ts execution odious."[47] John Randolph argued against even fine and
imprisonment, "on the ground that such an excessive penalty could not,
in such case, be constitutionally imposed by a Government possessed of
the limited powers of the Government of the United States."[48]

The bill as passed punished infractions as follows:--

For equipping a slaver, a fine of $20,000 and forfeiture of the
ship.

For transporting Negroes, a fine of $5000 and forfeiture of the
ship and Negroes.

For transporting and selling Negroes, a fine of $1000 to
$10,000, imprisonment from 5 to 10 years, and forfeiture of the
ship and Negroes.

For knowingly buying illegally imported Negroes, a fine of $800
for each Negro, and forfeiture.

58. ~The Third Question: How shall the Interstate Coastwise Slave-Trade
be protected?~ The first proposition was to prohibit the coastwise
slave-trade altogether,[49] but an amendment reported to the House
allowed it "in any vessel or species of craft whatever." It is probable
that the first proposition would have prevailed, had it not been for the
vehement opposition of Randolph and Early.[50] They probably foresaw the
value which Virginia would derive from this trade in the future, and
consequently Randolph violently declared that if the amendment did not
prevail, "the Southern people would set the law at defiance. He would
begin the example." He maintained that by the first proposition "the
proprietor of sacred and chartered rights is prevented the
Constitutional use of his property."[51] The Conference Committee
finally arranged a compromise, forbidding the coastwise trade for
purposes of sale in vessels under forty tons.[52] This did not suit
Early, who declared that the law with this provision "would not prevent
the introduction of a single slave."[53] Randolph, too, would "rather
lose the bill, he had rather lose all the bills of the session, he had
rather lose every bill passed since the establishment of the Government,
than agree to the provision contained in this slave bill."[54] He
predicted the severance of the slave and the free States, if disunion
should ever come. Congress was, however, weary with the dragging of the
bill, and it passed both Houses with the compromise provision. Randolph
was so dissatisfied that he had a committee appointed the next day, and
introduced an amendatory bill. Both this bill and another similar one,
introduced at the next se