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Show 130 Union of America without the temporary permission of that trade ; and if they were cxcl uded from the U uion, the conscqncnces might be dreadful to them and to us. We are not in a worse situation than before. The traffic is prohibitc< l by our laws, and wo may continue the prohiLitiou. The Union in general is not in a worRc silua.tion. Under the Articles of Confederation, it might be continued forever; but, by this clause, an end may be put lo it u.ftcr twenty years. 'L,here is, therefore, an amelioration of our circum lances. A tax may be laid in tho mean time ; but it is limited; otherwise Cougrcss might la.y sueh n. tax us would amount to a prohibition. From the mo<le of representation and taxation, Congress cannot lay . uch a tax on slaves as will amount to manumission. Another clan c secures 11s t.hn.t property wl1ich we now po SeRR. At present, if any slave elopes to nny of those Stntcs where slaves nrc free, he becomes cmn nci patc<l l>y their laws; for the laws of the States arc un('llflrit:thlc to one another in this respect. Rut in this Con,·t itution, II no person held to service or labor in one state, untl<'r the lawH thereof, cscap· ing into another, shnll, in COII~l'<J11t'llt't' of n.ny law or rccruln· tion therein be diHcharcretl from sneh service or labor; bnt ' n "hall be deli vet·ccl up on clai 111 of the party to whom such -;ervice ot· labor shn.ll be dne." 'Chis .cla use was expressly in serted, to enable owners of slaves to re ·!aim them. This is a better security than any that now exists. No power is given to the general I!Overnment lo interpose with rrspect to the properly in slaves nov" held by the States. 1.,hc taxalion of this. State being cqnal only to its rcprcscn· t ntion, such a tax cannot be laid as he sn pposos. They cannot prevent the importation of slaves for twenty years; but after that period they cnn. 'rho gcnLicmcn from South Carolina and Georgia nrgned in this manner: 11 We 'rll~ S'l'A'l' Jc; UONV EN'riONS. 131 have now Jjbcrty to import this species of property, ancl much of the prop0rt y now po:, csscd hn.<l been purchased, or otherwise acquired, in contemplation of improving it by the a,sisUtllCe of imported ·lav s. What would be th eonsescqucnce of hindering ns from it? r.I'hc slaves of Virginia would rise in vuJuc, and we shoulu be obliged to go to yonr mn.rkets." I need not expatiate on this snhj 'Ct. Great as the evil is, a uismem bcnncn t of the U11 ion would be worse. If those States ~hould disnnile from the other Stales for not indulging them in the temporary continuance of this traffie, they might solicit and ohtaiu aid from fo reign powers. 1\Ir. 'rylor warmly cnlnrge<l on the impoli ·y, iniqnity, and di gracefulness of thi wicked traffic. Jic thonght the reason. urged by gentlemen in defense of it were inconclusive and ill founded. It was one cause of the complaints against Brit.i:-;h tyranny, that this trade was permitted. 'rho Hcvolu tion had put a period to it; but now it was lobe revived. IIc t110ught nothing could justify it. This temporary restri ction on Congress militated, in his opi11ion, against the argurnc11ts of gentlemen 011 the otlH·r side, that whn.t wnR 110t g- iven up waR retained to the tates i for Lhat, if tlli~ restriction had not been insert ed, Congre. s <.:o ulcl hnvc prohibited the A fri(~an trade. The power of prohibiting it was uot cxpr0ssly dclcgaLctl to them ; yet they would have had it by implication, if this restra in t hn<l not been provi clecl. Thi · seemed to him to demonst rate most clearly the necessity of rC'st rai11ing th m, by a hill of rirrhts, from infringing our unalienable rights. It was inlmaterial whether the bill of rights was by itself, or inelndccl in the Constitution. Bu t he <'On tended for it one wny or the other. It would be justified by our own example aud that of England. |