Reaction: The Fugitive Slave Laws

Fugitive Slave Act of 1793

·         Outlawed the capturing or aiding of runaway slaves
·         Required all runaway slaves to be returned to their owners
·         Slave owners could catch runaway slaves in free territory and bring them to court to legally regain ownership of the slave

Advertisements were posted to alert people of runaway slaves

Compromise of 1850

·         Included a stricter version of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 in reaction to the large amounts of slaves escaping through the Underground Railroad
     -        Designated certain judges for trials to legally return  runaway slaves
     -        Prohibited slaves to testify defend themselves in court
     -        Required all citizens to help slave catchers
     -        Failure to abide by this law was punishable for $1000 and 6 months in prison

·         Encouraged the capturing and returning of slaves
     -        Federal officials were paid $10 if the defendant was deemed a slave, and returned
     -        Federal officials were paid only $5 if the defendant was not deemed a slave

 

·         Northern resistance
     -        Northern abolitionists illegally helped runaway slaves by hiding them and helping them escape from slave catchers through the Underground Railroad
     -        Northerners who opposed the Fugitive Slave Act harassed slave catchers

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