Fugitive+slave+Act

"THE FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT"

As part of the Compromise of 1850, Henry clay had convinced Congress to pass Fugitive slave Act as a benefit to slaveholders.By creating active hostility toward slavery among many Northerners it hurt the southern cause. Because of this law, a slaveholder or slave catcher had only to point out alleged runaways to have them taken into custody. Then the accused would be brought before a federal commissioner. So, those who earned their freedom years earlier had no way to prove their case. And later federal commissioners had a financial incentive to rule in favor of slaveholders: such judgements in favor of the accused paid only 5 bucks.