Slavery in the North is a good web page on the internet. A good history of the ratification process of the U.S. Constitution in some of the more detailed historical works will lead you to the conclusion that I have stated about the need for Slaves on the wharfs of New York and New Jersey in the 1780's and why that it was important to the businessmen, the movers and shakers of New York.

New Yorks ratification of that Constitution is also probably the reason that New York was selected as the first capital of the "New" United States rather than Philidelphia. It called payback. New York definately wanted to be the center of the "New nation" and I am sure that there was much back room bargaining going on to insure that New York would be a part of this "New" United States