Hi, Paul.

Am just looking at your message from home late in the evening, so I  
can't give you a primary source (though see below), but some strategic  
googling yielded this:

 From  
http://oha.ci.alexandria.va.us/archaeology/decades/ar-decades 
-1770.html:

"In 1772 the House of Burgesses directed a petition to the Throne,  
imploring "your majesty's paternal assistance in averting a calamity of  
a most alarming nature. The importation of slaves into the colonies  
from the coast of Africa hath long been considered as a trade of great  
inhumanity, and under its present encouragement we have reason to fear  
will endanger the very existence of your Majesty's American dominions."  
The 1774 Fairfax Resolves called for "an entire stop forever put to  
such a wicked, cruel, and unnatural trade." "

And from American Heritage Magazine's "Time Machine" feature for April  
1997 (volume 48, issue 2),  
http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/1997/2/ 
1997_2_95.shtml:

"1772  Two Hundred and Twenty-five years Ago
Stopping the Slave Trade
On April 1 Virginia’s House of Burgesses petitioned King George III of  
England for “your Majesty’s paternal assistance in averting a Calamity  
of a most alarming Nature.” Specifically, they asked the king to let  
them ban the importation of slaves, which “hath long been considered as  
a Trade of great Inhumanity” and might “endanger the very Existance of  
your Majesty’s American Dominions.” . . .  Despite the burgesses’  
fawning manner (“We, your Majesty’s dutiful and loyal Subjects . . .  
beg Leave, with all Humility, to approach your Royal Presence”), King  
George rejected their request. "

As you probably know, the obvious source for the 1772 episode would be  
John Pendleton Kennedy, ed.,  Journals of the House of Burgesses of  
Virginia 1770-1772 (Richmond, Va. [The Colonial Press, E. Waddey Co.],  
1906), Library of Congress call number  J87 .V6 1770-1772c.

Best--

--Jurretta Heckscher

On Nov 28, 2005, at 2:43 AM, Paul Finkelman wrote:

> In his draft of the Declaration, Jefferson condemned the King for
> disallowing a law of the Virginia colony to ban the importation of
> slaves from Africa.
>
> Can someone give me a cite to that law and if possible also one or two
> secondary sources that discuss the law and king overruling it.  Off  
> list
> answers are fine.  Thanks in advance.

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