blind nor
deaf.

The fires of the Revolutionary struggle began to melt the frozen
feelings of the colonists towards the slaves. When they began to feel
the British lion clutching at the throat of their own liberties, the
bondage of the Negro stared them in the face. They knew the Negro's
power of endurance, his personal courage, his admirable promptitude in
the performance of difficult tasks, and his desperate spirit when
pressed too sharply. The thought of such an ally for the English army,
such an element in their rear, was louder in their souls than the roar
of the enemy's guns. The act of June, 1774, shows how deeply the
people felt on the subject.

"AN ACT PROHIBITING THE IMPORTATION OF NEGROES INTO THIS
COLONY.

Whereas, the inhabitants of America are generally engaged in
the preservation of their own rights and liberties, among
which, that of personal freedom must be considered as the
greatest; as those who are desirous of enjoying all the
advantages of liberty themselves, should be willing to
extend personal liberty to others;--

"Therefore, be it enacted by this General Assembly, and by
the authority thereof it is enacted, that for the future, no
negro or mulatto slave shall be brought into this colony;
and in case any slave shall hereafter be brought in, he or
she shall be, and are hereby, rendered immediately free, so
far as respects personal freedom, and the enjoyment of
private property, in the same manner as the native Indians.

"Provided, nevertheless, that this law shall not extend to
servants of persons travelling through this colony, who are
not inhabitants thereof, and who carry them out with them,
when they leave the same.

"Provided, also, that nothing in this act shall extend, or
be deemed to extend, to any negro or mulatto slave,
belonging to any inhabitant of either of the British
colonies, islands or plantations, who shall come into this
colony, with an intention to settle or reside, for a number
of years, therein; but such negro or mulatto, so brought
into this colony, by such person inclining to settle or
reside therein, shall be, and remain, in the same situation,
and subject in like manner to their master or mistress, as
they were in the colony or plantation from whence they
removed.

"Provided, nevertheless, that if any person