ht up for consideration was a
tariff-bill which Mr. Parker of Virginia sought to amend by inserting
a clause levying an impost-tax of ten dollars upon every slave brought
by water. "He was sorry the Constitution prevented Congress from
prohibiting the importation altogether. It was contrary to revolution
principles, and ought not to be permitted." Thus the question of
slavery made its appearance early at the first session of the first
Congress under the present Constitution. At that time Georgia was the
only State in the Union that seemed to retain a pecuniary interest in
the importation of slaves. Even South Carolina had passed an Act
prohibiting for one year the importation of slaves. In this, as on
several occasions before, she was actuated on account of the low
prices of produce,--too low to be remunerative. But, notwithstanding
this, Mr. Smith, the member from the Charleston district, grew quite
captious over the proposition of the gentleman from Virginia. He

'Hoped that such an important and serious proposition would
not be hastily adopted. It was rather a late moment for the
first introduction of a subject so big with serious
consequences. No one topic had been yet introduced so
important to South Carolina and the welfare of the Union."

Mr. Sherman got the floor, and said he

"Approved the object of the motion, but did not think it a
fit subject to be embraced in this bill. He could not
reconcile himself to the insertion of human beings, as a
subject of impost, among goods, wares, and merchandise. He
hoped the motion would be withdrawn for the present, and
taken up afterwards as an independent subject."

Mr. Jackson of Georgia

"Was not surprised, however others might be so, at the
quarter whence this motion came. Virginia, as an old settled
State, had her complement of slaves, and the natural
increase being sufficient for her purpose, she was careless
of recruiting her numbers by importation. But gentlemen
ought to let their neighbors get supplied before they
imposed such a burden. He knew this business was viewed in
an odious light at the Eastward, because the people there
were capable of doing their own work, and had no occasion
for slaves. But gentlemen ought to have some feeling for
others. Surely they do not mean to tax us for every comfort
and enjoyment of life, and, at the same time,