,
and in that situation delivered to the man.... Wm. Grisley
farther says that he saw a negro at a distance, he believes to be
tied in the same manner, and has heard that many other People
mean to do the same by their Negroes

"_Resolved._--That it is necessary to take immediate steps to
prevent the continuance of such violent breaches of the Public
Peace, and for that purpose, that His Majesty's Attorney-General,
be forthwith directed to prosecute the said Fromond.

"Adjourned."[15]

The Attorney-General was John White[16] an accomplished English
lawyer. He knew that the brutal master was well within his rights in
acting as he did. He had the same right to bind, export, and sell his
slave as to bind, export, and sell his cow. Chloe Cooley had no rights
which Vrooman was bound to respect: and it was no more a breach of the
peace than if he had been dealing with his heifer. Nothing came of the
direction to prosecute and nothing could be done.

It is probable that it was this circumstance which brought about
legislation. At the Second Session of the First Parliament which met
at Newark, May 31, 1793, a bill was introduced and unanimously passed
the House of Assembly. The trifling amendments introduced by the
Legislative Council were speedily concurred in, the royal assent was
given July 9, 1793, and the bill became law.[17] It recited that it
was unjust that a people who enjoy freedom by law should encourage the
introduction of slaves, and that it was highly expedient to abolish
slavery in the Province so far as it could be done gradually without
violating private property; and proceeded to repeal the Imperial
Statute of 1790 so far as it related to Upper Canada, and to enact
that from and after the passing of the Act, "No Negro or other person
who shall come or be brought into this Province ... shall be subject
to the condition of a slave or to" bounden involuntary service for
life. With that regard for property characteristic of the
English-speaking peoples, the act contained an important proviso which
continued the slavery of every "negroe or other person subjected to
such service" who has been lawfully brought into the Province. It then
enacted that every child born after the passing of the act, of a Negro
mother or other woman subjected to such service should become
absolutely free on attaining the age of twenty-five, the mas