Page:Notes on the History of Slavery - Moore - 1866.djvu/59

 Judge Sewall referred to the "numerounes" of the laves in the province in 1700. Gov. Dudley's report to the Board of Trade, in 1708, gave four hundred as then in Bofon, one half of whom were born there; and in one hundred other towns and villages one hundred and fifty more—making a total of five hundred and fifty. He tated that negroes were found unprofitable, and that the planters there preferred white ervants "who are erviceable in war presently, and after become planters." From January 24, 1698, to 25 December, 1707, two hundred negroes arrived in Maachuetts.

Gov. Shute's information to the Lords of Trade, in 1720, Feb. 17, gave the number of laves of Maachuetts at 2,000, including a few Indians. He added that, during the ame year, thirty-even male and ixteen female negroes were imported, with the remark, "No great difference for even years lat pat." ''Felt, Coll. Amer. Stat. Aoc.,'', 586.

In 1735, there were 2,600 negroes in the Province.

In 1742, there were 1,514 in Boton alone. Douglas, ., 531. Thee are probably very imperfect etimates, as it is well known that regular enumerations of the population were conidered very objectionable by the people of the Bay. Some recalled the numbering of Irael by David, and perhaps all were jealous of the poible deigns of the Government in England in obtaining accurate information of their numbers and reources. It is a curious fact that the firt cenus in Maachuetts, was a cenus of negro laves.

In 1754, an account of property in the Province liable to taxation being required, Gov. Shirley ent a