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 The Constitution of the Republic of Texas (1836)
 GENERAL PROVISIONS

SEC. 9. All persons of color who were slaves for life previous to their 
emigration to Texas, and who are now held in bondage, shall remain in the 
like state of servitude, provide the said slave shall be the bona fide 
property of the person so holding said slave as aforesaid. Congress shall 
pass no laws to prohibit emigrants from the United States of America from 
bringing their slaves into the Republic with them, and holding them by the 
same tenure by which such slaves were held in the United States; nor shall 
Congress have power to emancipate slaves; nor shall any slave-holder be 
allowed to emancipate his or her slave or slaves, without the consent of 
Congress, unless he or she shall send his or her slave or slaves without the 
limits of the Republic. No free person of African descent, either in whole 
or in part, shall be permitted to reside permanently in the Republic, 
without the consent of Congress, and the importation or admission of 
Africans or negroes into this Republic, excepting from the United States of 
America, is forever prohibited, and declared to be piracy.
SEC. 10. All persons, (Africans, the descendants of Africans, and Indians 
excepted,) who were residing in Texas on the day of the Declaration of 
Independence, shall be considered citizens of the Republic, and entitled to 
all the privileges of such. <snip>