diction of any of the States, each of which, may pass what laws
it pleases, so that those laws do not contravene the common compact,
contained in the document, or, act of Congress, usually denominated the
_Constitution of the United States_. Now, that compact does by no means
prohibit the existence of Slavery; but, on the contrary, _expressly
recognises its legality_; and this was one of the _conditions_, upon
which the Union was founded.

6. As to the several States, Slavery did exist in all, except, perhaps,
_Indiana_ and _Ohio_; and, I believe, there also. I mean that it existed
without any _modification by law_. That is to say, Slaves and the
children of Slaves were as much a white man's property as horses and the
young ones of horses. In _Maryland_ (we are now going towards the North)
there is now a mitigation of some sort; also in _Delaware_,
_Pennsylvania_, _New Jersey_, _New York_, _Vermont_, and the _New
England_, States. I do not know whether an _absolute abolition_ has
taken place in any State; though I believe it has. In the State of _New
York_ the law made all free that were born after a certain period; and
after another certain period, those born slaves were to become free. I
cannot take upon me to say exactly how the thing stands with regard to
these States; but I believe, that if you bring your slave into a State
with you, he does not become free by that act of yours; and that, if he
escape from you and go into one of these States, he may be lawfully
seized as a slave and taken away. _Delaware_ State and _Maryland_, which
lie to the South of _Pennsylvania_ and join on to _Virginia_, appear, as
the reader will find, to be the principal theatre of the Slave Trade,
though, as will be seen, the villains who carry on the traffic have the
audacity to carry it on even in the City of _Philadelphia_.

7. So much for the States. Now, which is very material to observe, the
_Congress_, that is to say, the _Government of the Union_, has had
allotted to it a _territorial jurisdiction_, exclusive of all the
States. This spot is on the _Potomac River_, which divides _Maryland_
from _Virginia_. The territory thus allotted is a piece of land ten
miles square, in the centre of which is the City of Washington. Now, we
shall find this spot to be the very focus of the Slave Trade. The reader
will see, in paragraph 46. an account of a drove of chained Negroes
marching under the _Capitol_ of this very City; and Mr. TORREY gives