Fugitive Slave Act, 1850
In response to the weakening of this first fugitive slave act, the Fugitive Slave Bill of 1850 made any federal marshal or other official who did not arrest an alleged runaway slave liable to a fine of $1,000. Law-enforcement officials everywhere had a duty to arrest anyone suspected of being a runaway slave on no more evidence than a claimant's sworn testimony of ownership. In addition, any person aiding a runaway slave by providing food or shelter was to be subject to six months' imprisonment and a $1,000 fine.
For this blog post, choose one of the following options and explain/defend your position.
Option #1 You approve of the Fugitive Slave Act and want to help capture the runaway slaves. You agree that slaves are the property of their masters and that property rights must be respected.
Option #2 You disapprove of slavery but think runaways should be returned to their master because “it is the law.”
Option #3 You doe not care one way or the other about slavery but you want to collect the reward.
Option #4 You hate slavery and favor helping runaways to remain free even if it means breaking the law. You agree with Ralph Waldo Emerson’s statement concerning the Fugitive Slave Act: “This filthy enactment was made in the nineteenth century, by people who could read and write. I will not obey it, by God!”
Option #5 You are ready to do violence against slave catchers. You agree with Frederick Douglass that “The only way to make the Fugitive Slave Act a dead letter is to make a dozen or more dead kidnappers.”
Please post your response by 10:00 pm 12/18/2006
posted by Mr. H @ 10:24 PM
5 comments
5 Comments:
Option #5 You are ready to do violence against slave catchers.
(Personna of a slave)
For years it has been argued that slavery is immoral and wrong, and for years in these here United States, it has continued to flurish. As a white man, put yourslef in our position for just a day. If you were to, you would realize the inhumanity and utter atrocity of human property. Do i wish that it could have been done away with in a slower, more gradual process? Of course i do. Although it is an abomination to society, it may even be a greater evil to completely do away with it without first training the slaves as to how to live freely. However, that time has come and pass. Diplomacy has had its chance, and it has failed. The first place that this evil should be eradicated is with the slave catchers. If a slave is smart enough to not only want, but even obtain freedom, it should not be taken away from them by filthy money loving bigots. If they wish to catch a slave who has fought for their freedom, then they should also be willing to fight for their freedom, for their very lives even.
Option 4 (sort of 2)
I think slavery isn't good, esentially they just took the slaves form their hometown in Africa and brought them over to work for the rest of their life. Sometimes while the fugitive slave act people were actually turning in free african americans. While i would not kill anybody to fight for this i would defitnley try to pass acts in government to prevent this. On the other side of this is that the government actually passed a law for the fugitive slave act os you have to follow the law, I would rather do by the law then get arrested.
(option 1)
OK I have a question for all of the Northerners what if we did stop the use of slaves as a source of cheap labor what would this do to your economy? I'll tell you, you wouldnt be able to sell the manufactured goods at such a low price because we would have to charge you more money because we would have to pay the slaves to do the work. Also you would have to slow down manufacture because we would not be able to produce as much cotton. Now would you want to ruin your economy just to let some slaves free? of course not so u northerners are as much to blame for this as we are!
(option 1)
OK I have a question for all of the Northerners what if we did stop the use of slaves as a source of cheap labor what would this do to your economy? I'll tell you, you wouldnt be able to sell the manufactured goods at such a low price because we would have to charge you more money because we would have to pay the slaves to do the work. Also you would have to slow down manufacture because we would not be able to produce as much cotton. Now would you want to ruin your economy just to let some slaves free? of course not so u northerners are as much to blame for this as we are!
Ok i firmly believe in slavery for all them damn niggers not blacks but stuck up niggers. I have black friends but there not niggers. niggers are blacks that think they can do what they want and get away with it and think there better than every one. I say put there asses to work instead of stealing the shit put them to work for free of charge for all the crimes they have committed!
Its a proven fact there are more black crimes then whites.
Post a Comment
<< Home