howed that Connecticut was
the only one of the New-England colonies that had the honesty and
courage to legislate against slavery. And the patriotism and
incomparable valor of the Negro soldiers of Connecticut, who proudly
followed the Continental flag through the fires of the Revolutionary
War, proved that they were worthy of the humane sentiment that
demanded the Act of 1774.

FOOTNOTES:

[435] In the Capital Laws of Connecticut, passed on the 1st of
December, 1642, the tenth law reads as follows. "10. If any man
stealeth a man or mankind, he shall be put to death. Ex. 21 16." But
this was the law in Massachusetts, and yet slavery existed there for
one hundred and forty-three (143) years.

[436] Conn. Col. Recs., 1678-89, p. 293.

[437] Ibid., p. 298.

[438] Conn Col Recs., 1689-1706, p. 40

[439] Ibid. 1689-1706, pp. 375, 376.

[440] Conn. Col. Recs., 1706-16, p. 52.

[441] Ibid., pp 51, 53.

[442] Conn. Col. Recs., 1706-16, p. 233.

[443] Conn. Col. Recs., 1717-25, pp. 390, 391.

[444] Ibid., 1726-35, p. 290.

[445] Conn. Col. Recs., 1706-16, pp. 515, 516.

[446] Hazard, State Papers, vol. ii. pp. 1-6.

[447] Conn. Col. Recs., vol. i. p. 349.

[448] Pres. Stiles's MSS.

[449] Freedom and Bondage, vol. i. pp. 272, 273.

CHAPTER XIX.

THE COLONY OF RHODE ISLAND.

1647-1775.

COLONIAL GOVERNMENT IN RHODE ISLAND, MAY, 1647.--AN ACT
PASSED TO ABOLISH SLAVERY IN 1652, BUT WAS NEVER
ENFORCED.--AN ACT SPECIFYING WHAT TIMES INDIAN AND NEGRO
SLAVES SHOULD NOT APPEAR IN THE STREETS.--AN IMPOST-TAX ON
SLAVES (1708).--PENALTIES IMPOSED ON DISOBEDIENT
SLAVES.--ANTI-SLAVERY SENTIMENT IN THE COLONIES RECEIVES
LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT.--CIRCULAR LETTER FROM THE BOARD OF
TRADE TO THE GOVERNOR OF THE ENGLISH COLONIES RELATIVE TO
NEGRO SLAVES.--GOVERNOR CRANSTON'S REPLY.--LIST OF
MILITIA-MEN, INCLUDING WHITE AND BLACK SERVANTS.--ANOTHER
LETTER FROM THE BOARD OF TRADE.--AN ACT PREVENTING
CLANDESTINE IMPORTATIONS AND EXPORTATION OF PASSENGERS,
NEGROES, OR INDIAN SLAVES.--MASTERS OF VESSELS REQUIRED TO
REPORT THE NAMES AND NUMBER OF PASSENGERS TO THE
GOVERNOR.--VIOLATION OF THE IMPOST-TAX LAW ON SLAVES
PUNISHED BY SEVERE PENALTIES.--APPROPRIATION BY THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY, JULY 5, 1715, FROM THE FUND DERIVED FROM THE
IMPOST-TAX, FOR THE PAVING OF THE STREETS OF NEWPORT.--AN
ACT PASSED DISPOSING OF THE MONEY RAISE