What did the original Constitution say about slavery? Though the fate of slavery was not the foremost issue facing the framers of the Constitution, there was debate over slavery during the convention. Southern states wanted slaves to be counted in the national census because that would increase their representation in the national government. Framers compromised and agreed to count each slave as three-fifths of a person. Another issue had to do with the international slave trade, which many delegates wanted to ban. Eventually, it was agreed that Congress would not be able to outlaw the international slave trade for twenty years. Lastly, at the insistence of delegates from southern states, the Constitution included a fugitive slave clause requiring northern states to return runaway slaves. Though many delegates, including some from southern states, believed slavery would eventually die out, the final document helped to ensure that slavery would become a permanent part of the new nation for decades to come.
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