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American citizens are instrumental in carrying on a traffic in…

Quote byJames Madison · 1751–1836

Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: State of the Union address (1810).

English (original)

American citizens are instrumental in carrying on a traffic in enslaved Africans, equally in violation of the laws of humanity and in defiance of those of their own country. The same just and benevolent motives which produced interdiction in force against the criminal conduct will doubtless be felt by Congress in devising further means of suppressing the evil.

— James Madison

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