“Whereas by the African trade for slaves, the lives and liberties of many innocent persons have been from time to time sacrificed to the lust of gain:  And whereas some persons residing in this Commonwealth may be so regardless of the rights of human kind, as to be concerned in that unrighteous commerce: 

Sec. 1.  “Be it therefore enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, That no citizen of this Commonwealth, or other person residing within the same, shall for himself, or any other person whatsoever, either as master, factor, supercargo, owner or hirer, in whole or in part, of any vessel, directly or indirectly, import or transport, or buy or sell, or receive on board, his or their vessel, with intent to cause to be imported or transported, any of the inhabitants of any State or Kingdom, in that part of the world called Africa, as slaves, or as servants for term of years.”  Any person convicted of doing this shall forfeit and pay the sum of L50 for every person received on board, and the sum of L200 for every vessel fitted out for the trade, “to be recovered by action of debt, in any Court within this Commonwealth, proper to try the same; the one moiety thereof to the use of this Commonwealth, and the other moiety to the person who shall prosecute for and recover the same.”

Sec. 2.  All insurance on said vessels and cargo shall be null and void; “and this act may be given in evidence under the general issue, in any suit or action commenced for the recovery of insurance so made,” etc.

Sec. 4. “Provided ...  That this act do not extend to vessels which have already sailed, their owners, factors, or commanders, for and during their present voyage, or to any insurance that shall have been made, previous to the passing of the same.” Perpetual Laws of Massachusetts, 1780-89 (ed. 1789), p. 235.

1788, March 29.  Pennsylvania:  Slave-Trade Prohibited.

“An Act to explain and amend an act, entituled, ’An Act for the gradual abolition of slavery.’”

Sec. 2.  Slaves brought in by persons intending to settle shall be free.

Sec. 3. " ... no negro or mulatto slave, or servant for term of years,” except servants of congressmen, consuls, etc., “shall be removed out of this state, with the design and intention that the place of abode or residence of such slave or servant shall be thereby altered or changed, or with the design and intention that such slave or servant, if a female, and pregnant, shall be detained and kept out of this state till her delivery of the child of which she is or shall be pregnant, or with the design and intention that such slave or servant shall be brought again into this state, after the expiration of six months from the time of such slave or servant having been first brought into this state, without his or her consent, if of full age, testified upon a private examination, before two Justices of the peace of the city or county in which he or she shall reside, or, being under the age of twenty-one years, without his or her consent, testified in manner aforesaid, and also without the consent of his or her parents,” etc.  Penalty for every such offence, L75.