1. Resistance:
- Political Pressure: Southern politicians and states' rights advocates strongly opposed the law and attempted to challenge it. For example, some states passed resolutions declaring the law unconstitutional and argued that the federal government overreached its powers.
- Economic Concerns: The southern economy was heavily dependent on slave labor, particularly in the plantation system. With the cessation of the international slave trade, southern states worried about the availability and affordability of enslaved workers, which posed a threat to their agricultural productivity and prosperity.
2. Continued Smuggling and Illegal Trade:
- Enforcement Challenges: Despite the ban, some southern states continued to participate in the illegal trade by smuggling enslaved people across borders. The vast coastline and limited resources for enforcement made it difficult for the federal government to completely eradicate the illegal traffic.
- Corruption: Cases of corruption and collusion among law enforcement officials, port officials, and plantation owners aided in the continuation of the illegal trade. This allowed some individuals to profit from the black market in enslaved people.
3. Internal Migration:
- Movement of Enslaved People: In response to the ban on the international slave trade, some southern states began to rely on domestic slave trading. This meant transporting enslaved people from the upper Southern states to the lower Southern states, especially the new territories acquired from the Louisiana Purchase, where demand for labor was high.
4. Breeding:
- Increase in Breeding: To maintain and increase their labor force without external sources, southern slave owners increasingly resorted to "breeding" or forced reproduction among enslaved people. This practice allowed owners to treat enslaved individuals as a self-sustaining workforce.
5. Gradual Abolition Movements:
- Limited Support for Abolition: A small number of southern states explored gradual emancipation plans or policies that aimed to eventually end the institution of slavery. However, these movements were often met with fierce opposition from the majority of southern slaveholders.
Overall, the southern states reacted to the ban on international slave trade with resistance, economic anxiety, and attempts to find alternative ways to maintain their slave-based economy. The complex social and economic fabric of the South intertwined with slavery made the transition away from the international trade both challenging and contentious.