into the
repeal of her obnoxious laws, as this policy of non-intercourse. It
would deprive the West Indies of their ordinary supplies of provisions,
and force them to suspend their usual cultivation, to produce their own
food. It would cause not only the cessation of imports from Great
Britain into the West Indies, on account of the inability of its people
to pay, but would, at once, check all demand for slaves, both in the
sugar Islands and in North America--thus creating a loss, in the
African trade alone, of three and a half millions of dollars, and
putting in peril one-half of the commerce of England.

We are now prepared to introduce the resolutions, passed by the North
American colonies, on the subject of the slave trade and slavery. It is
not considered necessary to burden our pages with a repetition of the
whole of the accompanying resolutions. They embraced every item of
foreign commodities, excepting in a few instances where medicines,
saltpetre, and other necessaries, were exempted from the prohibition. In
a few counties, though they condemned the slave trade, they excepted
negroes, and desired to retain the privilege of procuring them. This was
in the early part of the movement. When the Continental Congress came to
act upon it, no such exemption was made.

On May 17, 1774, the citizens of Providence, Rhode Island, met and
acquiesced in the Boston resolutions. Their proceedings closed with this
declaration: "Whereas, the inhabitants of America are engaged in the
preservation of their rights and liberties; and as personal liberty is
an essential part of the natural rights of mankind, the deputies of the
town are directed to use their endeavors to obtain an act of the General
Assembly, prohibiting the importation of negro slaves in this colony;
and that all negroes born in the colony should be free at a certain
age."

Prince George county, Virginia, June 1774, responded to Boston, and
added this resolution: "_Resolved_, That the African trade is injurious
to this colony, obstructs the population of it by freemen, prevents
manufacturers and other useful emigrants from Europe from settling among
us, and occasions an annual balance of trade against the colony."[115]

Culpepper County, Virginia, July 7, 1774 acquiesced in the
non-intercourse policy, and added this resolution: "_Resolved_, That the
importing slaves and convict servants, is injurious to this colony, as
it obstructs the population of it with free