Article I, Sect 9., Paragraph 1
The Migration or Importation of Such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year on[e] thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each person.
Implicit in this passage is discussions between representatives of those states which wished to curb human trafficking from Europe and Africa, with an apparent consensus that the importation of servile labor would be reviewed in 1808. The Founding Fathers were concerned with peopling a vast hinterland and some also seemed worried about the desirability of peopling it with the convicts, debtors, Irish and Africans indicated under the description of Importation.
At the time of this $10 tax the cost of a human ranged from a 7-pound Irish convict to a 45-pound African, with 5-pounds the bounty for runaways, marking this as a significant tariff.
As early as 1728, Pennsylvania legislators placed a specific duty [tax] on the importation of Catholics, which was a subject of great concern for American leaders.
