leges of the people," etc. The act
abolished slavery. _Vermont State Papers, 1779-86_, p. 287.

~1780. Massachusetts: Slavery Abolished.~

Passage in the Constitution which was held by the courts to abolish
slavery: "Art. I. All men are born free and equal, and have certain,
natural, essential, and unalienable rights; among which may be reckoned
the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties," etc.
_Constitution of Massachusetts_, Part I., Art. 1; prefixed to _Perpetual
Laws_ (1789).

~1780, March 1. Pennsylvania: Slavery Abolished.~

"An Act for the gradual abolition of slavery."

Sec. 5. All slaves to be registered before Nov. 1.

Sec. 10. None but slaves "registered as aforesaid, shall, at any time
hereafter, be deemed, adjudged, or holden, within the territories of
this commonwealth, as slaves or servants for life, but as free men and
free women; except the domestic slaves attending upon Delegates in
Congress from the other American States," and those of travellers not
remaining over six months, foreign ministers, etc., "provided such
domestic slaves be not aliened or sold to any inhabitant," etc.

Sec. 11. Fugitive slaves from other states may be taken back.

Sec. 14. Former duty acts, etc., repealed. Dallas, _Laws_, I. 838. Cf.
_Penn. Archives_, VII. 79; VIII. 720.

~1783, April. Confederation: Slave-Trade in Treaty of 1783.~

"To the earnest wish of Jay that British ships should have no right
under the convention to carry into the states any slaves from any part
of the world, it being the intention of the United States entirely to
prohibit their importation, Fox answered promptly: 'If that be their
policy, it never can be competent to us to dispute with them their own
regulations.'" Fox to Hartley, June 10, 1783, in Bancroft, _History of
the Constitution_, I. 61. Cf. Sparks, _Diplomatic Correspondence_, X.
154, June, 1783.

~1783. Maryland: Importation Prohibited.~

"An Act to prohibit the bringing slaves into this state."

" ... it shall not be lawful, after the passing this act, to import or
bring into this state, by land or water, any negro, mulatto, or other
slave, for sale, or to reside within this state; and any person brought
into this state as a slave contrary to this act, if a slave before,
shall thereupon immediately cease to be a slave, and shall be free;
provided that this act shall not prohibit any person, being a citizen of
some one of the United States, coming