The Constitution a pro-slavery compact: or, Extracts from the Madison papers

It is a well-known fact that the Madison Papers contain a report, written by James Madison, of the debates in the Old Congress of the Confederation and in the Convention that formed the Constitution of the United States. All the debates on those articles of the constitution that dealt with slavery have been extracted from them in these pages. To all this is added everything that has been found on the same subject in the debates at the several state conventions that have ratified the Constitution: together with most of Luther Martin's speech to the Maryland Legislature and the speeches of the Federalists, as they relate to the subject; with some excerpts also from the debates of the first Federal Congress on slavery. All of them are listed unchanged, except for what is in some cases inserted in brackets after the name of the speaker, the name of the state from which he came. The notes and italics are the same as in the original, but the editor added a note on page 11 and two notes on page 52 which are marked as his own. Also printed here in capital letters is one opinion by Rufus King, and two by James Madison—a distinction which the importance of the statements seemed to demand—otherwise everything has been reprinted exactly from the originals. These passages most clearly reveal all the details of the "compromise" that was concluded between freedom and slavery in 1787; granting the slave owner special privileges and protecting his slave property in exchange for certain trade concessions on his part in relation to the North. They also prove that the nation as a whole at that time was well aware of this deal and entered into it willingly and with open eyes. Also added is an "Appeal from the American Anti-Slavery Society" and a letter from Francis Jackson to Governor Briggs resigning his Justice of the Peace Commission as a bold and noble protest against the guilt and disgrace of this national deal, and as the clearest proof of the duty of every man to trample it under his feet.