History of the Underground Railroad- The Fugitive
Slave Act
In order to deter slaves from escaping and free citizens
from aiding in escape attempts, legislation was passed in Congress
by southern congressmen. These laws stipulated that it was illegal
for any citizen to assist an escaped slave. Furthermore, the
legislation, which was entitled The Fugitive Slave Act
(1850) demanded that if an escaped slave was sighted, he or she
should be apprehended and turned in to the authorities for deportation
back to the "rightful" owner down south. It was thought
that the Fugitive Slave Act would diminish the incentive for slaves
to attempt escape. The rationale behind this was the slaves'
realization that even if they managed to escape from their plantation,
they could still be caught and returned by any citizen in the
United States. In fact, the Fugitive Slave Act was so severe
that at the behest of Senator Henry Clay, it was legislated that
any United States Marshall who refused to return a runaway slave
would pay a hefty penalty of $1,000.