NEGRO SLAVERY.
387
began already to experience as a serious evil, we find, in
1712, that, undismayed by the repeal of the non-importa¬
tion law of the preceding year by the court of England, a
petition, " signed by many hands," praying for a duty to
discourage the further importation of negroes, was pre¬
sented to the Assembly, and after mature consideration, a
bill laying the then enormous duty of twenty pounds per
head was passed, which well-intentioned and effective law
shared the same fate in the English council as the act of
1711. We may here take occasion to observe, that all
the designs of the early legislators of Pennsyhrania to
improve the condition of her citizens, and to substitute,
for the oppressive policy of the old world, a more free,
humane, and happy condition of things in the new, were
rendered void through the repeal, by English orders of
council, of all such laAvs as had these noble and excellent
designs in view. This circumstance will account for the
little subsequent notice taken of the subject by the Legis¬
lature of our State, with the exception of a few laws,
which we shall soon mention, from this period up to
1770. Our intervening history will be principally con¬
fined to the exertions of the Society of Friends and of
private individuals.
In 1712, a petition was presented to the Assembly by
William Southeby,* praying for the total abolition of
slavery in Pennsylvania; on consideration, the House
* William Southeby had been a resident of Maryland, and a
Roman Catholic. In 1696, he wrote papers against slavery. A
sketch of his life, by Mr. Nathan Kite, will be found in XXVIII. Vol.
of "The Friend," pp. 293, 301, 309.—Editor.
Permalink: http://pid.emory.edu/ark:/25593/n7rn1
