[7] O'Callaghan, Laws of New Netherland, 1638–74, pp. 31, 348, etc. The colonists themselves were encouraged to trade, but the terms were not favorable enough: Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York, I. 246; Laws of New Netherland, pp. 81–2, note, 127. The colonists declared "that they are inclined to a foreign Trade, and especially to the Coast of Africa, ... in order to fetch thence Slaves": O'Callaghan, Voyages of the Slavers, etc., p. 172.
[8] Charter to William Penn, etc. (1879), p. 12. First published on Long Island in 1664. Possibly Negro slaves were explicitly excepted. Cf. Magazine of American History, XI. 411, and N.Y. Hist. Soc. Coll., I. 322.
[9] Acts of Assembly, 1691-1718, pp. 97, 125, 134; Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York, V. 178, 185, 293.
[10] The Assembly attempted to raise the slave duty in 1711, but the Council objected (Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York, V. 292 ff.), although, as it seems, not on account of the slave duty in particular. Another act was passed between 1711 and 1716, but its contents are not known (cf. title of the Act of 1716). For the Act of 1716, see Acts of Assembly, 1691–1718, p. 224.
[11] Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York, VI. 37, 38.
[12] Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York, VI. 32–4.
[13] Ibid., VII. 907. This act was annually renewed. The slave duty remained a chief source of revenue down to 1774. Cf. Report of Governor Tryon, in Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York, VIII. 452.
[14] Laws of New York, 1785–88 (ed. 1886), ch. 68, p. 121. Substantially the same act reappears in the revision of the laws of 1788: Ibid., ch. 40, p. 676.
[15] The slave population of New York has been estimated as follows:—
| In | 1698, | 2,170. | Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York, IV. 420. | |
| " | 1703, | 2,258. | N.Y. Col. MSS., XLVIII.; cited in Hough, N.Y. Census, 1855, Introd. | |
| " | 1712, | 2,425. | Ibid., LVII., LIX. (a partial census). | |
| " | 1723, | 6,171. | Doc. rel. Col. Hist. New York, V. 702. | |
| " | 1731, | 7,743. | Ibid., V. 929. | |
| " | 1737, | 8,941. | Ibid., VI. 133. | |
| " | 1746, | 9,107. | Ibid., VI. 392. | |
| " | 1749, | 10,692. | Ibid., VI. 550. | |
| " | 1756, | 13,548. | London Doc., XLIV. 123; cited in Hough, as above. | |
| " | 1771, | 19,863. | Ibid., XLIV. 144; cited in Hough, as above. | |
| " | 1774, | 21,149. | Ibid., | " |
| " | 1786, | 18,889. | Deeds in office Sec. of State, XXII. 35. | |