the rights of human kind, as to be concerned in that
unrighteous commerce:

Sec. 1. "Be it therefore enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives,
in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That no
citizen of this Commonwealth, or other person residing within the same,
shall for himself, or any other person whatsoever, either as master,
factor, supercargo, owner or hirer, in whole or in part, of any vessel,
directly or indirectly, import or transport, or buy or sell, or receive
on board, his or their vessel, with intent to cause to be imported or
transported, any of the inhabitants of any State or Kingdom, in that
part of the world called _Africa_, as slaves, or as servants for term of
years." Any person convicted of doing this shall forfeit and pay the sum
of L50 for every person received on board, and the sum of L200 for every
vessel fitted out for the trade, "to be recovered by action of debt, in
any Court within this Commonwealth, proper to try the same; the one
moiety thereof to the use of this Commonwealth, and the other moiety to
the person who shall prosecute for and recover the same."

Sec. 2. All insurance on said vessels and cargo shall be null and void;
"and this act may be given in evidence under the general issue, in any
suit or action commenced for the recovery of insurance so made," etc.

Sec. 4. "_Provided_ ... That this act do not extend to vessels which have
already sailed, their owners, factors, or commanders, for and during
their present voyage, or to any insurance that shall have been made,
previous to the passing of the same." _Perpetual Laws of Massachusetts,
1780-89_ (ed. 1789), p. 235.

~1788, March 29. Pennsylvania: Slave-Trade Prohibited.~

"An Act to explain and amend an act, entituled, 'An Act for the gradual
abolition of slavery.'"

Sec. 2. Slaves brought in by persons intending to settle shall be free.

Sec. 3. " ... no negro or mulatto slave, or servant for term of years,"
except servants of congressmen, consuls, etc., "shall be removed out of
this state, with the design and intention that the place of abode or
residence of such slave or servant shall be thereby altered or changed,
or with the design and intention that such slave or servant, if a
female, and pregnant, shall be detained and kept out of this state till
her delivery of the child of which she is or shall be pregnant, or with
the design and intention that such slave or servant shall be brough