Page:The History of Slavery and the Slave Trade.djvu/427

 removed. At the final adjournment, the Journal, in accordance with a previous vole, was intrusted to the custody of Washington, by whom it was afterward deposited in the department of state. It was first printed by order of congress in 1818. Yates, one of the members from New York, took short notes of the earlier debates, which were published after his death in 1821. The more perfect notes of Madison, recently published, with the official Journal, the notes of Yates, and a representation to the legislature of Maryland made by Luther Martin, furnish materials for a view, tolerably complete, of the conflicting opinions by which the convention was divided, and of the process which gradually matured and brought into shape the federal constitution.

The following are the provisions of the constitution which are presumed to relate to the subject of slavery:

Preamble. "We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for the United States of America.

"Art. 1. Sec. 1. All legislative powers herein granted, shall be vested in a congress of the United States, which shall consist of a senate and house of representatives.

"Sec. 2. * * * Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states which may be included within this Union, according [o their respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to servitude for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other persons.

"Sec. 9. The migration or importation of such persons as any of the states now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the congress prior to the year 1808; but a tax or duty may be imposed, not exceeding ten dollars on each person.

"The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when, in the cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may require it.

"No bill of attainder, or ex post facto laws, shall be passed.

"Art. III. Sec. 3. Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort.

"Art, IV. Sec. 2. The citizens of each state shall be entitled to all the privileges of citizens, in the several states.

"No person held to service or labor in one state, under the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labor, but shall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service or labor may be due.

Sec. 3. New states may be admitted by the congress into this Union; but no new state shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other state; nor any state be formed by the junction of two or more states, or parts