Slavery and the Constituiton

[Leslie Goldstein]

Paul Finkelman wrote:
the North either refused to talk about slavery or lied about it outright -- James
Wilson claimed that after 1808 the Congress could abolish slavery, which he knew was
wrong, but did it to gain support for the Constitution.
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Leslie G inquires:
Why would compensated emancipation not have been constitutional uder the Ffith Amd.
(taking private property for public purposes of the highest order--securing the freedom
that the Dec. said is everyone's right)?
LFG