FUGITIVE SLAVE
BILL PASSED
Philadelphia, Pa., Feb. 12, 1793 - A bill for catching criminals and fugitive slaves has been passed today by the Congress. The bill allows a slaveholder to seize his prey without a warrant of any kind...With it's passage, southern slaveholders have won a victory in their struggle to recover their escaping slaves. For now they can legally seize a slave anywhere in the nation...
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EXTRA
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FUGITIVE FLEES!
Boston, Mass., Feb. 20, 1793
-The first attempt to enforce
the new odious Fugitive Slave
Bill here has met with failure!
A fugitive slave, grabbed by
his master on the streets of
Boston and taken to court
under the new law, fled from the
courtroom, leaving the con-
stables sprawled on the floor.
As he left, cries of "Run!
Run!" "Quick!" "Get Away!"
were shouted by citizens of
Boston watching the spectacle.
The crowd, rather than
attempting to apprehend him, in
fact, did everything but detain
his master to prevent him pur-
suing the slave. This incident
signals the attitude of many in
the state regarding the new law.
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*** The preceding were actual newspaper articles printed on January 1, 1794.
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