.sembly, and no longer. Cooper, _Statutes_, III. 739.

~1753, Dec. 12. New York: 5 oz. and 10 oz. plate Duty Act.~

"An Act for granting to His Majesty the several Duties and Impositions, on Goods, Wares and Merchandizes imported into this Colony, therein mentioned." Annually continued until 1767, or perhaps until 1774. _Laws of New York, 1752-62_, p. 21, ch. xxvii.; _Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York_, VII. 907; VIII. 452.

~1754, February. Virginia: Additional Five per cent Duty Act.~

"An Act for the encouragement and protection of the settlers upon the waters of the Mississippi." For three years; continued in 1755 and 1763; revived in 1772, and continued until 1778. Hening, _Statutes_, VI. 417, 468; VII. 639; VIII. 530.

~1754, July 25. Maryland: Additional 10s. Duty Act.~

"An Act for his Majesty's Service." Bacon, _Laws_, 1754, ch. ix.

~1755, May. Virginia: Additional Ten per cent Duty Act.~

"An act to explain an act, int.i.tuled, An act for raising the sum of twenty thousand pounds, for the protection of his majesty's subjects, against the insults and encroachments of the French; and for other purposes therein mentioned."

-- 10. " ... from and after the pa.s.sing of this act, there shall be levied and paid to our sovereign lord the king, his heirs and successors, for all slaves imported, or brought into this colony and dominion for sale, either by land or water, from any part [port] or place whatsoever, by the buyer, or purchaser, after the rate of ten per centum, on the amount of each respective purchase, over and above the several duties already laid on slaves, imported as aforesaid, by an act or acts of a.s.sembly, now subsisting, and also over and above the duty laid by" the Act of 1754. Repealed by Act of May, 1760, -- 11, " ...

inasmuch as the same prevents the importation of slaves, and thereby lessens the fund arising from the duties upon slaves." Hening, _Statutes_, VI. 461; VII. 363. Cf. _Dinwiddie Papers_, II. 86.

~1756, March 22. Maryland: Additional 20s. Duty Act.~

"An Act for granting a Supply of Forty Thousand Pounds, for his Majesty's Service," etc. For five years. Bacon, _Laws_, 1756, ch. v.

~1757, April. Virginia: Additional Ten per cent Duty Act.~

"An Act for granting an aid to his majesty for the better protection of this colony, and for other purposes therein mentioned."

-- 22. " ... from and after the ninth day of July, one thousand seven hundred and fifty-eight, during the term of seven years, there shall be paid for all slaves imported into this colony, for sale, either by land or water, from any port or place whatsoever, by the buyer or purchaser thereof, after the rate of ten per centum on the amount of each respective purchase, over and above the several duties already laid upon slaves imported, as aforesaid, by any act or acts of a.s.sembly now subsisting in this colony," etc. Repealed by Act of March, 1761, -- 6, as being "found very inconvenient." Hening, _Statutes_, VII. 69, 383.

~1759, November. Virginia: Twenty per cent Duty Act.~

"An Act to oblige the persons bringing slaves into this colony from Maryland, Carolina, and the West-Indies, for their own use, to pay a duty."

-- 1. " ... from and after the pa.s.sing of this act, there shall be paid ... for all slaves imported or brought into this colony and dominion from Maryland, North-Carolina, or any other place in America, by the owner or importer thereof, after the rate of twenty per centum on the amount of each respective purchase," etc. This act to continue until April 20, 1767; continued in 1766 and 1769, until 1773; altered by Act of 1772, _q.v. Ibid._, VII. 338; VIII. 191, 336.

~1760. South Carolina: Total Prohibition.~

Text not found; act disallowed by Great Britain. Cf. Burge, _Commentaries_, I. 737, note; W.B. Stevens, _History of Georgia_, I.

286.

~1761, March 14. Pennsylvania: 10 Duty Act.~

"An Act for laying a duty on Negroes and Mulattoe slaves, imported into this province." Continued in 1768; repealed (or disallowed) in 1780.

Carey and Bioren, _Laws_, I. 371, 451; _Acts of a.s.sembly_ (ed. 1782), p.

149; _Colonial Records_ (1852), VIII. 576.