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

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