Page:The Collected Works of Theodore Parker Slavery volume 5 .djvu/38

26 was on the States where it prevailed!" "Are the slaves men? then make them citizens^ and let them vote. Are they property? why then is no other property included [in the ratio of representation]? The houses in this city [Philadelphia] are worth more than all the wretched slaves who cover the rice-swamps of South Carolina." Mr Gerry declared we "ought to be careful not to give any sanction to it." All the North was at first opposed to slavery and the slave-trade. Both parties seemed obstinate; the question of "taxes on exports" and of "navigation laws" remained to be decided. Gouverneur Morris recommended that the whole subject of slavery might be referred to a committee, "including the clauses relating to the taxes on exports and to the navigation laws. These things may form a bargain among the Northern and Southern States." Says Luther Martin, "I found the Eastern States, notwithstanding their aversion to slavery, were very willing to indulge the Southern States, at least with a temporary liberty to prosecute the slave-trade, provided the Southern States would in their turn gratify them by laying no restriction on navigation acts." The North began to understand if the contemplated navigation laws should be enacted, that, as Mr Grayson afterwards said, " all the produce of the Southern States will be carried by the Northern States on their own terms, which must be high." Mr Clymer, of Pennsylvania, declared, "The Western and Middle States will be ruined, if not enabled to defend themselves against foreign regulations;" will be ruined if they do not have some navigation laws giving Americans an advantage over foreign vessels. Mr Gorham of Massachusetts said, "The Eastern States had no motives to union but a commercial one." The proffered compromise would favour their commercial interests. It was for the commercial interest of the South, said Mr Pinckney, to have no restrictions upon commerce, but "considering the loss brought on the Eastern States by the revolution, and their liberal conduct towards the views of South Carolina, [in consenting to allow slavery and the importation of slaves,] he thought that no fetters should be imposed on the power of making commercial regulations, and his constituents would be reconciled to the liberality." So the North took the boon,