eration the exigencies of your government here, and that the duty
laid upon liquors will not be sufficient to defray the necessary
expences thereof, do humbly represent to your majesty, that _no other_
duty can be laid upon our import or export, without oppressing your
subjects, than a duty upon _slaves imported_, to be paid by the buyers,
_agreeable to your majesty's instructions_ to your lieutenant governor."
This act was only for the short period of four years, but seems to have
been continued from time to time till the year 1751, when the duty
expired, but was revived the next year. In the year 1740 an additional
duty of five per cent. was imposed for four years, for the purpose of an
expedition against the Spaniards, &c. to be likewise paid by the buyers:
and in 1742 the whole duty was continued till July 1, 1747.--The act of
1752, by which these duties were revived and continued (as well as
several former acts), takes notice that the duty had been found _no ways
burdensome to the traders_ in slaves. In 1754 an additional duty of five
per cent. was imposed for the term of three years, by an act for
encouraging and protecting the settlers on the Missisippi: this duty,
like all the former, was to be paid by the buyers. In 1759 a duty of 20
per cent. was imposed upon all slaves imported into Virginia from
Maryland, North Carolina, or other places in America, to continue for
seven years. In 1769 the same duty was further continued. In the same
session the duty of five per cent. was continued for three years, and an
additional duty of ten per cent. to be likewise paid by the buyers, was
imposed for seven years; and a further duty of five per cent. was, by a
separate act of the same session, imposed for the better support of the
contingent charges of government, to be paid by the buyers. In 1772 all
these duties were further continued for the term of five years from the
expiration of the acts then in force: the assembly at the same time
petitioned the throne,[15] _to remove all those restraints which
inhibited_ his majesty's governors assenting to such _laws_ as _might
check so very pernicious a commerce_, as that of slavery.

[Footnote 14: The following is a list of the acts, or titles of acts,
imposing duties on slaves imported, which occur in the various
compilations of our laws, or in the Sessions Acts, or Journals.

1699, c. 12. title only retained. Edit. of 1733, p. 113
1701, c. 5. the same, 116
1704, c. 4. the sa