of the district may be considered as the formal evidence
of the
death abolition of Slavery in
Massachusetts -- especially as no person has
appeared to contest the legality of the return.
The abolition Prohibition of the Slave
trade was effected in the
following manner. In the month of February
1788 a month just after the [?] adoption
of the
present Fedl Constitution by the Convention of
Massts
a most flagrant violation of the Laws of Society & of
humanity was committed in this Town, by one Avery
a native of
Connecticut. By the assistance of another
infamous fellow he decoyed 3 unsuspecting black
men on board a vessel wh he had chartered &
sent
them down into ye hold to work. Whilst they were
thus employed the Vessel came to sail, & they were &
went to Sea
carried to Sea & sold as Slaves in the Danish Isld having
been previously cleared out for the Island
of St Bartholomew. of
Martinico. As soon as this infamous
Transaction was known, Govr Hancock & Monsr
L'Etombe the French Consul wrote Letters to the
Govrs of all the Islands in the
W Indies
informing favour
them of the decoyed blacks --
The Assembly was then in Session; and The
was tho't public indignation being greatly excited
agst the perpetrators of this base transaction
& all
others concerned in ye traffic of Slaves it was