anity had nothing to do with this question--Interest alone is
the governing principle with Nations--The true question at
present is whether the Southn. States shall or shall not be
parties to the Union. If the Northern States consult their
interest, they will not oppose the increase of Slaves which will
increase the commodities of which they will become the carriers.

Mr. Ellsworth was for leaving the clause as it stands, let every
State import what it pleases. The morality or wisdom of slavery
are considerations belonging to the States themselves--What
enriches a part enriches the whole, and the States are the best
judges of their particular interest. The old confederation had
not meddled with this point, and he did not see any greater
necessity for bringing it within the policy of the new one:

Mr Pinkney. South Carolina can never receive the plan if it
prohibits the slave trade. In every proposed extension of the
powers of Congress, that State has expressly & watchfully
excepted that of meddling with the importation of negroes. If the
States be all left at liberty on this subject, S. Carolina may
perhaps by degrees do of herself what is wished, as Virginia &
Maryland have already done.[562]

Adjourned

Art. VII sect 4. resumed. Mr. Sherman was for leaving the clause
as it stands. He disapproved of the slave trade: yet as the
States were now possessed of the right to import slaves, as the
public good did not require it to be taken from them, & as it was
expedient to have as few objections as possible to the proposed
scheme of Government, he thought it best to leave the matter as
we find it.[34] He observed that the abolition of slavery seemed
to be going on in the U. S. & that the good sense of the several
States would probably by degrees complete it. He urged on the
Convention the necessity of despatch(ing its business.)

Col. Mason. This infernal trafic originated in the avarice of
British Merchants. The British Govt. constantly checked the
attempts of Virginia to put a stop to it. The present question
concerns not the importing States alone but the whole Union. The
evil of having slaves was experienced during the late war. Had
slaves been treated as they might have been by the Enemy, they
would have proved dangerous instruments in