The Slave Trade

The second issue was about the slave trade. Slavery is widespread in the states and twenty-five of the Convention's fifty-five delegates owns slaves, with slaves comprised about one-fifth of the population of the states. The Southern states own the majority of slaves and the agrarian economy is based on slave labor. Many of the Southern delegates are unwilling to accept any proposals that might threaten the institution. The slave trade was discussed, a new fugitive slave clause that would require slaves who escaped to another state to be returned to the owner in the state from which they escaped and if the slave trade should be abolished.\n\nThe Southern states are against the abolition of slave trade, should we risk their wrath or should we let it be?