A popular history of the United States of America, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b from the discovery of the American continent to the present timeHowitt, Mary (Mary Botham)
History
A popular history of the United States of America, Vol. 2 (of 2) : $b from the discovery of the American continent to the present time
Howitt, Mary (Mary Botham)
United States -- History
As we have already said, this question of slavery was a fertile apple of
discord in the convention, and even then it threatened to break up the
Union; South Carolina and Georgia insisted on having slavery in the
fullest meaning of the accursed thing, or they would not enter the
Union. They would not only hold slaves, but they would import them; and
hence the Constitution provided for “_the migration of such persons as
any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit_,” prior to
the year 1808, when the importation of slaves was to cease. Until
January, 1808, South Carolina traded to the African coast for the souls
and bodies of men, all the other states having before that time entirely
discontinued it. While we are on the subject of slavery, we must mention
that, when, in the convention, the articles of the proposed Constitution
were being drawn up, one for the mutual delivery of fugitives from
justice came in due course, on which Pierce Butler proposed, and Charles
C. Pinckney, both of South Carolina, seconded, the motion that fugitive
slaves and servants should be included. Wilson of Pennsylvania objected,
and Butler withdrew his motion; but the next day introduced a clause,
substantially the same with that now found in the Constitution, viz.:
“that no person held to service or labour in one state, under the laws
thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or
regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labour, but shall
be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service or labour is
due.” (See Article IV. Sect. iii.) This being copied from one of the
provisions of the old New England Confederation, passed unobserved.
II. The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended,
unless when, in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may
require it.
III. No bill of attainder, or ex post facto law, shall be passed.
IV. No capitation or other direct tax shall be laid, unless in
proportion to the census, or enumeration, herein before directed to be
taken.
V. No tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any state.
No preference shall be given, by any regulation of commerce or
revenue, to the ports of one state over those of another; nor shall
vessels, bound to or from one state, be obliged to enter, clear, or
pay duties in another.
VI. No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of
appropriations made by law; and a regular statement and account of the
receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from
time to time.
VII. No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States; and
no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall,
without the consent of congress, accept of any present, emolument,
office, or title of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or
foreign state.
SECTION X.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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