RECORDS OF THE FEDERAL CONVENTION Saturday MADISON August 2 5 Genl Pinkney moved to strike out the words "the year eighteen hundred" (as the year limiting the importation of slaves,) and to insert the words "the year eighteen hundred and eight" Mr. Ghorum 2ded. the motion Mr. Madison. Twenty years will produce all the mischief that can be apprehended from the liberty to import slaves. So long a term will be more dishonorable to the National character than to say nothing about it in the Constitution. On the motion; (which passed in the affirmative.} N-- H-- ay. Mas. ay--Ct. a 7. N.J. no. Pa. no. Del-- no. Md. ay. Va. no. N-- C. a 7. S--C. ay. Geo. ay. [Ayes -- 7; noes -- 4.] Mr. Govr. Morris was for making the clause read at once, ? ?importation of slaves into N. Carolina, S--Carolina & Georgia". (shall not be prohibited &c.) This he said would be most fair and would avoid the ambiguity by which, under the power with regard to naturalization, the liberty reserved to the States might be defeated. He wished it to be known also that this part of the Constitution was a compliance with those States. If the change of language however should be objected to by the members from those States, he should not urge it. 8 Col: Mason was not against using the term "slaves" but agst naming N--C--S--C. & Georgia, lest it should give offence to the people of those States. Mr Sherman liked a description better than the terms pro- posed, which had been declined by the old Congs & were not pleasing to some people. Mr. Clymer concurred with Mr. Sherman Mr. Williamson said that both in opinion & practice he was, against slavery; but thought it more in favor of August 2z (with references under note 2), August 24, and below August 28 and z9; also Appendix A, CXXXtV, CXXXVII, CLVIII (6o-64), CLXXI, CCa, CCII, CCXII, CCXVII, CCXXVtI, CCXXXIX, CCLXIX, CCLXXX, CCCXXXII, CCCXXXIII, CCCXXXVL ? On the avoidance of the term '? slaves", see Appendix A, CXLVIII, CLVIII (57), CCLXXX, CCCXXXII.
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