Notes on the History of Slavery in Massachusetts

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Notes on the History of Slavery in Massachusetts (1866)
by George Henry Moore

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4646481Notes on the History of Slavery in Massachusetts1866George Henry Moore

NOTES

ON THE

HISTORY OF SLAVERY

in

MASSACHUSETTS

BY

GEORGE H. MOORE

LIBRARIAN OF THE NEW-YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND CORRESPONDING
MEMBER OF THE MASSACHUSETTS HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Quis nescit, primam esse historiæ legem, ne quid falsi
dicere audeat? deinde ne quid veri non audeat?

—Cic. de Orat., ii. 15.

NEW-YORK

D. APPLETON & CO. 443 & 445 BROADWAY

MDCCCLXVI

page

Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by
GEORGE H. MOORE,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the
Southern District of New York.

Stereotyped by John F, Trow & Co., 50 Greene Street, New York,

page

CONTENTS.

I.	Early History of Slavery in Massachusetts. Puritan Theory and Practice of Slavery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	1–10
II.	The Law of Slavery in Massachusetts. Its Establishment and Modification. Slavery hereditrary in Massachusetts. Resolve in 1646, to return stolen Negroes to Africa, not an Act Hostile to Slavery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	10–30
III.	Slavery of Indians in Massachusetts. Attempt to sell Children of Quakers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	30–48
IV.	Statistics or Slave-Population. Legislation concerning Slaves and Slavery. Taxation of Slave-Property. The Slave-Trade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	48–72
V.	Earliest Anti-Slavery Movements in America, in Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. Chief-Justice Sewall. Character and Conditions of Slavery in Massachusetts. James Otis's Protest against Negro-Slavery. John Adams shudders at his Doctrines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	72–111
VI.	"The Freedom Suits." Slavery Challenged. Movements in the Legislature between 1767 and 1775. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	111–147
VII.	The Doctrine of Prize in Negroes. Action of Massachusetts in 1776. National Legislation on the Subject. History of the Doctrine. South Carolina Slaves captured by the British, and recaptured by Massachusetts Vessels of War.
	Legislative and Judicial Proceedings of Massachusetts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	148–176
VIII.	Progress of Public Opinion on Slavery in Massachusetts during the Revolution. Attempt to Abolish Slavery in 1777. Subject referred to the Continental Congress. The Constitution of 1778. Controversy on Negro Equality. Status of Free Negroes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	176–200
IX.	The Constitution of 1780. Alleged Abolition of Slavery. The Question Examined. Judicial Legislation in 1781–83. The Jennison Slave-Cases. Appeal of Stave-Owners to the Legislature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	200–223
X.	Abolition of the Slave-Trade. Legislation against Negoes. Expulsion of Negroes from the State. Conclusion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	224–242

Appendix.
A.	The Military Employment of Negroes in Massachusetts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	243–246
B.	Additional Notes, Etc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	246–250
C.	Judge Saffin's Reply to Judge Sewall, 1701 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	251–256

This work was published before January 1, 1930, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.

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