Fugitive+Slave+Act+of+1850+ChernDelgado

= The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 =

 The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was the most controversial of the bills that comprised the Compromise of 1850. Among its 10 sections, it required citizens of all states to assist in recovering runaway slaves, regardless on their stance on slavery. Additionally, it denied the right to a jury trial for fugitives, as well as made officials accountable to a fine for not arresting a runaway slave. This resulted in an increase in suffering for colored people, and due to fugitives not having the right to a trial, there were instances of free blacks that were apprehended and sent to the south because they were unable to defend themselves. By binding everyone to assist in catching slaves, along with establishing unbalanced rights of slaves, The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 created a rift between the North and South that would inevitably lead to the Civil War.
 * [[image:amsarealcause/fugitive_slave_act.png align="center"]] ||
 * A poster from April 24, 1851 alerting colored people that police officers were serving as  slave catchers in Boston.  ||

 **Background:**  The Fugitive Slave Act was enacted largely due to the pressure of slave states. The problem existed for years the slaves would run away from their masters and head north, where the states prohibited slavery. This caused the Southern states to be infuriated, and the Compromise of 1850 brought about the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850. It was decreed in this law that marshals were required to arrest suspected fugitive slaves and return them to their owners, all citizens were required to assist in aiding the return of runaway slaves, and the suspected slaves could not ask for a trial by jury or testify on his or her own behalf. Overall, many basic rights were denied to slaves. the United States Supreme declared the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 to be constitutional and upholding the law.

 This issue brought the slave problem to the North. If the North were to deny the exercise of this law, then the southern states would be furious. If the North were to obey this law then they would be breaking their fundamental philosophy of total equality for everyone. This law made people ask, am I going to abide by the law, or am I going to help this fellow human being who's in trouble? This human issue pushed the states to the boiling point. The southern states saw that the northern states had problems enforcing this law. This included some states nullifying the law, making it unenforceable. The lack of enforcement made the South head towards separation, as they knew there was going to be no true compromise with the North.

 Even before the Fugitive Slave Act was passed, their existed abolitionists and slave owners (or slave supporters). After the fugitive Slave Act, however, these two factions became more and more prominent in every day society. there would be large formal protests addressing the issue, and many meetings would be called into whether or not people should abide by this unjust law.

**Quotes:** "That it shall be the duty of all marshals and deputy marshals to obey and execute all warrants and precepts issued under the provisions of this act... and after arrest of such fugitive, by such marshal or his deputy, or whilst at any time in his custody under the provisions of this act, should such fugitive escape, whether with or without the assent of such marshal or his deputy, such marshal shall be liable, on his official bond, to be prosecuted for the benefit of such claimant, for the full value of the service or labor of said fugitive in the State" [Section 5, Fugitive Slave Act of 1850] "... all good citizens are hereby commanded to aid and assist in the prompt and efficient execution of this law, whenever their services may be required, as aforesaid, for that purpose ... " [Section 5, Fugitive Slave Act of 1850]    "In no trial or hearing under this act shall the testimony of such alleged fugitive be admitted in evidence" [Section 6, Fugitive Slave Act of 1850]
 * = [[image:http://thoreau.eserver.org/nounionwith.jpg width="315" height="446" align="center"]] ||
 * = A poster advertising a meeting for protesting the   issue of slavery.  ||

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Arial,Verdana,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">"...[A]ny person who shall knowingly and willingly obstruct, hinder, or prevent such claimant... or any person or persons lawfully assisting him, her, or them, from arresting such a fugitive from service or labor...or shall rescue, or attempt to rescue, such fugitive from service or labor, from the custody of such claimant...or shall harbor or conceal such fugitive, so as to prevent the discovery and arrest of such person, after notice or knowledge of the fact that such person was a fugitive from service or labor as aforesaid, shall, for either of said offences, be subject to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars, and imprisonment not exceeding six months..." [Section 7, Fugitive Slave Act of 1850]

<span style="color: #000080; font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> **Links:** <span style="font-family: Tahoma,Geneva,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"> [|Henry David Thoreau's Response to the Fugitive Slave Act] [|The Fugitive Slave Act Text] [|An Analysis of the Fugitive Slave Law]