There were minor acts and quite a number of acts of a private character.
TENNESSEE.
Tennessee was originally a part of North Carolina and the laws of North Carolina which were in force at the time of the cession of Tennessee to the United States in 1790 were continued in force in Tennessee.[381]
The first law passed by Tennessee with reference to importation of slaves was in 1812. It prohibited their importation as merchandise for a term of five years. Persons coming as settlers or residents who had acquired slaves by descent, devise, marriage, or purchase for their own use were permitted to import them. Immigrants were obliged to take the following oath:
"I, A.B., do solemnly swear or affirm that I have removed myself and slaves to the State of Tennessee with the full and sole view of becoming a citizen, and that I have not brought my slave or slaves to this State with any view to the securing of the same against any rebellion or apprehension of rebellion, so help me God."[382]
No other law concerning importation was enacted until 1826. It was practically the same as that of 1812 except that it was a perpetual act and no one was allowed to introduce slaves which had been guilty of crimes in other States.[383] This act continued in force until 1855 when so much of it was repealed as related to the importation of slaves as merchandise.[384]
MISSOURI, ARKANSAS, FLORIDA AND TEXAS.
The Constitution of Missouri (1820) circumscribed the powers of the legislature with reference to importation of slaves as follows:
"The General Assembly shall have no power to pass laws to prevent bona fide immigrants to this State or actual settlers therein from bringing from any of the United States, or from any of their territories, such persons as may there be deemed to be slaves, so long as any persons of the same description are allowed to be held as slaves by the laws of this State.
"They shall have power to pass laws: