Fugitive Slave Act

• The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was given by the President to the South to help them keep a tight grasp around their hold of their slaves.
• Slaves were still nothing but property so if any of a slave owner's "property" was stolen or missing, they still had to find some way to get that property back.
• Slaves were never allowed to leave the property of their master's without some sort of pass. If this pass was not given to a slave and they got a few feet away from their master's property, they would be considered fugitives. If they were caught during escape, they would be sent directly back to their master and suffer a severe consequence.
• The Fugitive Slave Act allowed anyone to capture any run away slave and bring them back to their master. Even of a slave became free or was a simple runaway, if they were caught by some hunter or even from a northerner, they would be sent right back. It was true irony for a free slave.
• Those who refused to cooperate by not going back would be kept in jail until something was decided.