CHAPTER X

The Underground Railroad in Politics Valuation of the Underground Railroad in its political aspect 290 The question of the extradition of fugitive slaves in colonial times 290 Importance of the question in the constitutional conventions 293 Failure of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1793 294 Agitation for a more efficient measure 295 Diplomatic negotiations for the extradition of colored refugees from Canada, 1826-1828 299 The fugitive slave a missionary in the cause of freedom 300 [xx]Slave-hunting in the free states 302 Preparation for the abolition movement of 1830 303 The Underground Railroad and the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 308 The law in Congress 310 The enforcement of the law of 1850 316 The Underground Road and Uncle Tom's Cabin 321 Political importance of the novel 323 Sumner on the influence of escaped slaves in the North 324 The spirit of nullification in the North 327 The Glover rescue, Wisconsin, 1854 327 The rendition of Burns, Boston, 1854 331 The rescue of Addison White, Mechanicsburg, Ohio, 1857 334 The Oberlin-Wellington rescue, 1858 335 Obstruction of the Fugitive Slave Law by means of the personal liberty acts 337 John Brown's attempt Lo free the slaves 338