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Show ) 150 THI£ STATE CO~VE~TIO~S. of concession w bich it would not be prudent to disturb for a good many years. In twenty years, there will probably be a great alteration, and then the subject may be reconsidered with less difficulty and greater coolness. In the mean time, the compromise was upon the best footing that could be obtained. .A compromise likewise took place in regard to the importation of slaves. It is probable that all the members reprobn.tcd this inhuman traffic; but those of South Cnroliua and Georgia would not consent to an immediate prohibition of it-one reason of which was, that, during the last war, they lost a vast number of negroes, which lo s they wi. h to supply. In the mean time, it is left to the States to admit or prohibit the importation, and Congress may imoose a limited duty n pon it. EXTRACTS FROM THE DEBATES, IN THE CONVENTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA. January 16, 1788. lion. Rawlins Lowndes. It bas been said that this new government was to be considered as an experiment. He really was afraid it would prove a fatal one to our peace and bappinc. s. An experiment I What! risk the loss of political existence on experiments? No, sir; if we arc to mn.ke experiments, rather let them be such as may do good, but which cannot possibly do any injury to us or our posterity. So far from having any expectation of success from such experiments, he sincerely bel ievcd that., when this new Constitution should be adopted, the sun of the Southern States would set, never to rise again. To prove this, he observed, that six of the Eastern States formed a majority in the House of Representatives. In the enumeration he passed Rhode Island, and included Pennsylvania. Now, was it consonant wilh reason, wiLL wisL1om, with TIII£ ST .. \.1'1~ CO~Vh:~'l'IOX~. 151 policy, to suppose, in a legislature where a majority of persons sat whose interests were gt·eatly difl'crcnt from ours, that we bad the smallest chance of receiving adequate advantages? Certainly not. lie believed the gentlemen that went from this State, to represent us in Convention, possessed as much integrity, and stood as high in point of character, as any gentlemen that could have been selected ; and he also believed that they had done everything in their power to procure for us a proportionate share in this new government;· but the very little they had gained proved what we may expect in future-that the interest of the Northern States would so predominate as to divest us of any pretensions to the Litle of a rcpubl ic. In the first place, what cause was there for jealousy of our importing negroes ? Why confine us to twenty years, or, rather, why limit us at all? For his part, he thought this trade could be justified on the princi pies of religion, humanity, and justice; for certainly to translate a set of human beings from a bad country to a better, was fulfilling every part of these principles. Bnt they don't like our slaves, because they have none themselves and therefore want to exclude us from this great advantage. Why should the Southern States allow of this, without the consent of nine States. Judge Pendleton observed, that only three States, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina, allowed the importation of negroes. Virginia had a clause in her Constitution for this purpose, and Maryland, he believed, even before the war prohibited them. Mr. Lowndes continued, that we had a law prohibiting the importation of negroes for three years, a law he greatly approved of; but there was no reason offered why the Southern States might not find it necessary to alter their conduct, and. open their ports. Without nco-roes this State would de0o·encrate into one 0 , |