In Maryland acts were passed encouraging the importation of Negroes, in 1671; and in this same year they were first introduced into South Carolina. They were legally admitted into Georgia in 1747. The precise year of their admission into the remaining eight of the old thirteen Colonies is not accurately known.
2. Estimated Negro Population of the Colonies at the Declaration of Independence; and Census of 1790.
I have no references at hand by which to determine the number of Negroes in each of the Colonies, nor the aggregate in all, before the Declaration of Independence, as no general census was ever taken of the Colonies while they continued such. But there are statements of the number in most of the Colonies, given in different years, which I shall proceed to mention.
Virginia was settled in 1607, and in 1671 contained 2,000 Negroes; in 1763, 100,000.
Massachusetts was settled in 1620, and in 1763 contained 4,500.
Rhode Island was settled in 1636. In 1680 had imported but a few Negroes, in 1730 contained 1,648, and in 1748, 4,373.
Connecticut was settled in 1635. In 1680 had 30 Negroes, and in 1774, 6,464.
New Hampshire was settled from Massachusetts and became a separate Colony in 1741, and in 1775 contained 659 Negroes.
New York was settled by the Dutch in 1613. In 1756 contained 13,542.
New Jersey was settled 1627. In 1738 contained 3,981 Negroes and slaves, and in 1745, 4,606.
Maryland was granted to Lord Baltimore in 1632. In 1755 contained 42,764 Negroes, and for a time, 2,000 were imported annually. Mr. Burke says, in 1757 the number was upwards of 60,000.
North Carolina was permanently settled in 1650, and became distinct from Virginia in 1727. In 1701 it had 5,000 inhabitants, besides Negroes and Indians, and in 1702, 6,000.
South Carolina was granted to Lord Clarendon in 1662. In 1723 contained 18,000 Negroes; in 1724, 439 were imported; in 1730 contained 28,000; in 1731 1,500 were imported. In 1765 contained 90,000; in 1773 over 6,000 were imported. This Colony lost 25,000 Negroes in the Revolutionary war.
Georgia was settled in 1732-3. Slavery was legalized in 1747, and in 1772 contained 14,000 Negroes.
The probable number of Negroes in the Colonies at the Declaration of Independence in 1776, may be ascertained in the following manner. Take the known population in the different Colonies nearest the year 1776; compare that with the census of 1790; take into consideration the rate of increase from nature and from importation, and also the decrease; and then give the supposed population in round numbers.
| Massachusetts.--Last return in 1763 to 1776, 13 years, the population decreasing; supposed population in 1776. . . . . . | 3,500 |
| Rhode Island.--1748 to 1776, 28 years, stationary. . . . . . | 4,373 |
| Connecticut.--1774 to 1776, 2 years, decreasing. . . . . . | 6,000 |
| New Hampshire.--1775 to 1776, 1 year, stationary. . . . . . | 659 |
| New York.--1756 to 1776, 20 years increasing. . . . . . | 15,000, |
| New Jersey.--1745 to 1776, 31 years increasing. . . . . . | 7,600 |
| Delaware.--Estimated in 1776 compared with 1790. . . . . . | 9,000 |
| Pennsylvania.--Estimated in 1775 compared with 1790, the act of Abolition in 1780 taken into the account. . . . . . | 10,000 |
| In 1757, Mr. Burke says, "not the fortieth part of the inhabitants were Negroes." | |
| Maryland.--1755 to 1776, 21 years, increasing. . . . . . | 80,000 |
| Virginia.--1763 to 1776, 13 years, increasing. . . . . . | 165,000. |
| North Carolina.--Estimated in same way as Delaware. . . . . . | 75,000 |
| South Carolina.--1765 to 1776, 11 years, increasing, and loss in Revolution considered. . . . . . | 110,000. |
| Georgia.--1772 to 1776, 4 years, increasing. . . . . . | 16,000 |
| Total, . . . . . | 502,132. |
Making a total, in round numbers, of 500,000 Negroes who had, in the course of 156 years, from 1620 to 1776, accumulated on our shores, by importation and natural increase.
The proportion of free Negroes, in this estimate, at the Declaration of Independence, must have been inconsiderable; as it was not until after the Revolution that manumissions by owners, and manumissions in the progress of acts of Abolition, multiplied.
The Census of the United States for 1790, gives 697,697 Slaves and 59,481 Free Persons Of Color; a total of 757,178.
3. Efforts for their Religious Instruction, both in Great Britain and America, year by year, during this Period.
Having brought distinctly to view this multitude of people introduced amongst us in the inscrutable providence of God, the original stock being in a state of absolute Heathenism, we may inquire into the efforts made for their Religious Instruction.
1673. Mr. Baxter published his "Christian Directory," in which he has a chapter of "Directions to those Masters in Foreign Plantations who have Negroes and other slaves; being a solution of several cases about them."
The first Direction calls upon masters to "understand well how far your power over your slaves extendeth and what limits God hath set thereto."
"Remember that they have immortal souls, and are equally capable of salvation with yourselves: and therefore you have no power to do any thing which shall hinder their salvation. Remember that God is their absolute owner, and that you have none but a derived and limited propriety in them;--that they and you are equally under the government and laws of God;--that God is their reconciled tender Father, and if they be as good, doth love them as well as you;--and that they are the redeemed ones of Christ:--Therefore, so use them as to preserve Christ's right and interest in them."
The 2d. Direction--"Remember that you are Christ's trustees, or the guardians of their souls; and that the greater your power is over them, the greater your charge is of them and your duty for them. So must you exercise both your power and love to bring them to the knowledge and the faith of Christ, and to the just obedience of God's commands."
The 3d.--"So serve your necessities by your slaves as to prefer God's interest and their spiritual and ever-lasting happiness. Teach them the way to heaven, and do all for their souls which I have before directed you to do for all your other servants. Tho' you may make some difference in their labor and diet and clothing, yet none as to the furthering of their salvation. If they be infidels use them so as tendeth to win them to Christ and the love of religion, by shewing them that Christians are less worldly, less cruel and passionate, and more wise and charitable and holy and meek, than any other persons are. Wo to them that by their cruelty and covetousness do scandalize even slaves and hinder their conversion and salvation."
The 7th and last Direction--"Make it your chief end in buying and using slaves to win them to Christ and save their souls. Do not only endeavor it on the by when you have first consulted your own