FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT SEPTEMBER 1850 FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT SLAVERY HUMAN RIGHTS U.S GOV'T LEGISLATIVE AFRICAN AMERICANS U.S GOVERNMENT AND CONSTITUTION IN SEPTEMBER 1850 CONGRESS PASSED THE FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT AS PART OF THE COMPROMISE OF 1850 AFTER CALIFORNIA SOUGHT TO BE ADMITTED TO THE UNION AS A FREE STATE IN 1849 SOUTHERN POLITICIANS DEMANDED A STRICTER FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW AS PART OF THE COMPROMISE THE ACT MADE IT EASIER FOR SLAVE OWNERS TO CAPTURE RUNAWAY SLAVES THE ACT PUT FUGITIVE SLAVE CASES UNDER FEDERAL JURISDICTION AND AUTHORIZED THE APPOINTMENT OF SPECIAL U.S COMMISSIONERS WHO HAD THE POWER TO ISSUE WARRANTS FOR THE ARREST OF FUGITIVE SLAVES AND CERTIFICATES FOR RETURNING THEM TO THEIR OWNERS A WRITTEN AFFIDAVIT OR AN AUTHORIZED DOCUMENT FROM AN OWNER WAS SUFFICIENT PROOF OF OWNERSHIP THE COMMISSIONERS WERE PAID 10 FOR EACH FUGITIVE RETURNED TO AN OWNER THE COMMISSIONERS COULD ALSO FORCE BYSTANDERS TO HELP CATCH RUNAWAY SLAVES CITIZENS WHO REFUSED COULD BE FINED UP TO 1000 OR IMPRISONED THE LAW PROHIBITED CAPTURED FUGITIVES CLAIMING TO BE FREE FROM TESTIFYING ON THEIR OWN BEHALF AND DENIED THEM A TRIAL BY JURY THE SUPREME COURT UPHELD THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE LAW THE FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT CONTRIBUTED TO THE SECTIONAL TENSIONS OF THE 1850S
