168 81. Commercial Conventions of 1855–1856 169 82. Commercial Conventions of 1857–1858 170 83. Commercial Convention of 1859 172 84. Public Opinion in the South 173 85. The Question in Congress 174 86. Southern Policy in 1860 176 87. Increase of the Slave-Trade from 1850 to 1860 178 88. Notorious Infractions of the Laws 179 89. Apathy of the Federal Government 182 90. Attitude of the Southern Confederacy 187 91. Attitude of the United States 190   CHAPTER XII
The Essentials in the Struggle 92. How the Question Arose 193 93. The Moral Movement 194 94. The Political Movement 195 95. The Economic Movement 195 96. The Lesson for Americans 196   APPENDICES A. A Chronological Conspectus of Colonial and State Legislation restricting the African Slave-Trade, 1641–1787 199 B. A Chronological Conspectus of State, National, and International Legislation, 1788–1871 234 C. Typical Cases of Vessels engaged in the American Slave-Trade, 1619–1864 306 D. Bibliography 316   INDEX 347

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Chapter I

INTRODUCTORY.

1. Plan of the Monograph.

2. The Rise of the English Slave-Trade.

1. Plan of the Monograph. This monograph proposes to set forth the efforts made in the United States of America, from early colonial times until the present, to limit and suppress the trade in slaves between Africa and these shores.

The study begins with the colonial period, setting forth in brief the attitude of England and, more in detail, the attitude of the planting, farming, and trading groups of colonies toward the slave-trade. It deals next with the first concerted effort against the trade and with the further action of the individual States. The important work of the Constitutional Convention follows, together with the history of the trade in that critical period which preceded the Act of 1807. The attempt to suppress the trade from 1807 to 1830 is next recounted. A chapter then deals with the slave-trade as an international problem. Finally the development of the crises up to the Civil War is studied, together with the steps leading to the final suppression; and a concluding chapter seeks to sum up the results of the investigation. Throughout the monograph the institution of slavery and the interstate slave-trade are considered only incidentally.

2. The Rise of the English Slave-Trade. Any attempt to consider the attitude of the English colonies toward the African slave-trade must be prefaced by a word as to the attitude of England herself and the development of the trade in her hands.1

Sir John Hawkins's celebrated voyage took place in 1562, but probably not until 16312 did a regular chartered company

undertake to carry on the trade.3 This company was unsuccessful,4 and was eventually succeeded by the "Company of Royal Adventurers trading to Africa," chartered by Charles II. in 1662, and including the Queen Dowager and the Duke of York.5 The company contracted to supply the West Indies with three thousand slaves annually; but contraband trade, misconduct, and war so reduced it that in 1672 it surrendered its charter to another company for £34,000.6 This new corporation, chartered by Charles II. as the "Royal African Company," proved more successful than its predecessors, and carried on a growing trade for a quarter of a century.

In 1698 Parliamentary interference with the trade began. By the Statute 9 and 10 William and Mary, chapter 26, private traders, on payment of a duty of 10% on English goods exported to Africa, were allowed to participate in the trade. This was brought about by the clamor of the merchants, especially the "American Merchants," who "in their Petition suggest, that it would be a great Benefit to the Kingdom to secure the Trade by maintaining Forts and Castles there, with an equal Duty upon all Goods exported."