Fugitive Slave Law

The Act was part of the Compromise of 1850, in which Congress tried to balance the interests of pro and anti-slavery forces.  The opponents of slavery got the admission of California to the United States as a free state , and the banning of the slave trade in the nation's capital, Washington DC .  At the time, Washington had the largest slave market in the US .

The supporters of slavery got a new Fugitive Slave law, which made it the duty of all citizens to apprehend any suspected runaway slaves.   People were fined up to $1,000 – a huge sum at the time – for aiding a suspected runaway, and could also face six months in jail.  Any federal marshal who failed to arrest an alleged runaway could be fined $1,000, while those who did carry out arrests could get bounties.   Suspected runaways could not have a jury trial in court.  Instead, special commissioners would decide whether they really were the property of a claimant.  The commissioners would get larger fees if the claim was successful. 

The Fugitive Slave law meant that Black freemen could be taken into slavery at any time. Up to 20,000 immediately moved to Canada .  Canada also became the favorite destination for the "Underground Railroad" – the network of committed individuals and safe houses sheltering runaways and helping them reach safety.  There is little sign that people were intimidated by the penalties they would face if caught helping runaway slaves.  Instead, the Railroad reached its peak in the decade after the law's passage.