Fugitive Slave Act of 1850

      The Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 allowed slave owners to search for escapees, but the suspected would have to be brought before a judge with evidence. Anyone who helped fugitives from getting captured would be fined $500. Many northern states purposefully neglected this law. 

 

     The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 forced citizens to aid in the capture of fleeing slaves. It was a part of the Compromise of 1850. Captured fugitives were denied a jury or trial, and anyone interfering with their capture (aiding the slaves) would be fined $1,000 and put in jail for 6 months. Federal Commissioners would be paid more if they captured slaves instead of freeing them. This act was much more brutal and in the bias of the south.

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    The Underground Railroad was at its peak, and still continued, but many slaves fled to Canada to evade prosecution in the U.S. However, Vermont and Wisconsin passed laws to bypass this one. 

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     There was lots of backlash and resistance, with many stating the bias that was present. There were also some riots in protest of the Fugitive Act of 1850, which liberated convicted escapees.