7942. SLAVERY, Establishment in Virginia.—
The first establishment [of slavery]
in Virginia which became permanent, was made
in 1607. I have found no mention of negroes
in the Colony until about 1650. The first
brought here as slaves were by a Dutch ship;
after which the English commenced the trade,
and continued it until the Revolutionary war.
That suspended, ipso facto, their further importation
for the present, and the business of
the war pressing constantly on the legislature,
this subject was not acted on finally until the
year '78, when I brought in a bill to prevent
their further importation. This passed without
opposition, and stopped the increase of the evil
by importation, leaving to future efforts its
final eradication.—
Autobiography. Washington ed. i, 38.
Ford ed., i, 51.
(1821)
